Health insurance.

[torontosm]

It sounds like your priority is to have your baby in Canada so that it is a native born citizen upon birth. There is nothing wrong with this, no one will ask you why. This is quite frankly expected: you want to be Canadian, you have/are becoming one, your children should be native born citizens and this is not a problem.

Just relax, there's no fraud involved here. You are establishing Canadian residency. Just because you returned to your home country to finish up business, that is absolutely normal. You are still establishing Canadian residency, and if you intend on living in Ontario your intent is your intent. There is no real legal recognition of 'short landing', because when you land, you land. Even if you only stay for a few days and go back to the country you came from to finish business/family visitations, etc... In the eyes of the law, your landing only happens once. You are landed and then traveling as a Canadian Permanent Resident. And when you land in Ontario and establish yourself over those first few days, then travel again, you are still an Ontario resident who just happens to be traveling away from your new home. You don't forfeit your Ontario residence just because you went to visit family and finish business in the country you are leaving.

And again, just relax! Things will be just fine.

Just be honest with the officers you land with. They will ask you if you intend on staying or returning temporarily. Just be honest, tell them you're landing, staying several days, returning to your home country to finish business, then will return at a later date.

Honesty is key... Always be honest. You have zero reason to lie about anything you plan on doing.

FWIW, health insurance and obtaining a health card is completely separate and unrelated to your actual landing process. It is a provincial affair and the services you receive will have to be settled up with the hospital you give birth in if you haven't obtained the public health card as of yet. My biggest concern would be finding a private policy you think would cover the birth of a baby. As I came from the US, all I can say is shop around for health insurance! Private health insurance isn't fun to deal with, but just ensure you purchase a policy that would pay for the birth of a child, even if it costs more for that 3 month period.

I'm not sure you fully understand the rules. Please review them here: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/publications/ohip/ohip_eligibility.aspx

It clearly says that you only qualify for OHIP if:
- you make your primary place of residence in Ontario; and generally,
- you are in Ontario for at least 153 days of the first 183 days immediately following the date you establish residence in Ontario (you cannot be absent for more than 30 days during the first 6 months of residence); and
- you are in Ontario for at least 153 days in any 12-month period.

As stated, if you will not be in Ontario for more than 30 days after landing, you are not eligible for OHIP. It seems pretty clear, and I don't know why you keep misleading people.

Once again, you are correct that you become a PR once you land, but you certain are NOT eligible for OHIP immediately, with or without your bank account and PO box.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Is the bolded really possible? Thought it will be some sort of fraud, since one will not be physically resident in Ontario within those three months.

Not looking to move immediately after PR. Will prolly do a short landing first, then go a few months later to have my baby. Come back to home country, before finally relocating.

No, that is not possible, as Ontario has strict requirements about actually being IN the province. Ignore everything that Bincanada is telling you.

Also, if you come here for a short time to give birth and then leave again without meeting the OHIP residency requirements, Ontario WILL come after you for the full cost of the birth. The same is true in Alberta. You cannot simply take advantage of the Canadian healthcare system.

Just relax, there's no fraud involved here. You are establishing Canadian residency.

Stop giving bad advice and advocating healthcare fraud.

 

[spyfy]

I'm sorry, Bincanada, I respect your opinion, but in my opinion, you give very bad advice regarding health insurance in Canada.

I doubt anything would come of it, a health agency would have to pursue a case and find probable cause that you did something... They aren't going to do that. They aren't going to do that. Fraud is a strong word, I'd probably stay away from saying that.

This is just outright wrong. Stories like that are in the news daily. As soon as you have a significant bill (read: Not just the usual "I have a flu, can I get a prescription" visit but actually expensive things like emergency surgery, CAT-scans, hospitalization for several weeks, child birth in a hospital - which by the way might cost $10,000 and up), the provincial insurance agency will do exactly that: They will ask for proof that you were resident in the province, they will ask for proof that you have an address in that province, they will ask for proof that you meet the physical presence requirements and so on.
It is true that if you just file a claim for some $60 for a walk-in visit then probably OHIP (or the same agencies in other provinces) will not care to check your status. But that is not the incidents you get insurance for. What you care about is expensive issues as named above. And they won't pay a single dollar if they check and find out you committed fraud. And YES, it is insurance fraud if you KNOW that you aren't eligible for an insurance but STILL make claims. It is literally the definition of insurance fraud.

I've seen Canadian based Blue Cross private plans challenge simple traveler's health insurance claims in the past. Bills went unpaid for a year before some of the claims I'm mentioning were negotiated, and then still weren't fully paid. Maybe it would be easier if the claim were made from within Canada, as this friend of mine visited the US, but the point remains it was a Canadian based private insurance, it was a claim made by a Canadian for an emergency visit to a US walk in clinic. The bill was sky high for being checked for the flu, so the insurance company disputed the claim. Maybe you are accurate if a Canadian doctor or hospital submitted a claim, maybe they wouldn't request outrageous reimbursement rates and it would be less likely to have a dispute?

You are still comparing apples and oranges. US hospital and doctor's bills are often ridiculously high and you might end up with problems claiming those bills with a Canadian travel insurance like Blue Cross. But this is not the topic here. We are talking about a Canadian private insurance for Canadian health care. These are completely straightforward. Why? Because all these insurances need is things like the "OHIP procedure code" and they can look it up in their database and confirm that the price is right. I said that before but do not try to explain the health care system in any other country in this world with examples that involve US providers or US insurances. They have a completely different system, so much that when you buy travel insurance you pay a higher premium if you go to the States than if you go to any other country in the world. Again: It is cheaper to buy travel insurance for a trip to Somalia than for a trip to the United States. That's one of many indicators that anything about the US does not apply to the Canadian system.

