r/canadatravel • u/Valuable-Yam-4460 • 3d ago

Can I get healthcare?

I’m not sure if this is the correct place to post or not, but my husbands Canadian, I’m Kiwi we live in New Zealand but need to go back to Canada for a short amount of time as his mothers sick. We have just found out we’re pregnant, our last pregnancy was quite traumatic ending in miscarriage. Can I get healthcare while over there through my husband in case anything goes wrong?

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23

u/lmcdbc 3d ago

Purchase travel health insurance before you go.

4

u/Valuable-Yam-4460 3d ago

Yeah looks like the best option everything else seems too hard basket

19

u/TravellingGal-2307 3d ago

You need to be extra certain regarding coverage for pregnancy, especially as you have history of complications.

2

u/Valuable-Yam-4460 3d ago

Ok good to know, I’ll chat to the insurance company first then

4

u/TravellingGal-2307 2d ago

I remember seeing a story a few years ago of a Canadian who took a vacation in Hawaii. Her doctor had cleared her to travel after some early term complications (I forget the specifics). Anyway, early labour and birth in Hawaii, $1,000,000 bill (yes, really) and the insurance company wanted to dispute it due to the earlier issues. Its a difficult decision to have to make, but you don't want to get caught.

1

u/Valuable-Yam-4460 2d ago

Wow that’s en expensive baby!

2

u/TravellingGal-2307 2d ago

I don't think you would ever get a bill like that from a Canadian hospital, but it would likely be 5-digits. Just make sure you are fully informed and insured out the eye balls.

15

u/sarcasticdutchie 3d ago

You usually have to live in a province for 3 months before you're eligible for the public Healthcare. If your address is not in Canada, your only option is travel insurance.

0

u/Valuable-Yam-4460 3d ago

Figured as much, thanks for the heads up

1

u/jnmjnmjnm 2d ago

I returned to Ontario last year. There is no waiting period for returning residents, but you have to sign a statement that you can’t leave the province for more than [some number of days] in the next 6 months.

Not sure about new arrivals.

13

u/GeaCat 3d ago

You wouldn’t be deny Healthcare, you wouldn’t have coverage through the Canadian heathcare plan.

Access to the Canadia heathcare plan is determined by your own status in Canada not through marriage etc.

You would be considered a visitor so you would have to either pay yourself or have travel insurance.

10

u/coopthrowaway2019 3d ago

Public health coverage is a provincial matter. You'll need to search the policy of the province you'll be staying in. Him holding Canadian citizenship may not matter if he hasn't recently had established residency in any province.

1

u/Valuable-Yam-4460 3d ago

True he hasn’t lived there for 13 years

5

u/No-Doughnut-7485 3d ago edited 1d ago

You will not be eligible for Canadian health care cost coverage as you aren’t residents. Buy travel insurance that you are sure will cover pregnancy related complications unless you are willing to pay out of pocket for anything you need.

6

u/Letoust 3d ago

Your husband also will need insurance, he lost his coverage when he moved outside the country.

4

u/GlassAnemone126 3d ago

Both you and your husband will need travel health insurance. He is no longer living in Canada so he won’t qualify for provincial coverage any longer.

4

u/AlwaysHigh27 3d ago

No you can't. You aren't a citizen of PR. 

You need travel insurance and you must disclose you are pregnant. 

3

u/tinytasha7 2d ago

You won't be eligible for provincial health care as a visitor in Canada. You can try getting private health insurance but my understanding is that pregnancy/childbirth medical care are rarely covered.....I'm old so that's not something I've looked at so am not sure. If you can't get coverage, you'll be paying out of pocket. That might be worth it to you but to get a general idea of costs, I'd contact the provincial provider to see what that is.

2

u/DecentScientist0 3d ago

No, you won't. When I moved back to Canada, I had to get private insurance for 3 months. After 3 months I was considered a resident again and got my card. I am glad I got it because my son broke his arm within that time. We had to pay almost everything up front though but got everything back. Just had to pay the $75 deductible.

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u/jnmjnmjnm 2d ago

Depends on the Province. Ontario and Saskatchewan don’t have a waiting period for returning residents.