NicknBridget

We are hoping to go to New Brunswick on a TWP, and are wondering how the health care system works there. Can anyone help?
Thanks

sinurt

Hi,
As soon as you arrive you need to apply for your Medicare card - it takes 3 months though before it starts. This link gives you all the info you need. I would advise you to find out what health coverage you get from your employer as prescriptions are not covered by medicare and they can be very expensive.

It can be hard to find a doctor in some places in NB but there are walk in clinics available should you need to see a doctor.

Hope this helps,
Sinead

NicknBridget

Thanks so much Sinead. I don't suppose I could pick your brains about banks too could I? Just not sure how to open an account and which banks are the good ones...
Many thanks again

pennyhp

Hi Nicknbridget

I can only echo what Sinead said already about healthcare.
Also I would advise taking out an insurance to cover the first 3 months here while you wait for the provincial coverage to kick in, unless of course your benefits package from your job covers you for medical expensesw and accidents.

We bank with Scotiabank and also have an online account with Presidents choice. As far as I know the PC online account is the only free one.
If you google canadian banks you can compare the different accounts they offer.

NicknBridget

Thanks for that Penny, we'll have a look.

mtnjt

Hi

We have just returned to the UK from Moncton, NB, having been there 1 year(NS before that) and really wasnt impressed with some aspects of their healthcare.
Firstly in the 1 year we lived there we were still on a waiting list to get a family doctor. We were told they didnt have enough doctors to go around. So we had to take our kids to the walk in clinic which opened in the evening only and it was hard to get referrals to specialists. On the other hand my son broke his wrist and the care he received at A&E was fantastic!
Also with regards to dentists - its expensive, you have to pay for the kids too.

Trying to be positive - its a beautiful place with wonderful people.

Good Luck!

NicknBridget

Thanks for your advice. I guess it pays to have insurance for the 'extras'. Will look into that

BristolUK

Apparently there are quite a few provinces like that.

The way around the specialist problem (depending what the issue is) seems to involve going to ER who may contact an appropriate and amenable doctor elsewhere, on your behalf, who sees you and then makes the referral.

Sounds daft, but it seems to work.

pennyhp

I would agree with most of your statements, however as for the walk in clinics. Thre is always a daytime one somewhere in the city. Its usually the one on Mountain Road at the Lounsbury Centre. We have used it and got very quick service.
We were lucky to get a family Dr very quickly here but not through the waiting list arrangement, that definately doesn't seem to work. We just happened to meet a Dr in an out of hours clinic who was new and taking on patients.

I must admit that we didn't fully appreciate the extent of the differences in the health system here when we came. We knew that prescriptions were not covered by the government health plan, but were surprised that kids are not covered for prescriptions and dental.

Most people go for jobs that have a private plan (which is usually paid into by the employee and employer) as if you have kids and they need braces it will run into $1000's.
We are self emplyed and I have yet to find a private plan that is remoteley sensible and affordable.

On balance all things considered though I like it here very much and as my kids are grown up we only have the two of us to worry about with prescriptions and dental and the like.

NicknBridget

Thanks for your replies. I think we will look into this, but it certainly wont put us off coming!

pennyhp

Oh good.
I would hate to put anyone off from coming here its a really nice place to live. I wouldn't go back to the UK now.
But it is good to be aware of the costs and differences involved in living here.
Forewarned is forearmed as they say. Thats why this website is so useful.
If you are coming on a TWP with a job the chances are you will have a family health plan through work.

readytomove

Hi

We're hopefully going to be in Fredericton in the next few months on TWPs, just waiting on the LMO at the moment

We looked at getting the BUPA expat health cover since OH work health cover wont kick in until he has finished his probation period and it seems very reasonable but then I haven't really shopped around and don't know too much about this stuff. Could be worth a look though if your worried.

NicknBridget

OH has spoken to the prospective employer and they don't have a health plan in place yet but are looking into it. Will have to see if anything is in place by the time we get there
Thanks

NicknBridget

Our LMO is going in this week. Scary time! Our immigration advisor thinks it'll probably be mid January before we hear.
Might look into Bupa and see what the costs are. It's such an uncertain time isn't it, but best to be prepared!

Dave+Jules

We got our temporary healthcare coverage from Medavie Blue Cross here in Canada rather than BUPA, it is local and there are offices where you take your receipts to for immediate claims payments. I am pretty sure we arranged it from the UK and it was somewhere in the region of $800 for a family of 4 four six months(in 2005).

Once you have medicare your basic healthcare is free and you pay for prescriptions and dental (again if you work the workplace will probably provide family healthcare cover).

Let us know when you arrive in Fredericton