 

[Michal]

This is a very interesting discussion. And I fully agree - no need to try being a smartass here - there is too much to loose. Fraud, misrepresentation - these are the toys you don't want to play with.

I did some research and it looks like brokers offer insurance through several companies - some are well known, some I've never heard about. One of them is a Destination:Canada, that offers quite reasonably priced insurance. Has anyone tried them or have heard about them?

 

[spyfy]

Well explained! Thanks a lot. Appreciate it.

Is the bolded really possible? Thought it will be some sort of fraud, since one will not be physically resident in Ontario within those three months.

Not looking to move immediately after PR. Will prolly do a short landing first, then go a few months later to have my baby. Come back to home country, before finally relocating.

Just to add, although someone else already said it: No, "the bolded" (just get a mailbox and a bank account) is NOT possible. You can't claim OHIP if you aren't physically present in Ontario the required number of days. You have to remain in Canada and comply with the rules of the province you are in if you want the birth to be covered by public health insurance.

Anybody who advises you of some kind of "trick" how you can stay out of Canada and just make a short visit for your birth that is covered by public health insurance is advising you to break laws. Be aware of that.

To clarify: Nobody will stop you from entering Canada to give birth. I'm not talking about being allowed in or anything. I'm talking about the coverage by health insurance.

 

[spyfy]

This is a very interesting discussion. And I fully agree - no need to try being a smartass here - there is too much to loose. Fraud, misrepresentation - these are the toys you don't want to play with.

I did some research and it looks like brokers offer insurance through several companies - some are well known, some I've never heard about. One of them is a Destination:Canada, that offers quite reasonably priced insurance. Have anyone tried them or have heard about them?

Heard of them: yes. Tried them: no. I was lucky that I was still in University when I became a PR so I was covered by University insurance for my 3 month waiting period.

 

[Slowlybtsurely]

So, there are only two options:

- Relocate permanently before having baby. That way, one is covered under the provincial healthcare.

- Do a short landing, go back a few months later for childbirth and get a private health insurance to cover the procedure.

Hmmmnn. . .

 

[spyfy]

So, there are only two options:

- Relocate permanently before having baby. That way, one is covered under the provincial healthcare.

- Do a short landing, go back a few months later for childbirth and get a private health insurance to cover the procedure.

Hmmmnn. . .

No, your second plan won't work. Private Health insurance doesn't cover delivery and other "routine" elements of pregnancy if you were already pregnant when getting the insurance.

See an example here:
https://arbetovinsurance.com/pregnancy-insurance-for-visitors-to-canada/

If you are NOT pregnant yet, then you can get one of the insurances under the "non-pregnant visitors" tab. They will cover delivery and such if you get pregnant later.

If you ARE already pregnant, you can only get an insurance like the one under the "pregnant visitors" tab. These insurances will only cover unusual circumstances, like premature delivery, pain etc. Please note the very important sentence "The 9 weeks period of pregnancy BEFORE the due date are NOT covered under any circumstances."

As far as I am informed, all private insurances have that policy: They don't cover delivery if the insurance began AFTER pregnancy. You would have to buy insurance before the pregnancy. And frankly, they would be very stupid if they covered delivery. I mean it would be a guarantee that you pay them some small amount and they have to pay you 10,000+ for the delivery. It is a guaranteed loss for them. What private company would do that?!

All this doesn't apply to public health insurance, if I am informed correctly. As long as you lived in Ontario for at least 3 months before delivery, you will be covered under OHIP and the delivery is covered by health insurance. Please double check with someone else though.

 

[Rob_TO]

- Relocate permanently before having baby. That way, one is covered under the provincial healthcare.

If going to Alberta, there is no need to go early. In Alberta you are covered immediately upon landing for healthcare. The only requirement is you maintain physical residency in Alberta for at least 6 months afterwards.

If going to Ontario, there is a 3 months waiting period after landing where you have no healthcare coverage. This means you pay out of pocket for any emergencies, or pregnancy related issues. Only after 3 full months of waiting, will you be covered. In this case, one should land as early as possible in pregnancy so they have lots of time with OHIP in force towards the end of their pregnancy.

- Do a short landing, go back a few months later for childbirth and get a private health insurance to cover the procedure.

As already mentioned there is no such private insurance that will cover pregnancy routine checkups/ultrasounds or delivery costs, if you are already pregnant.

The best you could get is a plan that will cover emergencies or unexpected illness.

 

[Slowlybtsurely]

It does look like there are no short-cuts to these things. ;D

It's either one moves permanently (or at least stay for 6 months) or dole out $6,000 - $10,000 for child birth. The latter might just be it.

Thanks guys for the enlightenment.

 

[sxyshandy]

You may want to look into midwife providers in Ontario, I remember reading something about their services for prenatal care and delivery being an option even without OHIP coverage.

 

[CDNPR2014]

You may want to look into midwife providers in Ontario, I remember reading something about their services for prenatal care and delivery being an option even without OHIP coverage.

this is true. from what i understand though, there is usually a long waiting list for this service. it's def. worth checking out though if ohip isn't available.