Re: Diabetes and Canada
 

There's a chance I will be working in one of those areas and because of the diabetes I thought I may as well get one before they ask anyways .

Re: Diabetes and Canada
 

Yes it gives you the option occupation wise without messing around afterwards and wasting time while you get the medical restriction lifted.

☺

Re: Diabetes and Canada
 

You arrive, you go to the nearest registry office and sign up for AHCIP. This is basic healthcare coverage, there is some sort of waiting period, 3 months I think, so bring enough supplies. If your employer doesn't have a group plan you can sign up for non-group coverage with Alberta Blue Cross, this costs $190.50 per quarter for an individual (AC is on a family plan by the looks of it).

The non-group coverage gives you prescription drug coverage BUT it only covers certain drugs, you pay up to a maximum of $25 per prescription if it is covered. You can get multiple vials of insulin per order, you can get a prescription that covers you for a whole year but ABC only lets you buy so much at one time.

The snag is that a lot of stuff isn't covered. I take Novorapid, Toujeo and Fiasp and only Novorapid is covered by ABC.

Other diabetic supplies are covered up to a maximum of $600 a year and test strips cost about $75/100 so basically you're only covered for a few months. In the US you can get Chinese-made meters and strips which do actually work from Wal-Mart and they are way cheaper. So I just go down to the US and stock up.

And before you start complaining, it's better here than anywhere else in Canada as far as healthcare goes.

The real problem is getting a GP and if you get a GP getting referrals to a specialist as all non-critical stuff is being deferred because of the recession.

Re: Diabetes and Canada
 

Thank you so much that's actually really helpful.

Yeah I'm also using Novorapid and Levemir which are both made by the Novo company so hopefully will both be covered. Will definitely be worth looking into changing my meter too as I currently use Accu-Chek and have done for 17 years but i know here in the UK they are one of the most expensive for strips.

Also I would never complain, i was aware i was going to have to pay I just wanted some guidance on how to go about it and the cost i was looking at.

Thank you again

Re: Diabetes and Canada
 

There is no waiting period for new immigrants to Alberta but, as that doesn't cover prescriptions anyway, the need to bring supplies to cover the waiting period for whatever extended health insurance is obtained is good advice.

Re: Diabetes and Canada
 

Hi all

Just a quick update.

I had my medical and although my hba1c was 70 the medmigration doctor said he wasn't concerned as it has come down from 103 2 years ago and had reduced from 78 in the last month only . He said they were more concerned about kidney problems and other serious problems as dialysis would be costly for them.

I sent my application off only 2 weeks ago and.... I got an email yesterday to say I have been approved 😁.

I have been very lucky in that it has actually only taking me 6 weeks ( and a fair few pounds) to get this as I know people have waited up to a year before even being considered, if they even do.

So it's all systems go and I'm going to have to do some deep investigating now as to what I need to do when with regards to healthcare etc,it's definitely not something I want to be messing around with( I also have organisational issues🙈).

Wish me luck 😊

Re: Diabetes and Canada
 

Down here in the States it is same digit decimal digit. I'm type two and with weight loss and proper eating after 19 years have A1C numbers in the 5.2 to 5.8 range over the last 18 months.

I've been on a course of Ramipril for the last 15 years. While it is for high blood pressure, it has been proven to protect the kidneys of diabetic patients. The dosage is minimal at 2.5mg twice a day.

Re: Diabetes and Canada
 

Everywhere they use mmol/mol for A1C, but in the US they just don't put the unit of measurement on the blood test result because it causes confusion, as blood sugar is typically measured in mg/DL on a meter.

I find mg/DL much easier to understand especially when I'm hypo, so I always buy my meters in the US.

Re: Diabetes and Canada
 

For anyone interested, the Freestyle Libre mentioned upthread - the glucose monitoring sticky arm patch thingy - has finally been approved by Health Canada (and Manulife - which is where I'm getting my info from). I've asked my Manulife contact how to go about getting this through on our insurance plan, whether it needs prior approval or whether a simple doctors prescription is sufficient. I'll update when I know more.

Re: Diabetes and Canada
 

Hi!
I am a type 1 diabetic currently looking at moving to Alberta!
Did you decide to make the move in the end?

I am completely surprised at the response that testing your blood 5 times a day is unnecessary! I check at least this many times ( eat 3x at least! Every time before I drive, every time when I feel a hypo, when I wake up and when I sleep!) It is the cost of test strips that worries me the most (insulin seems affordable and I am not on huge amounts!)

I lived in Australia for a year where the healthcare system was amazing. (Subsadised everything, free lancets and needles) For this move I took ALOT of test strips with me and almost had enough! I also had plenty left at home that I could have got sent out by family if I had needed too! The same with insulin - I took enough to last me a good 6/7 months and then had to purchase after that.

i think my test strip plan will have to be to get family to send them over as this seems like a much cheaper option than buying in Canada!

Re: Diabetes and Canada
 

As I mentioned above, by far the cheapest method is to go to the US and buy ReliOn strips from Wal-Mart. The only snag being the unit of measurement on ReliOn meters is mg/DL, although I did buy a "PremierBlu" meter recently and I think that does mmol/mol. They can't be shipped to Canada because they're not Health Canada approved, CBSA will seize them.

Re: Diabetes and Canada
 

New advantage now is that A) Optimum points are now PC Optimum and more generous than they were and 2) You can redeem them at Loblaws/Superstore as well as SDM.

Re: Diabetes and Canada