Question about OHIP 3 months wait

[hpjack]

Hi all,

My wife just landed in Canada as a PR (we did flagpole at Rainbow bridge, Niagara), and planning to apply for OHIP card. We have a question about the 3 months waiting period. The website says that she needs to wait for 3 months immediately after she establishes residency in Ontario, but she was living with me in Ontario since 2014, in other words, she has established residency in Ontario since back in 2014 (although it was temporary residence, not permanent residence), do we still need to wait for 3 months?

Also, she's got OHIP card from Feb 2016 to August 2016 as an eligible foreign worker with full-time job, but that expired in August 31st, 2016 as she stopped working. Would they treat this as a renewal of OHIP and waive the 3 months wait period?

thanks for any help

 

[profiler]

Hi all,

My wife just landed in Canada as a PR (we did flagpole at Rainbow bridge, Niagara), and planning to apply for OHIP card. We have a question about the 3 months waiting period. The website says that she needs to wait for 3 months immediately after she establishes residency in Ontario, but she was living with me in Ontario since 2014, in other words, she has established residency in Ontario since back in 2014 (although it was temporary residence, not permanent residence), do we still need to wait for 3 months?

Also, she's got OHIP card from Feb 2016 to August 2016 as an eligible foreign worker with full-time job, but that expired in August 31st, 2016 as she stopped working. Would they treat this as a renewal of OHIP and waive the 3 months wait period?

thanks for any help

Technically they should make your wife wait. Procedurally, they can waive the wait. Only ServiceOntario can really answer that (because they are the ones with the ability to waive). Just go in and apply -- see what they say!

 

[CDNPR2014]

Hi all,

My wife just landed in Canada as a PR (we did flagpole at Rainbow bridge, Niagara), and planning to apply for OHIP card. We have a question about the 3 months waiting period. The website says that she needs to wait for 3 months immediately after she establishes residency in Ontario, but she was living with me in Ontario since 2014, in other words, she has established residency in Ontario since back in 2014 (although it was temporary residence, not permanent residence), do we still need to wait for 3 months?

Also, she's got OHIP card from Feb 2016 to August 2016 as an eligible foreign worker with full-time job, but that expired in August 31st, 2016 as she stopped working. Would they treat this as a renewal of OHIP and waive the 3 months wait period?

thanks for any help

generally, in my experience, for newly landed pr's, it is 3 months from the date of landing (since the landing date is used as the residency date). if she can provide all the required documents to prove her residency, then she can apply for it anytime she wants. they will tell her whether they will take her previous coverage into consideration and when it will kick in.

here is the link for downloading the documentation requirements (click on Ontario Health Insurance Coverage Document List to download the pdf):
http://www.forms.ssb.gov.on.ca/mbs/ssb/forms/ssbforms.nsf/FormDetail?openform&ENV=WWE&NO=014-9998E-82

note, she needs 1 from each category: 1 - Proof of immigration status (her COPR), 2 - proof of residency (paystub, mailed bank statement - they won't accept print outs, mortgage/lease agreement, etc) and 3 - support of identity document (passport, driver's license, etc). FYI... they are VERY strict about list 2!

 

[hpjack]

thanks guys! We will go to Service Ontario and try applying for it.

We had bad experience last time trying to get my wife her OHIP coverage as a foreign worker, the stuff refused to give her OHIP saying she is not eligible for it, then we had to write to the appeal committee to appeal the decision and finally got the OHIP for her. All I'm trying to say is some of them lack basic knowledge of what they are suppose to do(not even mentioning complicated cases), and they tend not to grant you OHIP and they are more likely to let you wait or appeal(I guess they are trying to save money for Ontario government)...

 

[CDNPR2014]

i'd imagine it will be a different experience as a landed PR. she has the right to OHIP. i think it's when a person has temp status or hasn't gotten pr yet, it becomes more complicated. just make sure you have something from each category on the list, and pay particular attention to list 2. many people get turned away because they use a bank statement either printed from online or the bank. they will not accept that. they will ONLY Accept a mailed statement. this proves she is maintaining a residence in ontario.

