married but i am living in the US....?

[katester]

Hi everyone, i've looked but I haven't been able to find an answer so I'm sorry if this has been answered already. But my guy and I are planning to get married in the next few months. However until my paperwork for PR is approved I will be in the states working. So once we are married what benefits do I get if I am living and working in the states? And if I am covered by him at all how do we make it happen? Also if anyone has experience with CA Army health care the same question applies....he is in the Army Reserves. Thank you in advance

 

[scylla]

No - you won't be covered while living and working in the US. You should continue with whatever health coverage you have in place now in the US. Even once you are a permanent resident or citizen of Canada, you still won't have health care coverage in the US (Canadian health care coverage is only valid in Canada).

 

[katester]

That makes sense...so new question once we are married (me living and working in the states) if I am visiting him in CA and I need a Dr am I covered since we're married? Can't I start finding a Dr there and see them since we're married...but use my US insurance for anything that happens here?

 

[scylla]

That makes sense...so new question once we are married (me living and working in the states) if I am visiting him in CA and I need a Dr am I covered since we're married? Can't I start finding a Dr there and see them since we're married...but use my US insurance for anything that happens here?

No - you won't have coverage in Canada. Being married to a Canadian does not qualify you for health care coverage by default. When you qualify for health care coverage depends on which province you are living in. In some provinces you can qualify for health care coverage once you are married and are living in Canada (which you're not - at this point). In other provinces you don't qualify for health care until three months after you become a permanent resident. There are also residency requirements (i.e. you must spend a certain about of time in Canada each year to maintain your health care coverage).

Which province will you eventually be living in when you become a PR and come to Canada?

 

[katester]

Well, at this point it looks like we will be in Ontario but we have also discussed Alberta

 

[scylla]

I live in Ontario. If you end up in Ontario, then you won't qualify for health care until you have lived in Canada for three months AFTER becoming a permanent resident (i.e. you officially become a permanent resident likely after being sponsored by your spouse, then live in Canada for three months after that, then you qualify for health care).

Alberta has slightly different rules and I'm not familiar enough with them to comment. Hopefully someone else can provide you with this information.

 

[Leon]

Alberta has 1st day coverage if you move from another country so you can apply for your health card as soon as you arrive in Alberta and if you have any expenses before you get it, you can claim the money back from AB health.

However, it is a requirement of both Ontario and AB that you live there in order to get coverage. In AB you have to live there at least 6 months a year to keep your coverage. In Ontario, also 6 months a year plus the requirement that you live there for 5 months out of your first 6 months in the province.

 

[katester]

So for Alberta, do I need to have PR from the day 1 that I am covered? Or from day 1 of sponsorship I am covered?

 

[Leon]

So for Alberta, do I need to have PR from the day 1 that I am covered? Or from day 1 of sponsorship I am covered?

Sometimes they cover spouses who are in the process of being sponsored because they are a dependent of the spouse who is sponsoring them and who is covered under AB health. However, you have to be living in AB and according to what you say, you are not planning on moving to Canada until you are approved, right?

Besides, as a spouse with sponsorship in process, I do not think you can get covered under AB health until your husband is and if your husband is now registered in Ontario, he will have a 3 month waiting period to get covered in AB during which time he would still have coverage under OHIP.

 

[katester]

Well, We are weighing all of our options. We would like to end up in ON mostly because it is within a few hours drive of my family. However we realize that starting out AB may be the better place mostly because they claim to need so many workers and the pay is higher. And the taxes and stuff ... after renting a place and all the bills we feel in AB we would be able to save more money to help keep us stable. He currently is under BC health care. And within 90 days of moving to where ever he has to switch to that places healthcare.

If I were covered by his health care then I have no problem not doing the plan of living with my parents. Trust me! After 6 years of living on my own I do not want to move back, even a few months is too long. However I would do it so I didn't have to keep paying rent and bills and whatever job I got the paychecks could mostly be saved.

The only thing that worries me...and this is the biggest part of whatever plan we decide on. Is I will be 26 in March, which means I will be kicked off my mom's health insurance. And I have crohn's disease. Which means lots of medications and an infusion every 2 months. Would this get my app denied for PR? Or will I not be accepted onto my future husbands health care because of this? I am desperately trying to figure out the best place and plan for us so that I do not have to go without health care or so I do not have to pay more then I make to get my own private health care.

Now this is not the reason we are getting married. We are in love... but with love comes making sure you are healthy as well. So with all that being said.... any advice?!!!

 

[scylla]

The only thing that worries me...and this is the biggest part of whatever plan we decide on. Is I will be 26 in March, which means I will be kicked off my mom's health insurance. And I have crohn's disease. Which means lots of medications and an infusion every 2 months. Would this get my app denied for PR? Or will I not be accepted onto my future husbands health care because of this? I am desperately trying to figure out the best place and plan for us so that I do not have to go without health care or so I do not have to pay more then I make to get my own private health care.
advice?!!!

No - this won't get your application denied for PR. You also cannot be denied provincial health care.

However there is a possibility you could run into issues with your husband's health care plan (i.e. the one provided by his company). He will have to check with the provider directly. None of us can answer this question for you.

 

[Leon]

If you were immigrating by yourself, you could actually be refused based on a health problem that is deemed too costly for health care in Canada but because you are being sponsored as a spouse, that is not an issue.

Once you have your PR, you can not be refused health care in the province where you reside. If you are not planning on moving until you get your PR, if you move to AB, you can get your health care right away if you arrive as a PR. If you go to BC or Ontario, you would have to be a PR and do a 3 month waiting period. If you decide to move before you get your PR, it is possible that you would be able to get coverage under your husbands healthcare as a spouse in the process of being sponsored in AB and possibly in BC but I don't think ON does that.

 

[amikety]

So for Alberta, do I need to have PR from the day 1 that I am covered? Or from day 1 of sponsorship I am covered?

Alberta:

You can apply for healthcare as soon as a) you have your marriage license; b) your boyfriend/husband has healthcare.

Basically, your husband to be is the primary applicant and he adds you as a dependant to his coverage. However, since he is already in Canada, he must qualify for Alberta healthcare first - meaning he must reside in Alberta for 3 months. (I remember you saying he was in the military and I'm not sure if that would have any effect, but Leon and scylla might. I learned most of this from computergeek - I'm not that smart ) Then he has to maintain residency requirements. You won't qualify alone as a visitor married to a Canadian or not.

The exception is once you have your PR, if you move to Alberta from New York, you can apply the day you move. I believe the same exemption is in place if you have a work or study permit (in case that becomes an option).

If you need to visit Canada for an extended period of time, its best to get private visitor's insurance. I'm not too familiar with your disorder, so I don't know if that will make getting private insurance difficult.

One item - from my husband's insurance broker. If you are riding in an insured car in Alberta and it's hit, you will be covered by the auto insurance for injuries, hospital visits, etc.