General Discussion

Lucy Goosey

(2,940 posts)

43. Residents of Canada aren't billed

Thu Mar 29, 2012, 08:18 AM

Mar 2012

I'm not saying I'm happy with the way it works, but you have to be a legal resident (though not necessarily a citizen) of Canada to have your medical care paid for by the government.

I have an ID card from OHIP, the Ontario Health Insurance Plan, that I have to show to get care; even my doctor, who I've been seeing for 14 years, won't see me without it. A friend of mine had to go to the ER for a serious condition and didn't have her OHIP card on her; they asked her boyfriend for his credit card as soon as he showed up. (He brought in her health card the next day and his credit card was never billed; they had gotten the info just in case.)

(I have to wonder if part of the reason we can't make a policy of covering non-residents is that Americans without insurance would, quite understandably, travel here to seek care. Canada's total population (34mil) is lower than the number of uninsured Americans - we simply couldn't sustain our system if we were covering that many people who don't pay taxes here.)

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Australian couple has $1 million hospital bill after baby born in BC (Canada) [View all] Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 OP

Foreigners pay cash on the barrelhead there eridani Mar 2012 #1

Up front? Yikes. nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #2

Not for emergencies. Lucy Goosey Mar 2012 #7

I would think there would be some sort of hardship discount. nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #8

Fair enough. Lucy Goosey Mar 2012 #9

Still way too much. Shouldn't be over a few grand and even that is a stretch at best. nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #10

For 3 months of neonatal care? Luminous Animal Mar 2012 #12

Maybe 10-20K then. nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #18

For 3 months in the neo-natal ward? Lucy Goosey Mar 2012 #13

Maybe 10-20K then. nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #17

LOL....in the 1920s Logical Mar 2012 #35

Here in the good old US Horse with no Name Mar 2012 #38

Residents of Canada aren't billed Lucy Goosey Mar 2012 #43

And some want us to have open borders in the US. nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #44

Good point.Thank you for sharing. Horse with no Name Mar 2012 #47

Americans did come here for their flu vaccine. polly7 Mar 2012 #73

It must vary a lot from province to province. polly7 Mar 2012 #70

This is ridiculous.... MicaelS Mar 2012 #3

Because Canadian doctors need their beautiful money? nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #4

I have a friend who lives in Aus and they marlakay Mar 2012 #37

This is weird Mz Pip Mar 2012 #5

My guess was things like gestational diabetes, morning sickness, etc. Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #6

I thought there was reciprocity among citizens of the Commonwealth? cbayer Mar 2012 #11

"Australian residents can get treatments deemed medically necessary under reciprocal agreements Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #14

Thanks for that. I had no idea. cbayer Mar 2012 #15

Shouldn't Australian Medicare foot the bill? Cleita Mar 2012 #16

Yes! Lucy Goosey Mar 2012 #19

What a refreshing attitude this couple has! Johnny Rico Mar 2012 #20

Never a good idea to roll over in the face of ridiculous charges. nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #22

$8,120 a day (presumably Australian, since this is an Australian report) muriel_volestrangler Mar 2012 #21

I had not realized the gold inlayed bandages had arrived yet. nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #24

NICU care is very expensive. laundry_queen Mar 2012 #29

My friend just got out of Sacred Superstition. His bill was tsuki Mar 2012 #48

My boss had an emergancy in canada a couple of years ago... belcffub Mar 2012 #23

I find that hard to believe. laundry_queen Mar 2012 #25

I always asked for an insurance card once the pt. was stabilized and if he / she was able to answer. polly7 Mar 2012 #26

See now that's the first I've heard of it. laundry_queen Mar 2012 #28

I mean the provincial health card, or additional MSI or Blue Cross. polly7 Mar 2012 #30

That's what I thought laundry_queen Mar 2012 #32

Yes, I've heard them all. polly7 Mar 2012 #33

I know you won't believe me and it wasn't five years belcffub Mar 2012 #85

I know what happened... this was about four years ago... belcffub Mar 2012 #31

I can't even imagine that happening. Not a single person I've ever worked with would polly7 Mar 2012 #34

but it did... belcffub Mar 2012 #42

Ask your boss if she was sure they were real EMS or just kids playing a prank, polly7 Mar 2012 #67

your really very funny... doesn't mean it her case it didn't happen... belcffub Mar 2012 #76

