Hayden4560

I need some advice. We arrived a few months ago, my hubby and daughter as returning Canadians and myself under the "in Canada" spousal sponsorship program. My hubby started work and his company have just provided some health care insurance cover as a supplement to his Alberta Healthcare. It covers among other things emergency situations, prescriptions and dental. Obviously, I do not currently qualify for Alberta Health but I may be covered for emergencies under the company plan, we are waiting for the insurance company to review the application. If they will not cover me I am on my own. Either way I'd really appreciate any recommendations or advice regarding the best way to cover myself. What's important, what's not? What if anything should I pay for personally and what do you think I should be looking at paying per month?

Piff Poff

Have a look at Alberta Blue Cross. I'd be surprised if you weren't covered under your OHs plan, I was covered when I was just a visitor. Other than that, I'd suggest travel insurance. You don't want to end up having to pay full money for dental or prescriptions.

Hayden4560

Thanks for the suggestions, if OH's insurance cover me it will not be for regular doc visits, annual women's health etc. so I'll need to make some provision for that. Or would you say those kinds of check ups are reasonably priced?

ann m

For our plan at work, you must also have the Provincial cover too.

I'm assuming the spousal route means you have no real status right now which is why you can't get AB Health care? Sorry, I don't know about that bit. But I do know for a fact that our employees are only eligible for our extended health care if they have provincial cover (that's with Manulife). Ask you husband to contact the Plan Administrator at his work.

Hayden4560

Yes, you are spot on and that is exactly why we are requesting clarification from the insurance company. It is looking like the coverage goes alongside provincial coverage. The administrator at work has just referred us to the insurance company. In the meantime, I was looking for suggestions as to what kind of private coverage I should look for as well as any recommendations on companies to approach. Alberta Blue Cross has already been suggested so I will start with them. Thanks....

scrubbedexpat091

Have you applied for Alberta health at all? When I was inland spousal and in process, Alberta Health approved and covered me, and my only status in Canada was visitor, although I did have a visitor record.

I assumed I would not be covered because I wasn't in BC, and then I got hurt in Alberta and was expecting a bill, and to my surprise they sent me an Alberta Health Card instead, and I didn't have anything beyond an in process PR app and a visitor record good for a year.

Do you have any permits or visitor record from CIC?

Alberta is more generous then other provinces when it comes to determining if your a resident, if you haven't applied its worth doing so, if you did apply and they denied you, then disregard, but I don't want people assuming they don't qualify and haven't tried and then actually be covered.

Hayden4560

Ok, that's interesting. We did apply along with my OH when we first arrived but I was told I did not qualify as I only has the regular visitor stamp. I actually left the country in November and when I came back in they gave me a year plus I now have my application number too (which I didn't have before) didn't think to go back and ask again but I will do that today, I guess it's worth a try...Thanks.

Piff Poff

No, they are not reasonably priced unless you have coverage, again look into Alberta Blue Cross.

Hayden4560

Got it, thanks....

Editha

I was in the same position as you 8 years ago. I actually had tourist visas for my first 18 months here, as it took that long for my residency app to go through.

I managed to persuade Alberta Health to cover me temporarily on the basis of my residency app being in the pipeline. Talk to them.

You are probably covered by your husband's Blue Cross coverage for everything not covered by Alberta Health. Check his policy.