Private Health Insurance & Mental Health Coverage

[Mausch]

Hi all,
I'm currently looking into private health insurance to supplement Alberta Health Care. I’d be grateful for any provider or plan recommendations you’ve found useful.

My Canadian partner is also exploring private health insurance, but her situation is a bit more complex — she has a mental health history and needs therapy/mental health services to be included in the coverage.
Do you know any providers who accept people with a mental health background and still offer solid coverage?

Also, is it possible or beneficial to get a couples plan together, or is it usually better to apply separately?

Thanks so much for any advice!

 

[canuck78]

Hi all,
I'm currently looking into private health insurance to supplement Alberta Health Care. I’d be grateful for any provider or plan recommendations you’ve found useful.

My Canadian partner is also exploring private health insurance, but her situation is a bit more complex — she has a mental health history and needs therapy/mental health services to be included in the coverage.
Do you know any providers who accept people with a mental health background and still offer solid coverage?

Also, is it possible or beneficial to get a couples plan together, or is it usually better to apply separately?

Thanks so much for any advice!

Unless you get extended health insurance through your employer most of the private policies will be pretty useless and are unlikely to cover preexisting conditions. You will likely have to pay out of pocket or if you’re lucky you’ll have some coverage through your employer. You can read through the different policies but you tend to get very little for your money so paying outright often is a better option.

 

[Camden]

Check out Green Shield Canada and Blue Cross. They offer mental health coverage, but it is best to call and ask about pre-existing conditions. Couples plans can save money, but separate plans might offer better coverage if one of you has specific needs.

 

[canuck78]

Check out Green Shield Canada and Blue Cross. They offer mental health coverage, but it is best to call and ask about pre-existing conditions. Couples plans can save money, but separate plans might offer better coverage if one of you has specific needs.

Unless available through a workplace the plans are unlikely to provide a lot of coverage and certainly not for preexisting conditions. The insurance companies model for private insurance policies is to make money not to set themselves up to lose money. It often doesn’t make sense to purchase private insurance policies because you end up paying for the policy and the majority of the expenses out of pocket on top of that.