I'm sorry, I've just never heard of it happening and can't imagine a case where it would. polly7 Mar 2012 #77

Its bullshit. Swede Mar 2012 #78

Yes! Thank you ......there's that, too! nt. polly7 Mar 2012 #79

you can think that all you want belcffub Mar 2012 #81

Be careful of your boss,shes' a liar. Swede Mar 2012 #83

doubt it... known her for 15 years belcffub Mar 2012 #86

Is she imaginary, too? Ikonoklast Mar 2012 #88

are you? belcffub Mar 2012 #89

Thank you for answering my query. Ikonoklast Mar 2012 #92

exactly belcffub Mar 2012 #97

and doesn't mean it did either.... Spazito Mar 2012 #84

and maybe I just know the two Canadians who don't like their health system belcffub Mar 2012 #87

LOL, one can criticize the Canadian system and often have Canadians agree... Spazito Mar 2012 #90

Like I said working around WNY belcffub Mar 2012 #93

At this point I can only offer this piece of advice... Spazito Mar 2012 #95

she was awake and moving around... belcffub Mar 2012 #80

My cousin walked into a hospital after being thrown over the handlebars on his bike after being hit polly7 Mar 2012 #82

I know nothing about medical stuff belcffub Mar 2012 #94

I'm not saying you're lying, I just don't believe the EMS crew waited around for insurance polly7 Mar 2012 #96

Nope.that's not how it works here,she's lying to you. Swede Mar 2012 #61

And that is why private insurance sucks laundry_queen Mar 2012 #27

Maybe private insurance doesn't want to pay a million dollars? Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #46

No kidding. laundry_queen Mar 2012 #68

Well, they and their premature baby weren't put out on the curb... Spazito Mar 2012 #36

Exactly. Canada isn't a haven where we taxpayers have volunteered to cover millions of dollars of polly7 Mar 2012 #39

Here's a case that has similarities involving a B.C. couple and the U.S. system... Spazito Mar 2012 #40

That's a sad situation. polly7 Mar 2012 #41

So you're saying that open borders would not work? Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #45

We are talking about tourists... Spazito Mar 2012 #49

This seems to apply to all people Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #50

Again, the topic was tourists not citizens or immigrants... Spazito Mar 2012 #52

It was a one-off comment based on what occurred to me based on their comment. nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #56

This message was self-deleted by its author polly7 Mar 2012 #64

Never mind, others said it better. nt. polly7 Mar 2012 #66

I think many people try their best to throw their favorite ingredient into any mea LanternWaste Mar 2012 #51

Your point certainly seems to apply in this case... Spazito Mar 2012 #53

So is the OP's behavior on the Trayvon threads. Occulus Mar 2012 #55

Yeah, wanting to wait for the facts is no longer an acceptable position. The new motto is: Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #60

Why not suggest to the Canadian poster that Canada cover all people regardless of citizenship? Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #59

Sorry that the posters comments made me think of that. Why not suggest to the poster that Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #57

Gosh, why not suggest the U.S. cover their own citizens.... Spazito Mar 2012 #63

Darn right. Considering my own chronic condition single payer would be a godsend. nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #72

Great, I look forward to your OP on that! n/t Spazito Mar 2012 #74

Canada does treat all people regardless of citizenship, exactly as we should. polly7 Mar 2012 #69

Tourists and other guest in EU nations can simply purchase tourist insurance and Bluenorthwest Mar 2012 #54

This couple did purchase travel insurance but didn't realize... Spazito Mar 2012 #58

I have to think that it would be hard for companies to pay a million dollars for just one birth. nt Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #62

Hmmm, I can only suggest you research the care and cost of a premature infant... Spazito Mar 2012 #65

Does not really address my point. Snake Alchemist Mar 2012 #71

Unless your or anyone else's insurance puts a cap on the dollar amount they will cover... Spazito Mar 2012 #75

More "Canadian Healthcare Bad" propaganda. Ikonoklast Mar 2012 #91