We hear from too many Canadians every year who learned the hard way that their provincial health benefits only go as far as the border — and we’re not talking about the 49th parallel. While Canadians are used to referring to our health benefits as universal health care, it’s important to remember that these benefits are not a federal program. Your province is responsible for your health within its borders, but you won’t necessarily be covered if you’re taking a holiday to other parts of the country.
Let’s look, for example, at emergency medical evacuations, typically called medevac. A medevac is an emergency flight that takes a person from a remote area to the nearest hospital able to accommodate their needs. A typical medevac will cost between $15,000 and $30,000, and it’s covered by your provincial health card in your home province. However, if you’re in a different province, say an Albertan travelling in Northern BC, you’ll have to foot the bill yourself. No province or territory covers medevac expenses for residents outside of their home province.
Don’t Make Assumptions. Many Canadians believe that, since their private or work health benefits cover travel to the US or Mexico, that these benefits must cover out-of-province travel as well. But this is just not the case. Before leaving your home province, you’ll need to check with your coverage provider to confirm. Whether you’re a tourist, a temporary worker, or even a new resident who hasn’t gotten coverage in your new province yet, you need private health coverage.
No one should ever have to decide whether they can afford to get their family the health care they need. Being proactive and investing in coverage before you leave your home province will help to protect you from enormous, unforeseeable expenses. Whether you’re looking for coverage at home or for a trip, the experts at Health Risk can help your find the best and most affordable solution.
We take the time to balance your risk and your budget, so you can save money without worrying about an emergency. Contact Health Risk today to get the coverage you need before traveling over the holidays!
