Medical Insurance for Canada?
551003
This website might help you. Enjoy your trip!
687159
May I suggest to you Ameri Plan's discount benefits program. They do not have any restrictions on ongoing conditions and you can start saving immediately. There is a hospital advocacy program that assigns you a personal advocate to negotiate with doctors on your medical bills.\n\nThe plan also includes savings on dental, vision, prescription and chiropractic care. I'd check them out. I'm so proud to be with them. I know I shouldn't advertise, but your need sounds great. Let me know if you have any questions. wlakin@ameriplan.net\n\nhttp://www.mybenefitsplus.com/40378118\n\nWe are currently running a promotion for just the dental, vision, prescription and chiropractic plan where you can try it out for 3 months for $23 total. This is a great service. You should check it out!
212935
Get a suplemental insurance.
552561
May I suggest to you Ameri Plan's discount benefits program. They do not have any restrictions on ongoing conditions and you can start saving immediately. There is a hospital advocacy program that assigns you a personal advocate to negotiate with doctors on your medical bills.\n\nThe plan also includes savings on dental, vision, prescription and chiropractic care. I'd check them out. I'm so proud to be with them. I know I shouldn't advertise, but your need sounds great. Let me know if you have any questions. wlakin@ameriplan.net\n\nhttp://www.mybenefitsplus.com/40378118\n\nPlans are month to month with no contract.\n\nWe are currently running a promotion for just the dental, vision, prescription and chiropractic plan where you can try it out for 3 months for $23 total. This is a great service. You should check it out!
711806
You would have to apply in whichever province or territory you are moving to. The site I gave you will show you how to apply.\n\nAccessing Health Care\nAccessing Canada's health care system involves first applying for a provincial health card. Excluding inmates, the Canadian Armed Forces and certain members of the RCMP, the Canada Health Act requires all residents of a province or territory to be accepted for health coverage. There is a waiting period in place for new immigrants that cannot exceed three months.\n\nOnce a health card is assigned, it is used whenever visiting a physician or health care provider. The health card contains an identification number, which is used to access a person's medical information.\n\nAfter obtaining health coverage, one can register with a primary care physician. For routine visits to a physician, one needs only present their health card. There are typically no forms to be filled out or individual service fees.\n\nThe availability of physicians depends largely on the number of doctors and the current demand for medical services. Currently there is about 1 primary care doctor for every 1000 Canadians.\n\nHealth care in Canada is funded at both the provincial and federal levels. The financing of health care is provided via taxation both from personal and corporate income taxes. Additional funds from other financial sources like sales tax and lottery proceeds are also used by some provinces.\n\nAlberta, British Columbia, and Ontario also charge health premiums to supplement health funding, but such premiums are not required for health coverage as per the Canada Health Act.\n\nAt a federal level, funds are allocated to provinces and territories via the Canadian Health and Social Transfer (CHST). Transfer payments are made as a combination of tax transfers and cash contributions. The amount of funding provinces and territories receive is significant, and topped $35 billion in 2002-2003.\n\nIn 2000, the new budget injected an additional $23 billion of investment into the health care system.\n\nCanada's health care has a large impact on the Canadian economy. Here are a few facts and figures about the economy and health care:\n\nHealth care expenditures in Canada topped $100 billion in 2001.\n\n\nApproximately 9.5% of Canada's gross domestic product is spent on health care. In comparison, the United States spends close to 14% of its GDP on health care.\n\n\nIndividually, Canadians spend about $3300 per capita on health care.\n\n\nAt a provincial level, funding is between one-third and one-half of what provinces spend on social programs.\n\nAbout three-quarters of all funding comes from public sources, with the remainder from private sources such as businesses and private insurance. \n\nOne of the forefronts of debate in Canadian politics is its health care system. There are many factors in the debate, but some key issues are:\n\nFederal involvement in health care: Because provinces and territories are responsible for the actual administration and delivery of health care in Canada, friction is apparent whenever policies are set at a federal level.\n\nPrivate health care: While privately funded clinics do provide certain services with shorter wait times than the public system, there are those who object to any privatization of the health system. The arguments are that a "two-tier" health care system will unbalance the system and favor those with higher incomes.\n\nThe shortage of doctors and nurses in Canada: Some feel that Canada's health care system does not adequately compensate health care providers. This has led to a "brain drain" of Canadian doctors and nurses, which have left Canada to pursue careers in the United States. Attracting and keeping skilled medical workers is a priority if Canada is to be able to provide proper medical services.
