Medical insurance in Canada?

[FlGaCpl]

What have you done for medical insurance while traveling in Canada? I am retired military and have Tricare and closing in on Medicare. From what I understand neither are accepted in Canada.

[daveB110]

In 1974 I was a hospital patient trying to recover from Back problems. A fellow patient in our ward was an American with with as yet no diagnoses, he said. With no medical insurance, he stayed at least a few days when the charge was to be about 700 dollars per day.

We had a family member flown from our town, only a short distance, maybe fifty miles, no charge except for the two ground ambulance charges.

[Paoli]

Actually there is a small charge for airplane ambulance in British Columbia. It's not much, but I paid around 50 dollars for a 800 km flight. This was 10 years ago. Maybe things have changed.

[daveB110]

As a resident of British Columbia, one of Canada's ten provinces, when we leave to travel Canada we make sure we have "out of Province" travel health coverage. Remembering the young child with heart problems who needed air evacuation from Yukon to Vancouver a few years ago, and whose parents were presented with the air ambulance bill in the thousands, well...our system is not so universal as we thought. Air ambulance in B.C, for residents is free, although the surface ambulance costs are not. Hospital stays are covered for us with up to date status. In each hospital here, there can be found the cost for a stay without it, which will shock the average Canadian who has never seen it, or has never heard what a stay in a hospital in a comparable facility south of our border.

[JackD]

Tothill wrote:
And no 'Everybody is covered by our health care system

I meant to say''all Canadians are covered.

[loggenrock]

Funny - this is a good thread - everyone seems to be sharing/getting good info - EXCEPT the OP! Hasn't come back in since the original posting almost 2 weeks ago! Maybe they didn't like the answers???!!! Sue's comment re: medivac is valid. In addition to health insurance, I consider it worthwhile to carry a medical evacuation policy. Covers stuff like helicopters and fixed-wing air ambulances. GS has their version - Travel Assist, I believe. My new CoachNet policy now includes such coverage, too, so won't need to carry Travel Assist for the extra $100/year. We often need to use helicopters to move patients here in northern New England, too. ST

[Tothill]

JackD wrote:

In this case the old system of "information printed on paper" is preferred, in a emergency medical situation

Even that is fading away rapidely.
Most provinces have introduced their version of (Electronic Medical Record)where all medical records are made available to doctors in case of emergency. (medical history, prescription drugs, special allergies,scan and XRays, past lab tests reports,and +++) all available on line in a matter of seconds.
And there no need for specific insurance info in Canada. Everybody is covered by our health care system.

EMR data is not universal in Canada and in case of emergency not always available, onsite. The side of a road, at a campground with no wifi, on a beach, at a boat or fly in fishing camp. All places where we have had to access emergency medical care.

Heck in BC there are many areas without cell coverage, those mountains get in the way of signals.

And no 'Everybody is covered by our health care system', everybody is not covered by our health care system in all jurisdictions. Most provinces have reciprocal agreements for most basic health care, but not everything is covered.

Visitors from other countries do need travel insurance. In an emergency they will be treated (in most situations) and billed later, but at my local BC hospital Emergency department there is a price list of services for those with out insurance.

[JackD]

In this case the old system of "information printed on paper" is preferred, in a emergency medical situation

Even that is fading away rapidely.
Most provinces have introduced their version of (Electronic Medical Record)where all medical records are made available to doctors in case of emergency. (medical history, prescription drugs, special allergies,scan and XRays, past lab tests reports,and +++) all available on line in a matter of seconds.
And there no need for specific insurance info in Canada. Everybody is covered by our health care system.

[jimbunting]

retrate:

The answer is a qualified "maybe ". Canada is a huge country, as you know, and local services have equipment that varies from Province to Province. As has been said....... a USB stick is not that helpful, as there are many different system protocols that would reject it. In this case the old system of " information printed on paper " is preferred, in a emergency medical situation.

Secondly, I fully concur with the advice to have a up to date list of EACH prescription med that you take, with you when you travel. I have had to resort to trying to match up a handful of individual pills, to the colour photos in the Compendium of Pharmacy drugs, to identify them, at the hospital, because the spouse of our unconscious patient didn't know what he was taking, and the actual drugs were not in the original bottles, with labels.

