Birth
 

Hi myself and my wife will be moving to kelowna bc as soon as the sale of our home goes through. My wife is currently pregnant and will end up having the baby once we have arrived in kelowna. Can anyone shed any light as to the cost of having a baby in kelowna or at least does anyone know if our health insurance will cover it.

Many thanks

Mark

Re: Birth
 

Pretty sure it's covered under the provincial health insurance. I think that it's similar to Ontario though where you would automatically be covered for a hospital birth under OB care, but if you want a midwife, they're in short supply (they can assist you at home or in the hospital), although the cost of this is also covered. You can also hire a private birth assistant (doula) to supplement either of those, but they're not clinically trained, they can be a real godsend for emotional and practical support though, particularly if you don't have family around.

Re: Birth
 

Definitely NOT covered on health insurance - My two babies are still costing me a fortune at the ages of 23 and 19

Hahha

Enjoy it - Regardless - babies are wonderful
:thumbsup:

Re: Birth
 

Haha! That's a really good point ;) In the longer term, birth is the cheapest bit!

Re: Birth
 

MSP starts after the balance of the month you arrivein plus 2 successive months, so you could be without medical coverage for up to 3 months. If you have to pay it could be very expensive, especially if there are any complications. Good job you are selling your house!

You may be able to get private coverage, but preexisting conditions are not usually covered. If you wait until the baby is born before moving, much easier in that regard, so long as one of you is a Canadian citizen. If not, you would have to sponsor it. The alternative is PAYG medical care for the first three months or move to AB where you are covered right away.

Re: Birth
 

New residents or persons re-establishing residence in B.C. are eligible for coverage after completing a wait period that normally consists of the balance of the month of arrival plus two months.

For Ontario it's 3 months.

@ the OP - Once you qualify for healthcare, prenatal, birth and postnatal care would be covered. You will need health insurance for the period before you qualify.

More here: http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/msp/infoben/eligible.html

:)

Re: Birth
 

Ok.....so if we had to pay ...what are the costs like......only want a rough figure so I can calculate it in before the move.

Many thanks

Mark

Re: Birth
 

As already noted you are not covered when you arrive. As also noted, if you buy private coverage for the interim period, it may not cover a 'pre-existing condition' including pregnancy. Read more here:
https://www.google.ca/#q=immigrant+t...alth+insurance

In regards to a 'rough figure' if you were to pay for the delivery yourself, I would be very careful about thinking that way. Assuming it will be a simple birth with no major complications you could end up paying from $5k to $20k. Read here: http://www.david-cummings.com/docume...ital_rates.htm

But if there are complications, the cost can go through the roof. Read this nightmare: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/britis...e-1m-1.1197529

Bottom line. You need to be sure that you are insured when the baby is born.

Re: Birth
 

It can go way over $20k, if there is a need for ICU, it can run into hundreds of thousands. Anyone coming here knowing they will be paying for medical treatment should see a psychiatrist first, it would be way cheaper.

The nightmare article concerns a non resident couple, who could bail on the debt at any time with little or no repercussions. Residents of Canada racking up a huge bill can be hounded by collections agent, taken to court, lose pretty much everything. A colleague in the UK whose [uninsured] son was injured in a road accident in the US ended up selling their house to pay the bill.

Re: Birth
 

Thank you all so much...... so it could be possible to get insured....or not? Im still a bit confused

Re: Birth
 

Why not ask an insurer?

Re: Birth
 

I thought about it but the forum's were saying that health insurance wouldnt cover pregnancy and was hoping that people have had experience of it.

Re: Birth
 

Getting an answer from the horse's mouth is more useful than conjecture from forums.

Re: Birth
 

It probably would be the best option...just hard trying to get 5 minutes to phone them....I will give it a try this week

Re: Birth
 

Quick question - when is her due date? Some policies will cover pregnancy but only up to 9 weeks prior to the due date and exclude pre-natal standard appointments or tests.

From the results I got when I googled this, I think you will find it impossible to find one that will cover the actual birth.

It's a shame you are not going to one of the Provinces who give health cover from day one.

:)

Re: Birth
 

Her due date is 22 September, I am going to ask a health company now , just need to get these things sorted before I get there, then all I have to worry about is making friends haha

Re: Birth
 

I am yikesing a bit, on the combined info you have given here, & on your other thread regarding work etc.

I'm putting aside all the insurance/immigration etc concerns for the moment, to ask: is this your first child? Your/your wife's first experience of child birth?

What is causing the rush that you can't wait to go through "regular" immigration processes, can't wait until child is born in familiar surroundings/system to you & wife? Is she by any chance a Canadian citizen & wants to be "home" for the birth?

