Canada health insurance, walk in labs

[cnielsen]

We’re doing a three month trip with our camper, to Canada in the provinces of Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland.

Due to a chronic illness and pre-existing conditions, we are researching travel health insurance options and walk in lab availability, for routine bloodwork, in the above provinces.

We would love to hear from any fellow RVers with such experience in Canada.

Happy travels!

Charlie and Nathalie 

[Tulecreeper]

You are going to need to buy travel health insurance coverage before you go.  You will not be covered by Canadian medical while you are there, and most likely any health insurance you have here won't cover you there.  Although I am American, all my relatives live in Canada and I had an accident there a number of years ago while on a hunting trip.  They treated me, of course, but everything was cash out-of-pocket because I had no Canadian travel insurance and my Anthem Blue Cross coverage wasn't an option.  I have never heard of anything like "walk-in availability for blood work", even here.

I think if I had any kind of chronic condition that might need treatment during a given period of time, I would not chance going OConus.

https://www.internationalinsurance.com/health/north-america/canada.php

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/travel-insurance/destinations/canada-trips/

https://www.tourguidecanada.com/travel-medical-insurance-canada.html

Edited April 29, 2023 by Tulecreeper

[Kirk W]

Welcome to the Escapee forums! We are here to help and will do our best to supply answers. The trip you have planned is a wonderful experience and we have done similar but for a shorter time. I strongly suggest that you first talk with your doctors about your plans to see what they can offer by way of help. Doctors in Canada are not likely to prescribe or take other actions based on the records of a doctor in the USA, but will likely want to do all of the tests and such that you have already had, for themselves. Prescriptions may be less problem with filing in Canada but be sure to find out before you leave to go there. Some medications can't be transferred across state lines. There likely are solutions but investigate them before you head north.

On a more positive note, my wife was a continuing patient with several serious issues that required regular maintenance medications and we still went on the road fulltime for 12 years. One of the things that we did was to get our prescriptions through a mail order pharmacy to our mail service and then have them forwarded so that the prescriptions do not move.

[cnielsen]

17 hours ago, Kirk W said:

Welcome to the Escapee forums! We are here to help and will do our best to supply answers. The trip you have planned is a wonderful experience and we have done similar but for a shorter time. I strongly suggest that you first talk with your doctors about your plans to see what they can offer by way of help. Doctors in Canada are not likely to prescribe or take other actions based on the records of a doctor in the USA, but will likely want to do all of the tests and such that you have already had, for themselves. Prescriptions may be less problem with filing in Canada but be sure to find out before you leave to go there. Some medications can't be transferred across state lines. There likely are solutions but investigate them before you head north.

On a more positive note, my wife was a continuing patient with several serious issues that required regular maintenance medications and we still went on the road fulltime for 12 years. One of the things that we did was to get our prescriptions through a mail order pharmacy to our mail service and then have them forwarded so that the prescriptions do not move.

Thank you Kirk.

Im glad to hear that you have been traveling with a chronic condition full time for 12 years.  That's wonderful.

We have been doing similar for six years; but only two years full time and the rest a few months per year.

So we have completed the doctor review and prescription meds planning as we routinely do for all our travels. 

We don't foresee any need for a Canadian doctor, except in the case of new or unexpected developments. Hence the reason for the Travel Health insurance.

So, we are hoping to hear from RVers who have experience with travel medical insurance plans and routine lab work in Canada.

So on your similar trip to Canada, did you have travel medical insurance or have a need for routine bloodwork?

Thanks again and Happy Travels

Charlie

 

[Kirk W]

12 minutes ago, cnielsen said:

So on your similar trip to Canada, did you have travel medical insurance or have a need for routine bloodwork?

Her condition didn't require regular lab work but on our annual visits so that wasn't an issue. We were never in Canada for longer than a week as we were summering near the border and made multiple short duration visits. we didn't bother with extra insurance. Probably we should have but...........  That was back in 2006. We were fulltime from 2000 through 2011 but returned to part-time in 2012 due to health issues. We are now nearing the end of our RV travel days. 

[2gypsies]

We were in British Columbia and I had a gall bladder attack.  I was able to quickly see a doctor 2x and received a prescription before moving on.  I don't recall the exact amount but it was so very reasonable for all... around $60 or so.  The doctor was so very caring - even called to check up on me two weeks later when we were back in the U.S..  This was years ago so the price would surely be higher now.

Edited April 30, 2023 by 2gypsies

[Vladimir]

Call the health authorities in the Provinces that you will be traveling and ask about prices without insurance for the needed services.

It might be cheaper to pay out of pocket than getting travel insurance.

I lived in British Columbia and needed surgery and decided to keep my US health insurance and do the surgery in the states.  That meant that I would have to pay for the post-operative care in Canada.

When I showed up for my first post-operative appointment, EVERYBODY went into a panic.  OMG, your going to pay out of pocket for the medical visit!!!   How will you ever afford it??

After the Dr. visit I went up to the desk to settle up.

"That will be five dollars".

Give them a call.  I suspect it will be more than five dollars, but maybe much less than getting insurance to cover you in Canada.  At least, you will have a point of comparison.

Make SURE that you do NOT need a Canadian DR. to order the services.  That would be a very important question to ask the Provincial Health Authorities.

 

 

 

Edited July 14, 2023 by Vladimir

[cnielsen]

21 hours ago, Vladimir said:

Call the health authorities in the Provinces that you will be traveling and ask about prices without insurance for the needed services.

It might be cheaper to pay out of pocket than getting travel insurance.

I lived in British Columbia and needed surgery and decided to keep my US health insurance and do the surgery in the states.  That meant that I would have to pay for the post-operative care in Canada.

When I showed up for my first post-operative appointment, EVERYBODY went into a panic.  OMG, your going to pay out of pocket for the medical visit!!!   How will you ever afford it??

After the Dr. visit I went up to the desk to settle up.

"That will be five dollars".

Give them a call.  I suspect it will be more than five dollars, but maybe much less than getting insurance to cover you in Canada.  At least, you will have a point of comparison.

Make SURE that you do NOT need a Canadian DR. to order the services.  That would be a very important question to ask the Provincial Health Authorities.

 

 

 

Thanks to all who responded.

I looked up some walk in clinics and labs in the Provinces on my itinerary, before leaving the US and called a few as well.

Bottom line is that it you may need stay in on place for a week or two, while you organize the doctor visit, do the labs and return for the results.

I can provide more details, if anyone is planning extended travel in Canada.

if your moving location fairly frequently, it’s more challenging.

FYI, I purchased a separate international insurance that is quite reasonable for those unplanned more serious events.