Canadians & Health Insurance

[jefguth]

This has been on my mind lately since I'll be losing my coverage in a few months (turning 25 under parental plan).

What are all of you doing, purchasing health insurance through a US company, AOSA plan, gambling that you''ll have no health problems/emergencies?

All of the plans from US companies I've looked at seem a little pricey for the limited benefits provided.

The solution I'm thinking of is taking out a multi-trip travel insurance plan from HSBC Canada (best deal I've found so far). For multiple trips up to 95days in length it is $180/yr, for 125days $289/yr. These are with $250 deductible.

Covers the following:

Medical Services
* Up to $5 million coverage for emergency medical treatment (including hospital, physician, x-ray, lab work, diagnostic services)
* Private duty nursing
* Ambulance services
* Prescription drugs
* Emergency dental treatment

Medical assistance services
* Direct payment to hospitals (where applicable)
* Multilingual assistance
* Contact with family, personal physician and/or employer as appropriate

Non-medical services
* Emergency transportation returning to Canada
* Return of traveling companion when Insured medically transported home
* Return of vehicle or airfare home in event of medical emergency
* Repatriation in case of Insured's death

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[mtrlOATgal]

Does your provincial health care not cover partially what you may be required to pay in the US?

so do most canadians find a health care insurance company that will give travel insurances and you would just renew that periodically or just try to buy an annual one.....

 

[jefguth]

Does your provincial health care not cover partially what you may be required to pay in the US?

so do most canadians find a health care insurance company that will give travel insurances and you would just renew that periodically or just try to buy an annual one.....

your provincial insurance will cover services and procedures in the US, but only for the amount that they pay doctors and facilities in their province.... which is a small, very small, fraction of what US hospitals and doctors set as their usual and customary fee.

I'm not sure what most other Canadians do, thats why I came asking here. Most people I've talked with in first year when this was more on everyone's mind had coverage through their parents.

But I'm thinking annual travel insurance for emergency care would be a relative bargain compared to medical plans available in the US.

 

[acurael]

i used BCAA travel insurance. The school insurance was around 900 dollars US, and i ended up paying around 150ish? for the year

huge savings. It covers accidents primarily (dental, meds etc). Looking through the school's insurance pamphlet it was mostly the same. I think the only thing the school's insurance covered that BCAA didnt cover was abortion.

 

[jefguth]

I get my insurance through the school. $3000/year.

And what type of coverage do you get? Most of the plans I looked at online where around 1000-1200/yr

 

[mtrlOATgal]

I am assuming from all these previous posts that we are getting a type of travel health insurance and if so go with bluecross it seems to be only 500$ + per year....correct me if i;m wrong but I will be contacting them on Monday to inquire about this