Broken Clavicle - Canadian citizen without health care

[paulmason411]

I'm currently living in Australia and have just had surgery on my broken clavicle. I'm moving to British Colombia next wednesday (23rd of nov) and am a Canadian citizen (inherited through my parents) but haven't ever lived there. So apparently i need to apply for the public health care but will take 3 months.

My orthopaedic surgen advised that I get an x-ray in 6 weeks (29th of dec) and I don't have travel insurance so from what I've heard it could be pretty expensive.

Am I able to get health insurance or speed up my application to get on the health care system in 5/6 weeks?

Also can anyone estimate the costs involved to get my clavicle assessed in 6 weeks?

I can change my flight if it's going to cost me 1000s of dollars, but need to make a decision in the next couple of days.

Any help would really be appreciated, thanks.

 

[scylla]

I can't comment on the cost of the xrays.

However I would forget about travel insurance or any other kind of private insurance. They don't cover pre-existing conditions (unless you pay extremely high premiums) and for this reason won't cover anything related to your clavicle.

There is no way to speed up the public health insurance application. You're going to have to wait three months after arriving.

 

[steaky]

Go and move to Alberta right after your arrive in YVR airport on 23 Nov, you may eligible for public health insurance immediately. Note: temperature for Calgary was -16 degrees celsius!

 

[Leon]

Move to any province except BC, Ontario, Quebec or NB and you will most likely have instant health care coverage as somebody moving from outside Canada.

However, make sure you stay there for at least 6 months before moving anywhere else because otherwise, they may decide that you shouldn't have gotten their coverage and backcharge you.

 

[Baloo]

You could contact one of these businesses.

http://ca.local.yahoo.com/BC/Vancouver/Health+Beauty/Laboratories/X-Ray,+MRI,+Imaging

 

[Mendoza]

Move to any province except BC, Ontario, Quebec or NB and you will most likely have instant health care coverage as somebody moving from outside Canada.

However, make sure you stay there for at least 6 months before moving anywhere else because otherwise, they may decide that you shouldn't have gotten their coverage and backcharge you.

hello I'm in a similar situation I'm on a working holiday visa in Australia and broke my clavicle they want 10 000$ for the operation that I need asap it's already been 8 days in a sling since the accident..I have no Quebec insurnces, last time I live in Calgary Alberta so had the insurance health care card but left since 18months so doubt I'm covered..and with gmt difference here is sometime hard to call and ask. I am originally from Quebec.now thinking to do it in Thailand.waswondering where u got ur infos Leon.tries to private MSG u but I'm not too familiar w the website I guess..cheers!

 

[Leon]

hello I'm in a similar situation I'm on a working holiday visa in Australia and broke my clavicle they want 10 000$ for the operation that I need asap it's already been 8 days in a sling since the accident..I have no Quebec insurnces, last time I live in Calgary Alberta so had the insurance health care card but left since 18months so doubt I'm covered..and with gmt difference here is sometime hard to call and ask. I am originally from Quebec.now thinking to do it in Thailand.waswondering where u got ur infos Leon.tries to private MSG u but I'm not too familiar w the website I guess..cheers!

This is why you should always have health insurance, whereever you are. What if it was a broken leg and you did not have the opportunity to carry it in a sling? Then you would have to get it fixed at any cost quoted.

In any case, if you were to move back to Alberta, just be frank with them and say you moved away for 18 months and have now moved back, you should get 1st day health care as any other person who is moving from overseas. However, make sure you stay for at least 6 months in the first 12 months after your move.

 

[Mendoza]

This is why you should always have health insurance, whereever you are. What if it was a broken leg and you did not have the opportunity to carry it in a sling? Then you would have to get it fixed at any cost quoted.

In any case, if you were to move back to Alberta, just be frank with them and say you moved away for 18 months and have now moved back, you should get 1st day health care as any other person who is moving from overseas. However, make sure you stay for at least 6 months in the first 12 months after your move.

ok so if i move to alberta and i need to get my clavicle fixed do you think ther eis a long period of waiting? i kow if i go to philippines for 4000$ they will do the surgery after 1-2 days i landed...aswell i need to stay 6 months in Alberta cannot move to different provinces? so i wouldnt have to pay anything they would cover it all? thank you, aswell do you mind putting the link where you get your information from plz? cheers, rly appreciated

 

[Leon]

You can find the contact info for AB health here: http://www.health.alberta.ca/contact.html

The reason why you should stay 6 months a year in the province is that in order to be eligible for health care coverage, you should be residing in that province for at least 6 months a year. If you come there and sign up for health care just to get your broken clavicle fixed and then leave again as soon as it is done, aside from the ethics of doing something like that, they could say that you were never in fact eligible for health care in AB and they could back charge you if they wanted to. Now, I have actually never heard about AB doing something like that but just because I haven't heard about it doesn't mean it can't happen.

I have heard about this happening in BC though. Person moved to BC, waited 3 months to get health care, had health care expenses. Left BC after total of living there for 5.5 months. BC waited until 12 months were up, then turned around and said this person was never in fact eligible for BC health because they didn't stay for 6 months in the first year since they moved there, hence cancelled their BC health retroactively and backcharged them.

However, if you want it fixed fast, maybe you should just go somewhere and pay. Health care is not fast, at least not in AB.