 

[hpjack]

i'd imagine it will be a different experience as a landed PR. she has the right to OHIP. i think it's when a person has temp status or hasn't gotten pr yet, it becomes more complicated. just make sure you have something from each category on the list, and pay particular attention to list 2. many people get turned away because they use a bank statement either printed from online or the bank. they will not accept that. they will ONLY Accept a mailed statement. this proves she is maintaining a residence in ontario.

She's got her ontario driver's license, I guess this is sufficient for list2.

 

[hpjack]

She's got her ontario driver's license, I guess this is sufficient for list2.

BTW, do you know if OHIP number will be different from old one if apply as a PR?
thanks

 

[CDNPR2014]

She's got her ontario driver's license, I guess this is sufficient for list2.

yes, that will probably be a good option to use.

BTW, do you know if OHIP number will be different from old one if apply as a PR?
thanks

no idea, though my guess is there are temp and permanent numbers, so if that's the case i'd assume it would change to a permanent number. good luck!

also, i'd recommend printing out the list and bringing it with you as backup, just in case it's needed!

 

[profiler]

BTW, do you know if OHIP number will be different from old one if apply as a PR?
thanks

OHIP numbers are generated once (from what I recall of their documentation -- when I worked in EMR). There is a version code (XX) at the end of the number. Two letters (usually). This will change.

 

[flx2015]

Any suggestions on what one might do to get some sort of coverage during the three month waiting period? I've got a standard health insurance thing through my employer which lets me include my wife, but I think that only covers prescription drugs and dental visits. Should I get her travel insurance for three months?

 

[profiler]

Any suggestions on what one might do to get some sort of coverage during the three month waiting period? I've got a standard health insurance thing through my employer which lets me include my wife, but I think that only covers prescription drugs and dental visits. Should I get her travel insurance for three months?

Technically, most extended insurance policies that I have seen exclude people without provincial insurance (it's supposed to be supplemental). You can get travel insurance. You might get a discount on the rate because of the duration. For us, we stopped renewing it because our lifestyle isn't that glamorous to invite trouble...

 

[CDNPR2014]

Should I get her travel insurance for three months?

yes or you can just risk it and hope she doesn't need medical attention during that time.

 

[flx2015]

I'm actually more concerned about her catching a cold or some sort of a stomach bug. Something like that wouldn't necessarily require a trip to the hospital, but she would need to go to the doctor. Is it worth getting travel insurance for something like that? I don't know how much doctors usually charge for a visit if the patient doesn't have OHIP.

 

[CDNPR2014]

I'm actually more concerned about her catching a cold or some sort of a stomach bug. Something like that wouldn't necessarily require a trip to the hospital, but she would need to go to the doctor. Is it worth getting travel insurance for something like that? I don't know how much doctors usually charge for a visit if the patient doesn't have OHIP.

you would need to ask your doctor's office or the local clinic. more than likely she would have to go to a clinic, and they don't all have the same fees. personally, i wouldn't get travel insurance for just cold/stomach bug issues. there are plenty over the counter medicines that work well, and i don't necessarily consider those reasons to go to the doctor. if i was worried about strept throat or brochitis, i would go to the clinic. it's worth calling around...

 

[profiler]

I'm actually more concerned about her catching a cold or some sort of a stomach bug. Something like that wouldn't necessarily require a trip to the hospital, but she would need to go to the doctor. Is it worth getting travel insurance for something like that? I don't know how much doctors usually charge for a visit if the patient doesn't have OHIP.

Our doctor has a fee schedule that we can pay. But even in the case of stomach or flu, you shouldn't visit a doctor. Most viral infections doctors will not treat (as it's best for your immune system to do that). All you do is expose the health care provider to the illness, and make it possible that they would not be able to help others if they catch it, until they recover.