RAMQ coverage. What to do?

[Inpasarable]

Hello all!

I hope somebody could help me to find an answer to the following question.
I am PR resident of Canada and currently reside in Quebec. I have my RAMQ card.

I know, that if a person spends 183+days outside Quebec in a year, he's not eligible for Health Insurance in that year and has to repay all the medical costs received in that year to the government.

Recently I have got a certain health issue that concerns me and I would like to seek a medical consultation, to make sure that there's nothing bad going on. However, my husband is currently in a hiring process of the company based in USA, and if he will be hired, we will be relocating to USA within 2-3 months probably. But this is uncertain for now. Maybe he won't be hired at all. It's like a 50/50 chance right now, but the hiring process is soooo slow...I am not even sure, when he will know for sure.

So I have a dilemma, let's say I go to the doctor now and get all necessary consultations and tests done. Everything is covered by RAMQ. And then my husband gets hired and in 2-3 months we are relocating to the United States. That means, that I will become ineligible for Quebec Health Insurance for the current year and will have to repay all the medical costs that I received.

I am trying to figure out, what are my options here? My health issue sort of bothers me and I don't want to jeopardize my health in general. But at the same time I don't want to put myself and my family in financial troubles because the situation is uncertain right now.

Could anybody give an advice on this?
Thank you!

 

[APPNOV2014NY]

"183+days outside Quebec in a year" --> This means that you cannot stay out of Quebec for more than 183 days in a year and still get free Healthcare upon return. You will get free healthcare until you move out of Quebec. I was on work permit in Quebec from Jan 2015 - Feb 2016 and then re-located to USA. Quebec did not ask me to reimburse for healthcare services I took in Jan/Feb 2016.

 

[canuck78]

"183+days outside Quebec in a year" --> This means that you cannot stay out of Quebec for more than 183 days in a year and still get free Healthcare upon return. You will get free healthcare until you move out of Quebec. I was on work permit in Quebec from Jan 2015 - Feb 2016 and then re-located to USA. Quebec did not ask me to reimburse for healthcare services I took in Jan/Feb 2016.

Have you come back to the country yet?

 

[APPNOV2014NY]

Have you come back to the country yet?

No.

 

[Inpasarable]

"183+days outside Quebec in a year" --> This means that you cannot stay out of Quebec for more than 183 days in a year and still get free Healthcare upon return. You will get free healthcare until you move out of Quebec. I was on work permit in Quebec from Jan 2015 - Feb 2016 and then re-located to USA. Quebec did not ask me to reimburse for healthcare services I took in Jan/Feb 2016.

Did you notify Regie that you left?

Here's a quote from Regie website:

Please note that every time you spend 183 days or more outside the province in a given year, you lose your eligibility for that year. The Régie will require that you repay the cost of any healthcare services received during this time. Furthermore, to make sure that persons are indeed present in Québec, the Régie carries out spot checks.

I understand this as: if in 2018 I get some medical services covered by RAMQ, then in the same year I am out of Quebec for more than 183 days, I become ineligible for Assurance Maladie coverage in the same year, and then I have to repay for the medical service I received in 2018. Maybe I am wrong.

It's sort of disappointing because you always have to look over your shoulder to make sure that you remain eligible, like in my case right now.

 

[APPNOV2014NY]

Did you notify Regie that you left?

Here's a quote from Regie website:

I understand this as: if in 2018 I get some medical services covered by RAMQ, then in the same year I am out of Quebec for more than 183 days, I become ineligible for Assurance Maladie coverage in the same year, and then I have to repay for the medical service I received in 2018. Maybe I am wrong.

It's sort of disappointing because you always have to look over your shoulder to make sure that you remain eligible, like in my case right now.

I had called Regie to inform them about my departure. Your understanding is not correct. If you are leaving Quebec permanently then you do not need to reimburse Regie.

 

[Inpasarable]

I had called Regie to inform them about my departure. Your understanding is not correct. If you are leaving Quebec permanently then you do not need to reimburse Regie.

Thank you very much, APPNOV2014NY! I understand now.