Medicare costs - how much?
 

I am so spoiled living in UK, all our medical is for free - what does it cost in Canada for medical insurance per month for a parent and a child/family?

any ideas?

Re: Medicare costs - how much?
 

HI

we moved to ontario so we where not covered for the first 3 months , it cost 600 pounds for 3 months cover for two adults and two children , