Pregnant and moving to Calgary, Alberta

[AvayaLenovo]

Hello,
Would appreciate if anyone knows if I would be eligible for health insurance in Alberta when I apply for my health card while pregnant already?  My husband and I landed last July 2011 and we are now planning to move to Calgary this month.  However, I'm currently 11 weeks pregnant and the reason why we are choosing Calgary is because of its health insurance that you get covered from the day you land there.  Would this be the same case if you are pregnant already?

We are FSW immigrants, by the way and we'll be coming from USA.

Thank you so much in advance!

[Leon]

If you are seen as moving from abroad, you get 1st day health coverage in AB regardless of any pre-existing conditions.  I assume that you just landed in July and then went back and that you have not been staying in Canada since then.  If you were, you might be seen as moving from another province in which case you'd have to wait 3 months.

[AvayaLenovo]

Yes, we landed in Vancouver and only stayed there for 4 days.... we even did not apply for health card.  

If for example, we were considered "moving from outside Canada", and applied for health card on day 1 upon arrival...and what if for example, one of us gets hospitalized on day 3 (knock on wood!)... do we need to pay hospital bills or what document should we present in order to claim insurance benefits?  And how much is usually the premiums if both my husband and I don't have jobs yet?  I'm actually not clear on how the billing process or insurance process is in Canada so would really appreciate if you could also shed light on this.  Thanks so so so much!!!

[Leon]

They have changed the health care card application in AB since I did it.  Back then, you could just go to AB health and they would print out the cards on the spot but now you must apply through a registry so I do not know how fast you get them.  However, if you are hospitalized before you have your card, you are still covered.  You should then phone AB health and see if they can give you the number of your card or what else you can do.  Worst case, you would have to make a payment plan with the hospital and AB health would reimburse you.

There are no premiums for AB health, it is completely funded by tax money.

[calgarygary]

This website may help. If you require any further info. you cannot find on website please ask and i will endeavour to find out for you..
health.alberta.ca/health-care-insurance-plan.html WELCOME to all your family!!!

[AvayaLenovo]

Thanks, Leon for your very informative response.

Thanks, calgarygary for the link.  That is where I actually get most of information.

Has anyone actually experienced of being considered as "moving from another province" even though all they did is to land and apply for SIN in another province?  Because this will determine whether or not we would need private insurance for 3 mos while waiting to be covered under Alberta Health Insurance.  We just landed in Vancouver, applied for SIN, and stayed there for 4 days.  We did not apply for health card and we did not receive any single benefit from British Columbia.  I just don't understand why we would be considered "moving from another province" when in fact, all we did was land there and did not even establish residence.

Would appreciate if someone could confirm this info.  I tried sending inquiry to Alberta Health Services but haven't got any response.  I also tried calling them (thru 1-866-408 5465 (LINK)) using my US phone but the number doesn't work. 

[Leon]

I phoned AB health once time because there was a discussion if a couple who landed and stayed for a month, then went back for a few and then wanted to come back would be seen as a move from another province or from abroad and AB health said if they only took a vacation in the other province and did not actually settle there, they would be seen as a move from abroad.  No way they can say you settled in BC if you were only there for 4 days.

You can call them at    780-427-1432  ( see http://www.health.alberta.ca/AHCIP/contact-AHCIP.html )

[AvayaLenovo]

I phoned AB health once time because there was a discussion if a couple who landed and stayed for a month, then went back for a few and then wanted to come back would be seen as a move from another province or from abroad and AB health said if they only took a vacation in the other province and did not actually settle there, they would be seen as a move from abroad.  No way they can say you settled in BC if you were only there for 4 days.

You can call them at    780-427-1432  ( see http://www.health.alberta.ca/AHCIP/contact-AHCIP.html )

Thanks as always, Leon! You are of tremendous help!    Are you based in Calgary?  Maybe we could meet up when we arrive there!

[Leon]

Nope, I am not in Calgary but I wish you the best of luck in your new life there

[AvayaLenovo]

Just wanna share the reply I received from ahcip:

Thank you for your inquiry

Effective January 1, 2009, Albertans are no longer required to pay AHCIP premiums.

If you only landed in B.C you would be considered moving from out of country in which case your
Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan would start the date you arrived. if there are any hospital visits
they could be possibly retroactively covered to the effective date,

However we can not confirm that you and your  spouse will be eligible for coverage
until we have viewed the  Canada entry documents. Alberta residents
from outside Canada must provide a copy of their current Canada
entry document to determine their eligibility for Alberta Health
Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) coverage.
 
Alberta Health Care will provide six months of coverage for  you and your spouse
if you  intend to make Alberta your permanent resident and the appropriate
papers are received. Acceptable immigration documents for the six months
coverage are Canada Custom stamp in your passport upon entry into Canada
or a visitors visa issued in Canada. Other acceptable immigration
 documents are permanent residency card, a twelve month work authorization
 or a student visa.

If your current status is that of a visitor,
you must continue to renew your visitor status until such time you receive
a letter indicating that the first stage of approval has been made by
Citizenship and Immigration Canada or Confirmation of Permanent Residency
document has been issued.

What I didn't understand from their reply is the one in bold above.  Are we just covered for 6 months?  What will happen after 6 months? .... Anyone care to explain, much appreciated!

[steaky]

This member is based in Calgary.  You may want to contact him:

send me PM at taradale  @  live.ca