My original message was that visitors to Canada should be re-assured that medical treatment will never be conditional on payment, up front. Here in Ontario, all emergency Ambulance services are public, and we don't have any way of accepting payment on the spot. All billing is done by the Provincial Ministry of Health, for both EMS services, on land or by air, or for hospital or Doctor services. A patient is a patient, regardless of where they call home.

A final point, costs for care here in Canada, are based on a " No Profit " model, so actual prices for medical care will be lower than in the USA, for the same type of care or treatment.

Jim B.

Toronto.

[Tothill]

retraite wrote:

jimbunting wrote:
Now a word from my past experience as a Ambulance Officer, here in Toronto. If you have a Medic Alert bracelet, WEAR IT, don't keep it in your pocket, wallet or purse, or around your ankle, under your winter boot. That happens, trust me, I have seen it.

Jim B.

Jim,

Just curious. Can Canadian Amublance Officers read a USB key when "on a call"?

When we travel, DW and I both wear - on our wrist - a bracelet (see here) that has all history, meds, contact info, insurance info, etc., etc., etc. that is a USB key. The bracelet does display the universally recognized EMS logo (at least it's recognized by EMTs). It does require that the EMT put it in a computer to read it - but, I think most EMT responding vehicles have one on board.

'Tis just peace of mind for us should there be something untoward happen.

We do go so far as to ask our primary care for a copy of our annual EKG, scan it, and put it on the USB key. In short, everything a medical provider might need to know about either of us is all there. It does take a bit of work to load it and keep it up to date, but, again, it's just for peace of mind.

Cheers.

A USB stick is not helpful in an emergency. It may be helpful once you get to a medical facility, but only if their technology protocols would allow a 'strange' USB drive to be inserted into their infrastructure.

If you are on prescription medication make sure you each carry a up to date list of your prescriptions, dosage and what it is for (some medication can be used to treat a variety of problems). Not only your own but your spouses too.

On more than one occasion I have hear a wife say he takes his heart pill in the morning and one for his stomach with each meal.

[retraite]

jimbunting wrote:
Now a word from my past experience as a Ambulance Officer, here in Toronto. If you have a Medic Alert bracelet, WEAR IT, don't keep it in your pocket, wallet or purse, or around your ankle, under your winter boot. That happens, trust me, I have seen it.

Jim B.

Jim,

Just curious. Can Canadian Amublance Officers read a USB key when "on a call"?

When we travel, DW and I both wear - on our wrist - a bracelet (see here) that has all history, meds, contact info, insurance info, etc., etc., etc. that is a USB key. The bracelet does display the universally recognized EMS logo (at least it's recognized by EMTs). It does require that the EMT put it in a computer to read it - but, I think most EMT responding vehicles have one on board.

'Tis just peace of mind for us should there be something untoward happen.

We do go so far as to ask our primary care for a copy of our annual EKG, scan it, and put it on the USB key. In short, everything a medical provider might need to know about either of us is all there. It does take a bit of work to load it and keep it up to date, but, again, it's just for peace of mind.

Cheers.

[jimbunting]

Just to re-assure our American friends.

No one in any type of medical emergency care situation, in Canada, will EVER demand payment, before you are treated.

Rest assured that your CARE comes first here in Canada, the bills can be dealt with, later.

If you are unable to speak, or unconscious , you are going to be triaged, and treatment started, right away.

Now a word from my past experience as a Ambulance Officer, here in Toronto. If you have a Medic Alert bracelet, WEAR IT, don't keep it in your pocket, wallet or purse, or around your ankle, under your winter boot. That happens, trust me, I have seen it.

Jim B.

[Harvard]

2gypsies wrote:
Just stay healthy and drive slowly. 🙂 Remember, Alaska itself is part of the U.S. so you're covered.

So the op would likely need two travel ins policies, one for the trip up through Canada and another for the trip home through Canada. Weekly policies are abundant and cheap so dont leave home without them.

[2gypsies1]

Just stay healthy and drive slowly. 🙂 Remember, Alaska itself is part of the U.S. so you're covered.

[loggenrock]

You can purchase International Travelers Insurance fairly inexpensively. Are you a member of FMCA? They offer a deal to their membership (Marcus - are you listening???) thru Global Underwriters/United States Fire Insurance Company. No-cost coverage for something like the 1st 24 or 48 hours as long as you notify them prior to travelling out-of-country. You then purchase various plan levels if you will be there longer, which is what we did since my DW is covered by Medicare. Just ran a quick quote and it would be about $37 a person for a week. ST