I've been pregnant, & given birth in UK, FR, CA. With healthcare expenses covered by local schemes in all three. CA comes bottom of my list in terms of care (it wasn't bad, just not as good as the others). After a normal pregnancy & birth, 2 of my children unexpectedly ended up in ICU for short periods.

Relevant experience/comment being that a mother in Canada on a tourist visa, who gave birth unexpectedly, was looking at a bill of 150K +, after 48 hours. I met her in ICU. She was insured. I don't see how you & your wife can or would be.

Re: Birth
 

We'll this would be our second child, we have a boy of 3 years old. The only rush is that we have been waiting for everything to fall into place and didn't want to put our move on hold because of the baby news. Also what do you mean by regular immigration process.? We are still going down that route it's just if our house sells in the uk before this is complete we shall be coming over on a workers visa I think it's called for 6 months

Re: Birth
 

(Really, sincerely, I AM trying to help)

Ok. What do you mean by workers visa? From where are you getting your info?

Double ok, having reread both threads. Sit down, take a deep breath, & start googling/search this site.

SB

SB

Re: Birth
 

There is no such thing as a workers visa.

There is a visitor status (not really a visa, it's just a stamp in your passport) than can be issued for up to 6 months for people from the UK who want to visit Canada.

There is a temporary work permit that is normally valid for 1 or 2 years. I have never heard of one being issued for less than 1 year.

Re: Birth
 

Oh my goodness. I've just read this thread having just read the thread on the security work you are hoping to secure. Not meaning to be negative for the sake of it at all and not suggesting that you haven't the desire to make this all work, but have you really considered the logistics and the mountains you are going to have to climb? You won't be covered by the provincial medical scheme for the first 2 - 3 months as you know. Will your wife be able to get private health insurance to cover this period that will include the pregnancy and potential/inevitable birth? You'd have no family/friends support network (I'm assuming) in Comox or Kelowna.

Might it make more sense to secure a job, LMO, TWP - whatever, have the baby, sell the house, take your time and get all your ducks in a row? When we moved to the Island we had young but manageable kids, financial stability, a very good knowledge of the Island and even some friends here already. It was still an absolute nightmare for the first 12 months - if not 24 months. Good fun and challenging - but a nightmare none the less!

Re: Birth
 

+1 to what everybody else has said.

Tbh, I'm gobsmacked that you would sell your home and move to a country where you don't actually have a visa to live, with a pregnant wife that may not be covered under provincial healthcare. :eek:

What if you get refused entry? What if you can't find a job or a LMO (highly likely from what you've said in your other thread)? Etc, etc.

Personally, I'd stay put in the UK until your wife has the baby and you actually have a LMO in hand so that you know you won't be turned away or kicked out of Canada after 6 months.

Good luck with it, whatever you decide.

Re: Birth
 

This getting beyond ridiculous. Now I am reading that you will not have a visa to live and work in Canada? Is that right?

Look at this logically. Giving birth costs money. Someone has to pay that money. YOU cannot afford to risk being able to pay it. If as noted there are any complications the bill could be astronomical. Do you have unlimited funds?

If your wife gives birth before you are a legal resident of Canada (legal resident, not a visitor) NO proivincial health plan will pay for it.

Now look at private insurance. If you go to an insurance company and say, my wife is going to give birth, how much do you want for an insurance policy that will pay for that birth? Do you think they are going to say, 'OK, pay is 500 pounds for 3 months coverage and we will pay out $5,000 to $150,000 for the birth.' Do you think they are in the business of losing money?

You really aren't thinking this through at all.

Re: Birth
 

This all seems highly irresponsible. Sometimes we want things so badly we lose sight of reality and common sense. I wonder how the wife feels about all of this.

Re: Birth
 

In defence of the OP, I believe he was misled by a certain Immigration company and was basing his decisions on their advice, thinking he was going to be able to easily get a TWP and then PR.

I'm sure he is feeling pretty gutted right now.

Let's all cut him a bit of slack.

Re: Birth
 

:goodpost:

Re: Birth
 

and you think im moving and jumping into things without consulting my wife, i think you are misunderstanding, i only asked how much it would cost me if we went and was not insured, i am not saying 100% we are moving i was simply asking if you could answer me without trying to jump down and shoot down anything you believe me to have said, also i have a job offer with lmo in comox, and the other post was just asking what security firms are in kelowna i could be in touch with,

Re: Birth
 

I think people are just concerned for you and your family as potentially it could cost you thousands if you were uninsured.