90510
Our National Health Care system works, but it definitely needs serious upgrades to tackle issues like lengthy wait times and lack of General Practitioners.  It does bring a lot of personal relief to Canadians that we can go in to see Doctors and Dentists, and receive basic services, without incurring large personal costs.
1106934
I am Canadian - I booked an apointment with my dentist last week and will see her next Tuesday.  By the way, Dentists are not covered under Canadian Health Care - never have been, unless it is as a result of an accident, a workplace injury, you are on social assistance, or you have a disability.\n\nMy son was born premature - 2 1/2 months - I did not have to wait for care - he is a healthy and educated 20 year old - and I did not receive a bill for one cent even though i do not have an insurance policy.  My doctor told me that in the US, he was a "million dollar" baby.\n\nMy brother required knee replacement surgery - every step of that process, from pre-op apointments with the best specialists (of his choice I might add - no one tells us who to see) through home care to perform rehab after surgery was completed within 3 months of the first visit and did not cost us one penny - with or without insurance.\n\nI had Leukemia (chronic myleogenous) and chose to go to whatever doctor and hospital I wanted, free of charge, in whatever city in Ontario had the shortest wait time - all free of charge, including the cost of gas or airfare if necessary to get to the appointments.\n\nI haven't had to wait 2 months, let alone a year, at all - although it does happen and it is not good when it does.  I also don't have to fork out one single penny to be seen by the best heart/lung/cancer specialist in the country, they are accessible to everyone regardless of income.\n\nI have a step-sister in LA - she relies on Medicare - she says it is appalling in the US if you don't have private insurance -it's kind of hard to describe what is wrong to the clinic doctor, who didn't speak english, after a 7 hour clinic wait!  Even if you have insurance , you probably have an HMO - a group of non-professionals with little or no medical training who are deciding who you can see, what they will treat, and which hospital you can go to.\n\nYou're trying to tell me that is better??
223053
It all depends on the state in which you live.  Blue Cross is aways a good reliable but Golden Rule is a good company also.  The latest thing in health insurance is called medical savings accounts.  Find a local agent and talk to them
836356
Ok As a canadian we DO NOT HAVE FREE HEALTHCARE!!!!! we have to pay for it through taxes.  With no competition our hospitals can virtually do anything they want.  Wait times are ridiculas, and not enough equipment as in MRI's.\nStates even though patients also look at it as customer service as well, their private sector pays for the equipment, which means more resources, when you tie the hand that can do better than the public sector, you take away the ability to build.\nA lot of canadians want more private industries to provide services, but be paid the same way by O.H.I.P. ( name varies with each province but is our insurance plan)\nAmericans could have the same thing.  Technically we have to pay out of pocket for services like eyecare, chiropraters, dentist are just a few.  Our health care system is one of the biggest eater of public funds.\n\nOur PM has more power than the American President except for veto rights.  It is hard to go after a sitting P.M. where in the states your President can be censured and removed.\n\nIn Canada we are not peaceful as many beleive we are just like americans when it comes to tolerance, and violence per capita.  Remember america has like 330 million people, while Canada has 35 million odds of probability are higher due to population.\n\nAmericans give chances to their people with the free market , here banks damage your credit rating your screwed nobody to turn to, at least american businesses will give you a chance.  Banks here are worse than the states, for no free compitition as in the states .\n\nCanada government and their agencies are like the big brother approach, which is worse than the American big brother approach.\n\nIf Canada was like america when it comes to opportunities and America was more like Canada on equality,  North America would be as strong as gravity.\n\nBut Canada and America are the most wanted locations for immigrants, America above canada.  We have an image but my cousin in Florida who has lived in both countries says in short there is no difference at a citizen level, as in ordinary people everyday life.
777704
Well the best one is to have one before your diagnosed because alot of them don't cover pre-existing conditions for a year prior to the new policy.  You'd want one with good medical testing coverage, hospital stays, drug coverage, dr visits, alt med if possible.  Many of the Blue Cross higher up plans have that, they have some co-pays but cover the big stuff.  Independent Health which is NY based company has good coverage too.
