Extended absence from Canada. Am I still covered by OHIP?

[SFK1230]

Hello All!

My question is regarding the OHIP coverage after a long absence. After marriage, My husband and I temporarily moved to our home country. I will be away from Canada for 9 months - more than 7 months as stated by the OHIP website. This is what I found on their website;

If you plan to be outside Canada for more than seven months in any 12-month period you can keep your OHIP coverage for up to two years if you:

• have a valid health card
• make Ontario your primary home
• will be in Ontario for at least 153 days a year in each of the two years immediately before you leave the country

Before you leave, take the following items to the nearest ServiceOntario centre to make sure your OHIP coverage stays active:

• your health card
• proof of residency (e.g. mortgage, lease or rental agreement, property tax bill, valid driver’s licence)

I do have a valid health card, and Ontario is my primary place of residence, and I have also been in Ontario for 5 years consecutively. What I'm afraid of is that I didn't know about this requirement so I DID NOT call or visit them before leaving with the required documents.
My main concern is that I'm pregnant and will be needing OHIP coverage as soon as I go back.
Will there be a problem? or will I have the coverage when I go back? I really need help with this guys! Can I apply for continuous OHIP coverage from outside of Canada? Or can I give authority to my brother to submit the documents on my behalf?

PLEASE HELPP!!!!!

 

[canuck78]

No you’d have to go in yourself. They ask people to go in before so nobody uses their card fraudulently while you are gone or you don’t get your card frozen if a computer flags you as possibly not meeting the residency obligations. You will know next time. If you return and use your card and it doesn’t work make sure to keep proof of the 2 years of residency before you left. If you are gone for 7 months it is not as simple as saying you are a permanent resident of Ontario. If you are gone for 7 months you may no longer be considered a permanent resident of Ontario. You must be careful because if you go away for another long period of time in the next few years you will have to reapply for OHIP. I assume you know you won’t qualify for maternity payments since you haven’t worked 600 hours in the year before delivery.