If you are able to obtain a TWP from the job in Comox, you will be able to apply for BC Health Provincial medical care as has been indicated earlier. It will take 8-16 weeks to get LMO approval and then a further 9-12 weeks to qualify for BC healthcare so potentially you are looking at 28 weeks before you would qualify. You won't be able to get visitors health insurance to cover a birth from anyone (I checked).

You will have to work out if that will be sufficient time before your wife is due to give birth.

Best of luck and hope it all works out ok.

:)

Re: Birth
 

Nobody is shooting you down, just trying to point out the flaws in your plan as it seems you're not fully aware of Canadian immigration procedures etc.

Your post above also contradicts what you've said in previous posts - do you have a LMO? If so, then that's very a different situation. A job offer means nothing, but if you have the LMO in hand then your posts make a bit more sense.

Re: Birth
 

I have the job offer, who have said they will sort the lmo on completion of my bst training which I will be doing from the uk...if that makes sense

Re: Birth
 

Just to add my two pence worth in, I'm in Calgary and even though as a Briyish person I believe you are given provincial healthcare straight away, I had a nightmare renewing my visitor permit after making a mistake initially, anyway it took months, all during the first 4 months of my pregnancy. It cost us thousands in appointments, scans and blood tests as until I had my permit I had no healthcare so wSnt covered. Luckily that's all sorted out now as we could have afforded any more and certainly couldn't afford an uninsured birth. I
Not sure if you think having a child over here would somehow benefit you in terms of rights to be here as it wouldn't, not until the child was an adult and could sponsor you as a pr. Until then the child only would have the right to stay here as a citizen, not the parents. Apologies if this has not crossed your mind but I'm just thinking anyone even considering paying such an astronomical amount for a birth, must think something's in it for them.

Re: Birth
 

Haha I can assure you I did not think that...all I want is what is best for my children, we have been looking at moving since last June so have only just found out about the pregnancy which is why I still wanted to ask more about it

Re: Birth
 

What may be causing some confusion is this thread, which seems to me to indicate the company who has offered you a job ha snot got the LMO approved. Applying is one thing, getting approved is another. If they already have the LMO then it seems you should have a job, so long as you feel the pay is sufficient to support your family and cover your wife's medical bills.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=828604

This was also confusing and intimated that you were coming as a visitor hoping to get a job offer and the LMO approved all with in 6 months, which is unlikely. All very risky with a young family.

Maybe get another immigration agent to give you an opinion before jumping in, it seems to me like either you are misunderstanding the advice you have been given or it is inaccurate. Try this guy http://www.wildyimmigration.com/

Re: Birth
 

This is incorrect, anyone who is here on a visitor permit will not get provincial health coverage, no matter where you come form. Legal residents will get coverage, wherever they come from, eligibility varies by province.

Re: Birth
 

'Sort the LMO' means applying for one - something like half of all LMOs are refused though, are you aware of how tough they are to get unless you are in an occupation in demand? Tread very carefully, it seems the delightful Global Visas may have promised you something but hopefully now you're aware of how this is not going to be quick or easy, and how even if you get a LMO, you may well not be able to stay long term.

On the plus side, if you've got training to do and they haven't even applied for the LMO yet, there's no way you'll be out there before your baby is due, so at least you won't have to worry about that.

Re: Birth
 

Sorry I should have stated, as a visitor yes I was entitled to this, but only because my husband is here on a twp.

Re: Birth
 

If you were eligible for provincial healthcare and had to pay while it was sorted out, the health program should reimburse you for what you spent if the error was theirs.

Re: Birth
 

I have looked into this extensively as I'm currently pregnant and we're waiting on a response to our Ontario PNP application. It shouldn't be too much longer I'd have thought another 8-10 weeks.

I'm due 4th July (currently 24 weeks) and when looking into insurance to cover if I had the baby early by some stroke of bad luck I couldn't find anything that would cover it. If I'd have bought and paid for a policy prior to finding out about the pregnancy then maybe but not with a "pre-existing" condition.

My concern was the "what if?" factor. You can never tell. I didn't want the additional stress on me, my husband or the baby so we've opted to stay put no matter when the baby arrives. Instead we have the hassle of a transatlantic move with a newborn but that's a whole other story.

Good luck and congratulations :)

Re: Birth
 

Hi Bella if you are happy, please email me at <snip> so i can have a chat and discuss what you know and maybe what i should know, easier than going through on here

many thanks

Re: Birth
 

I've removed your email address, as it's never a good idea to put personal info on a public forum, particularly an email address as it'll get picked up by every spambot and weirdo out there!

Bella (or anybody else) can contact you via the forum if they wish, although it's actually much more useful if you ask her questions on the forum so that others can benefit from the knowledge too - obviously not if it's of a personal nature though!