zmartin

Hi there

I've done a search and looked in the Wiki but can't seem to find anything that specifically answers my question so I wondered if you lovely lot would be able to assist.

I'm afraid I'm a little confused about the health system having spent the previous 35 years being able to go to my doctor or the hospital without a second thought!

Basically we're in BC and since landing have applied, and received, our Health Cards and are signed up for the Medical Services Plan of BC. Can anyone tell me what we are covered for under this plan and do we require further insurance coverage?

If you can shed any light on how the health system works I would be very grateful.

Many thanks in advance.

Zoe M. x

wayne-Niki

I would like to know as well. Just been to the Dr`s to get my B/P for a Police application form - total charge $120!!!!!!

lof

simply put bc msp covers the basics.
http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/msp/info...fits.html#supp

if you are insured through your employer check with them what's covered.

if you as a private person want to have a more conclusive coverage you have to get a custom tailored plan with insurance companies like blue cross etc. as an example dental coverage might be a good investment.

geedee

You can get all the health cover you want here.... but it won't lead to a better experience. It's like a cross between the NHS and the USA. But the worst of both worlds. Absolutely abysmal.

Judy in Calgary

What the Wiki called Medical Insurance will state when I've made a couple of tweaks to it will be:

The health care insurance program for each Canadian province, known as Medicare, covers the cost of basic medical treatment. What is covered by Medicare and what is excluded varies from province to province.

Medicare inclusions

Typically the following health care services are covered by Medicare:

• Most examinations and treatment by doctors (general practitioners as well as specialists)
• Most types of surgery
• Hospital care
• X-rays
• Most laboratory tests
• Most vaccinations for children ( see Wiki on Immunization )

Medicare exclusions

Usually Medicare does not cover the following health care services:

• Ambulance services
• Prescription drugs administered outside of a hospital setting (i.e., drugs that your doctor prescribes and that you purchase from a pharmacy -- note that this includes insulin for diabetics)
• Dental care
• Glasses and contact lenses
• Non-essential surgical procedures (the exact list varies from province to province, but may include certain types of cosmetic surgery, etc. )
• Vaccinations for travel
• Doctors' notes for work

But please remember that these lists vary from province to province, and you need to clarify what Medicare does and does not cover in the province to which you will be moving.

If your employer offers group supplementary medical and dental insurance, go for it. Most employers do offer it.

If your employer does not offer it, or if you are unemployed, I don't know that you would benefit much from supplementary insurance. I think there's a good chance that you would pay out in premiums the same amount of money that you normally would pay to dentists, pharmacists, etc., in a given year. The one benefit of supplementary medical and dental insurance is that you pay the premiums on a monthly basis, so it's a way of forcing you to set aside money for dental treatment and drugs. If you had the discipline to set aside the money on your own, you wouldn't need supplementary insurance, in my opinion.

But, in your first year in Canada, you might not know how much to expect to pay for dental treatment, etc., so the comment about "discipline" isn't really fair.

Perhaps a workaround would be to get quotations for supplementary medical and dental insurance. The premiums that you're quoted would tell you, roughly, how much you could expect to pay for dental treatment and drugs in a given year. If you feel it would be difficult to force yourself to set aside that amount of money in the form of savings, perhaps it would be better to force yourself to save the money by purchasing supplementary medical and dental insurance.

Eye glasses are expensive in Canada, and not even the supplementary insurance plans give really adequate coverage.

Note that some provinces, and I believe BC is one of them, provide some assistance with the cost of drugs for low income families.
x

daft batty

Just to add to Judy's everthorough list. The reason it varies from province to province is that the Federal Canada Health Act sets out the minimum requirements that provinces have to follow. The province then adminisiters the healthcare system in whatever way it sees fit to meet these requirements.

I heard from a knowledgeable source that the Federal Govt is thinking of adding basic dental care to medicaid. How long this will take to happen is another thing tho.

Spectacles, I found them the same price as in the UK. Mine may not be typical though, as I have a complicated very high prescription, but I paid $900for one pair including photochromic and high refractive index glass. This is the same as I paid in Specsavers 2 years ago.

R I C H

I think that's down to personal experience. I've not had cause to use any health care here, but my wife has, and it's been quick (specialist appointments within a week), excellent professional approach, and bearing in mind how low MSP premiums are not too expensive either.

She also chose to have some surgery done (pins/plates removed) that wasn't covered by BC Healthcare, and the service/cost she received was also first class.

G77

I don't know why anyone would pay the high prices for prescription glasses from the high street in the UK or Canada - unless perhaps if it was a very obscure prescription. I use online opticians based in either Hong Kong or Pakistan, a perfectly good pair of glasses can be had for circa £20

daft batty

I explained that my prescription is complex. Maybe you need decent glasses to read the posts properly

G77

I did see that you said that, hence my comment about obscure

Maybe you should try and buy some online just out of curiosity to see if they'd do your prescription?

I've used www.optical4less.com and www.goggles4u.com

BristolUK

I had a look. I would have a concern about fitting. That thing about pupil distance...that would get the lenses 'matching' the vision of your eyes so I don't imagine a problem there, but what about the width of one's head (so to speak). Could the frames be too loose or, worse, too tight?

G77

I had my PD measured at the opticians - this was a couple of years ago, before they got wise to people ordering off the 'net, consequently they don't like to give it out as part of a prescription these days. Nevertheless, it's not totally scientific and you could get someone to do it for you with a ruler....

The fitting is a bit of guesswork to be honest, easiest way is to get a pair of existing glasses that you know you like in terms of fit and measure them, then use this as a guide to chose a style....

daft batty

No, I wont risk my eyes to people who cant fit the specs in person, measure the pupil distance, put the lens in the frame in the right place and have the varifocal part starting where I want it to.

I priced up a pair, $504. So if you get 2 for the price of one its cheaper for me to buy from the shop

daft batty

They used to measure for that and have different sizes, now you have to plough through trying on frames till one is the right size for you your bonce

G77

Fair cop then - for me it's worthwhile as I have a simple prescription -1.25 and I only use them for driving....