969555
If your spouse has family medical coverage through employment, I would think you could be covered under that policy upon your marriage.  Here's hoping that policy has good drug coverage - some policies don't. If that's not a possibility, then read on.  \n\nYou have some homework to do before you leave Canada and (I presume) lose your Canadian benefits.  The US program that you might eventually be eligible for is called Medicaid.  Each state administers its own Medicaid program and states may have some different rules although some Federal rules also apply.  \nTo illustrate this, I offer one passage quoted from the web page that I am giving you below:\n\n"For example, legal resident aliens and other qualified aliens who entered the United States on or after August 22, 1996 are ineligible for Medicaid for 5 years. Medicaid coverage for most aliens entering before that date and coverage for those eligible after the 5-year ban are State options..."\nhttp://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicaidGenInfo/03_TechnicalSummary.asp\n\nI interpret this to mean that you can't just move in and get benefits. It can be a very complicated matter.
821552
There are a few ways to find some good, affordable health insurance.\n\nYou could look in the yellow pages under "health insurance" and meet with an agent that specializes in health insurance. That person could give you quotes and review your options with you.\n\nYou could ask your friends and family members who they have their health insurance through and get a quote from their agent.\n\nOr, you could compare health insurance quotes online from a quote provider. That way, you could review the rates and plans without any sales pressure from an agent.\n\nHere are two leading health insurance quote providers:\n\n1) InsureMe - they give you the five best health insurance quotes from top-rated health insurers nationwide. To Request a free, no obligation quote, Go to - http://www.insureme.com/landing.aspx?Refby=613598&Type=health\n\n2) eHealthinsurance.com offers you side-by-side quote comparisons from a large network of health insurers across the country.\n\nMake sure to compare plans at different deductibles to see how much you can save on your plan.\n\nAlso, review all exclusions, especially an exclusions for pre-existing conditions that might apply to you.\n\nI hope this helps you find some good health insurance to meet your needs. Best of luck to you.
676661
There is a decent insurance sold by the Better business beurau in California.  You might call the BBB in your state if they have a similar plan. \n  \nOtherwise Stay away from HMO's and discount cards.
1150964
The best place to start is by doing what you’re doing now – asking for personal recommendations. What kind of health insurance are you looking for? It might be a good idea to jot down a list of the different aspects of a health plan and then chart the differences between various plans you come across. Here’s an example:\n\n·Monthly price (premium)\n·Yearly deductible (amount you spend before the insurance company will start paying)\n·Copay amount (amount you pay per service)\n·Coinsurance amount (amount you split with the insurance company – usually a percentage; i.e., you pay 20 percent and the insurer pays 80 percent)\n·Freedom of choice (can you visit whatever doctor you want?)\n·Preventive medicine and routine doctor visits (does the plan include these?)\n·Mental health (included in the plan; copay amounts; maximum number of annual visits).\n\nHMOs (health maintenance organizations) are popular right now, and they usually include mental health coverage in their plans. A typical example is that you would pay a monthly fee and then a copay when you visit your therapist (usually around $50 for a plan with low monthly payments). One potential problem, though, is access to physicians. An HMO might not have the kind of mental health specialist you’re looking for. Before you enroll in an HMO, I would strongly urge you to look at their mental health specialist roster. For more choices, you might opt for a PPO (preferred provider organization) or a traditional fee-for-service plan.\n\nOne helpful Web site is needymeds.com (see link below). It is a catalogue of Web sites devoted to discounted drugs and medical programs.\n\nThe best way to find answers to your questions, though, is by talking with local insurance agents. Just tell them what you’re looking for and how much you want to pay, and then wait until one of them brings back a policy that’s right for you. You won’t spend any more on a plan from an agent than if you bought the same plan online. MostChoice.com is a Web site with state-licensed agents throughout the country. When you visit the site, you fill out a short information request form. You’ll get free quotes and policy information on health plans near you, and within two days agents should contact you. There’s no cost and you’re not expected to buy a policy from the agents. Also, MostChoice will use your personal information only to help you find the health plan you’re looking for.\n\nYou can visit MostChoice here: http://www.mostchoice.com/health-insurance.cfm\n\nGood luck. I hope this helps,\n\nBarnes @ MostChoice.
651488
Unfortunately the prescription drug program would probably end up costing him more money than he pays now.  The ideal option would be for him to find a way to purchase drugs from Canada.  \n\nPlease urge him to seek medical attention, though.  If it is an emergency, it is illegal for doctors to refuse him care and he may need surgery to keep him alive.
732514
CANADA!!!! FREE HEALTH CARE WOOT WOOT!
230414
Contact your local law authorities,...as I'm SURE they'd appreciate your interest in doing the right thing.  Having health insurance and a life insurance policy might not be a bad idea either.