Need Medical Insurance for my pregnant wife. Arriving in Toronto soon.

[RickyRocks]

I wil arrive in September and I understand that i will have to wait for 3 months to get Medicare coverage.
1) But can I get any Medical insurance for my wife (as of now she is 4 months preganant) and I think pregnancy is considered as pre-existing condition?
2) Which are the cheap and best insurances in this case ?
3) Any approximate delivery charges/rates ? (in case i dont get medicare or private medical insurance )
4) We might stay in Yonge area - Any good Doctors/hospitals for her visits ?

Please reply.

 

[scylla]

Yes - you and your wife will have to wait three months from the time you land to qualify for OHIP.

1) & 2) Insurance doesn't cover pregnancies because they are classified as pre-existing conditions. During the three months your wife doesn't have OHIP, you will have to pay for all medical costs out of your own pocket.
3) I would budget $10K just in case. It should be a bit less. But it could also be more if there are complications.
4) You have to be more specific. Yonge and which intersection? Yonge Street is an extremely long street (for a while it was recognized as the longest street in the world).

 

[RickyRocks]

Thank you so much. I was very eagerly waiting for a reply...

1) what are miwives? Is there any community/organization that can fund us or help us ?

2) Oh is it.. I have no idea bout Yonge.. My friend would be looking for basement in this area. Do you suggest any good indian doctor for her check-ups and also a hospital?
3) I might get an international transfer from my office. Will office insurance cover pregnancy ? Any idea about office medical insurance. Please let me know

 

[scylla]

1) Widwives assist with births that are done at home rather than at a hospital. They are a less expensive way of having a child than a hospital birth.
2) Sorry - no I don't know if any. Again, for anyone to answer this question, you'll have to give us a general idea of where your friend is looking to find a basement apartment on Yonge. Yonge Street runs through several different cities/towns.
3) You'll have to ask your company. Health care policies can be extremely different from company to company.

 

[RickyRocks]

Thank you so much. Appreciate your interest in answering all my queries. Will get back with some more questions

 

[seton]

Ask your employer if they are registered with a Viator plan. There's a Viator Newcomers to Canada insurance which many companies use to cover new immigrants until they get provincial coverage - premiums are usually around $100/month and doesn't treat pregnancy as a pre-existing condition. They cover delivery expenses up to $10,000 (CAD). I believe it is through RSA (one of the largest insurers in Canada), so it won't hurt to ask.

 

[RickyRocks]

Thank you so much Seton. I will check with them..
1) Apart from the employer insurance... Is there any other insurance which will not consider pregnancy as pre existing condition. Any other insurance for the new immigrants like which will cover pregnancy.

Appreciate your responses.

 

[sarimraza]

Dear Ricky go to Calgury instead of Toronto and get ur health card there - this will work in toronto also, but you might get charged later if u dont spend 6 months in a year in calgury

 

[RickyRocks]

Thank you so much Sarimraza for answering. Unfortunately my office is in Toronto. Any private insurance you know that might offer insurance with this pre exisiting condition?

 

[PMM]

Hi

Thank you so much Sarimraza for answering. Unfortunately my office is in Toronto. Any private insurance you know that might offer insurance with this pre exisiting condition?

Very unlikely, what insurance company is going to insure a pregnant woman, when they know it will cost them anywhere from $6-10K for delivery costs. A good way to go broke.

 

[sarimraza]

Dear Rocky

Actually im contemplating the same problem in future and thinking what to do about it ...

Ideally u should have planned the pregnancy so that it should have happened after 3 months of ur stay in toronto -- NO INSURANCE will cover this so dont waste ur time asking repeated questions --

You only have two choices.

1. settle in toronto and pay full for this

2. get it done in home country and pay less

I think 1 is better since u get canadian citizenship and ur getting paid job also . ..

But the idea of free healthcare is not real -- also note u have to pay for all medicines in canada, thats not free ever . .

One more suggestion is for you to live in toronto and for ur wife to live in calgury for 6 months - she gets her pregnancy done stays there for 6 months and then moves with you to toronto - you apply for ur health card in toronto, she applies in calgury - you have to pay rents in two places, but cost of that might be offset by health care cost

Thanks

 

[scylla]

One more suggestion is for you to live in toronto and for ur wife to live in calgury for 6 months - she gets her pregnancy done stays there for 6 months and then moves with you to toronto - you apply for ur health card in toronto, she applies in calgury - you have to pay rents in two places, but cost of that might be offset by health care cost

Also - Toronto is a four hour flight away from Calgary. So they would be separated by a significant distance and flying within Canada isn't cheap.