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| Subject: Landing soon: Questions on Health Care Scheme |
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Hi,
Just another quick one guys:
I am a Quebec applicant who will be landing soon. I have been doing a lot of reading-up and have just realised there´s going to be a 3-month waiting period before my wife and I are covered by the Health Care Scheme. As she is pregnant and due early next year, we are a bit concerned that having the baby in Canada is going to cost us a fortune.
Can anyone please advise on how we can circumvent this potential bottleneck? Can we land in Quebec and then register with a Doctor in Alberta (for example) where I understand we wont be subject to the 3-month wait?
Thanks
[15-11-2009,15:34]
[**.39.225.27]
Sopsy |
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(in reply to: Landing soon: Questions on Health Care Scheme)
The short answer: no. Health care isn´t a federal jurisdiction; it´s provincially run. After you land and secure an address, you will apply for medicare. I highly suggest you purchase (beforehand or as soon as you can) private "travelers" health insurance through Blue Cross or another service. You will need to check about pre existing conditions such as pregnancy, which may or may not be covered. You are right to be concerned, as you will not be eligible for medicare for 3 months and paying for services out of your own pocket is ghastly expensive. Trying to jump the queue by misrepresenting where you live is not advisable or realistic--are you planning to drive all the way to Alberta for her weekly check ups?
Know too that finding a doctor can be extremely challenging. Where I live there is 3-5 year waiting list, and even then the province admits that many people will never actually be assigned a GP. Not everywhere is that bad, but just because you receive medicare does not mean finding a doctor will necessarily be easy. It does, however, mean that you will have access to public clinics (and emergency care, of course). Once you secure medicare in your home province, you are covered throughout the country when you travel.
Good luck.
[15-11-2009,19:57]
[**.252.115.196]
wannabecanadian |
(in reply to: Landing soon: Questions on Health Care Scheme)
always read the fine print about inter-provincial coverage.
[15-11-2009,22:42]
[***.5.54.139]
Sharon |
(in reply to: Landing soon: Questions on Health Care Scheme)
To give you an idea how much it (medical) will cost - in BC, it´s about $8,000 to $10,000 for just delivery, without complications.
[18-11-2009,20:25]
[**.210.15.78]
Anonymous |
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