Pregnant and need health insurance during the 3 month waiting period in Toronto

[st7480]

Hello - My husband and I are planning to land in Toronto next month but I am unable to find any insurance that would cover pregnancy during the 3 month waiting period for OHIP. We are moving from US and this is one of our biggest concerns right now besides finding an IT job in Canada. I am currenty 3 months pregnant and will have OHIP by the time I am ready to deliver, but need some coverage during the initial 3 months for regular checkups and any unforseen emergencies. I already called the 3 canadian insurance companies mentioned on this forum and none of them cover pregnancy related claims - not even emergencies (pregnancy related).

I was wondering if people could share their landing experiences in Canada while being pregnant. What options did you guys consider? Was anyone able to find insurance coverage for pregnancy? If I have to pay out -of-pocket for the first 3 months (approx. 3-5 doc visits including ultrasounds) how much do you think it will cost me? I know some provinces start coverage from day 1, but it will be very difficult for my husband to find jobs in those provinces, and we do not wish to stay seperate while being pregnant. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

We have the option of moving to Singapore right now while staying with the US company my husband is working for, but we think it would be a shame if we let the opportunity of moving to Canada with a PR pass by. We worked really hard to get this PR. Please help!!!

[Mary2009]

If you can land anywhere else other than Toronto (Ontario)... there are few provinces that gives you health coverage for day 1

So, if this is an option, you can land first at a province that gives you the coverage,
search for a job... then you deliver... if you or your hsuband found a job, then continue there.
If not, then you may move to Toronto... and try there.

My $0.02

Mary

[pearl2010]

Hi st7480,

I know a friend(who is also our forum member) 'gauri'.she was seven months pregnant when she moved to Canada.She might be able to help u with this situation.May be u can PM her.FYI,she is in Surrey,British Columbia.
U can see her posts in below thread
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/file-xfer-to-chc-nd-in-jan-feb-march-2010-please-join-here-t54244.0.html;msg537617#msg537617

I got gauri's facebook id.I will ask her to reply to ur PM.

Regards
pearl2010

[st7480]

Thanks Mary and Pearl!

[anata]

hi st7480, just wanted to know what you did? did you land in Ontario?

[st7480]

hi st7480, just wanted to know what you did? did you land in Ontario?

Hi Anata,

Yes, I landed in Toronto.
I planned on using my husband's company's COBRA coverage (very expensive - around $1000 a month) but luckily I did not have any emergencies during the waiting period so I didn't have to activate COBRA ( you can sign up for it within 60 days of quitting your job). During the OHIP waiting period, I had two doc appointments(prenatal) for which I paid out of pocket - $60 each visit. The doctor was very nice, she knew I didn't have health coverage so charged me a nominal fee both times and by the time I was due for my third visit, OHIP had already kicked in.

Sorry for the late reply...I just logged in after ages. Hope this info helps!

[Leon]

First of all, I am glad to hear that all worked out for st7480

However:

If you can land anywhere else other than Toronto (Ontario)... there are few provinces that gives you health coverage for day 1

So, if this is an option, you can land first at a province that gives you the coverage,
search for a job... then you deliver... if you or your hsuband found a job, then continue there.
If not, then you may move to Toronto... and try there.

Yes, it is an option but if somebody were to do that and move away from that province within 6 months after settling there, they might just find that they will be asked to re-pay everything that the health care in that province paid for them.

There was a post from a lady who had this experience in BC.  Not that BC even has a 1st day coverage but she had already stayed her 3 month waiting period, got her coverage, had her baby but ended up leaving BC after having stayed there for 5 and a half months.  When BC realized that she did not stay for a full 6 months in her first year since landing, they promptly sent her a bill for over 40,000$.  They stated the reason being that BC health is for people who live in BC at least 6 months every year and because she didn't, she never had the right to be covered in the first place.  The reason why it was so expensive when deliveries normally don't cost much more than 10,000, they said that the hospital bills it differently when BC health is paying vs. when a private person is paying so the 40,000 is apparently what BC health had to pay.