Written By: Patrick Brown
Not long ago, we blogged about the importance of travel insurance for even a day trip out of Canada. Some of you wondered if OHIP covers anything at all while you’re Stateside. The good news is yes; the bad news is it’s generally not enough to make much of a difference.
First, OHIP will only pay for emergency medical services, and the parameters are very clear. The health crisis must have occurred outside of Canada, require immediate treatment, and be acute and unexpected. If these criteria are met, you might qualify for approximately $50/day in E.R. and $200/day as an inpatient– though you will doubtless incur thousands of dollars in costs.
There are a number of things that aren’t eligible for any coverage whatsoever, including ambulance or transportation costs, any experimental treatment, or any services at an unlicensed hospital or care facility.
The OHIP website itself stresses again and again that any such reimbursement is “very limited.” It is in no way intended to cover your actual costs, which is why the government so strongly recommends travel insurance. And so do we.
