Canadian Provincial Health Insurance

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Carmen123

Registered Users (C)
Folks, I just talked to Canadian Provincial Health Insurance of Quebec and they told me that for this first year I can keep the benefits as per article 7.7 but in general you need to be 180 in Canada to keep the insurance.
So next year if I ever return to live in Quebec it has to be before july otherwise I won't have it for the year, I will have it again for '09.

My card is good until 07/2011. Should I inform them I am out or what do people do? I am trying to find a workaround for this.

Thanks

Carmen :)
 
Your RMQ card is of little value, since it will hardly cover your US expenses, and you should be using the coverage provided by your employer.

Also, it can be used by CRA as proof that you were not intending to live in US.

Send it back, and simply get a new one when you return to live in Canada.

There is no point playing both sides of the fence on this, you have left Quebec to live 'permanently' in the US
http://www.ramq.gouv.qc.ca/en/citoyens/assurancemaladie/quitter/exterieur.shtml

You may indeed qualify under the one-time temporary departure, but this is of little value to you, and can only be used once.... and you do have to notify them in advance of your intention to use this provision.

http://www.ramq.gouv.qc.ca/en/citoyens/assurancemaladie/quitter/temporaire.shtml

I would save this for a future time.
 
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Don't forget about the tax implications of keeping your health card. The health card is considered a tie to Canada for income tax purposes. If you are planning to pay taxes in both countries, then never mind. Otherwise, the experts here can refer you to another forum for taxes.

I know that OHIP has a plan for extended stays out of ON for work/study but their coverage sucks anyway. I don't know about Quebec though. Ususally this info is on their websites.
 
Totally agree that the OP needs to surrender (or atleast stop using) the health card in the US. Having said that, I just wanted to mention that health cards are a provincial matter and not a federal one.

OttawaSenators said:
The health card is considered a tie to Canada for income tax purposes.
Click to expand...
 
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nelsona said:
Your RMQ card is of little value, since it will hardly cover your US expenses, and you should be using the coverage provided by your employer.
Click to expand...

I agree.

They will only cover the value of the procedure at the cost it would have been if you had visited a practitioner it in Quebec, not the cost it is in the foreign country.

My favorite example is seeing a General Practitioner. Since most GP's in the US charge according to agreements that they have predefined with your insurance company, and there is no predefined agreement with RAMQ, they will probably charge anywhere between $100 and $250 for the visit (don't be misled by the example that shows $75). RAMQ will only cover $16.60, since that is what it costs to see a doctor in Quebec. You have to pay the rest.

I once stayed 1 night at the hospital because I fainted (sounds silly, but I wanted to make sure I was ok). The agreed upon charges submitted by the hospital and each and every group and person who touched my hand or even my file (i got about 15 bills) totaled upwards to $15,000. I didn’t even have surgery, just a bunch of tests. My payable was only $200 out-of-pocket since my insurance coved the rest. RAMQ would probably only cover about $800 of the $15,000 in bills
 
Assurance Maladie

People, in US I AM using my employer's health insurance coverage US employer I have NEVER used the assurance maladie here!.

I just wanted to know how to mantain it active if I return to Quebec, I didn't know anything about the taxes? No I don't plan to pay taxes on both countries, then I might need to surrender it.

Thanks for the advice.

Carmen
 
It is not difficult to re-establish your RAMQ. As a returning citizen it takes effect immediately.

Send it back.

The same for your driver's license, it too is now invalid.
 
Returning the AM card

Nelson, I already talked to them and I will be surrenderig the card (the DL I switched it the first day I arrived here and Florida send my quebec Licence back home).

In Quebec if you EVER go back it takes 3 months to get it, it is not automatic. Myabe it is in your province (Ontario, I guess?)

Thanks for the info Nelson, I appreciate.

Carmen

nelsona said:
It is not difficult to re-establish your RAMQ. As a returning citizen it takes effect immediately.

Send it back.

The same for your driver's license, it too is now invalid.
Click to expand...
 
The 3 month waiting period does not apply to Cdn citizens returning from abroad. It applies to new foreign arivals and to those coming from othr provinces (who are covered for the first 3 months in their old province of course).

Trust me, I've done a lot of research on this. And I'm a Montrealer.
 
Thanks

Oh Nelson, thanks for this good news. You made my day! :)


nelsona said:
The 3 month waiting period does not apply to Cdn citizens returning from abroad. It applies to new foreign arivals and to those coming from othr provinces (who are covered for the first 3 months in their old province of course).

Trust me, I've done a lot of research on this. And I'm a Montrealer.
Click to expand...
 
Yes Ontario and New Brunswick have steadfastly decided to ignore the Canada Health Act and impose a 3-month waiting period for returning Cdn citizens. The other provinces do not.

I'm quite sure that this could be contested. But the safer way is to carry your US health coverage for the first three months, or use some other gap insurance.

Or move into canada thru another province.

In any event, keeping an expired card, or trying to 'fake' residence in a particular palce for a particular length of time is not useful.
 
nelsona said:
Yes Ontario and New Brunswick have steadfastly decided to ignore the Canada Health Act and impose a 3-month waiting period for returning Cdn citizens. The other provinces do not.

I'm quite sure that this could be contested.
Click to expand...

I agree. This policy couldn't possibly survive a federal challenge. But since such a challenge would take much more than three months, there's little incentive to take it on.
 
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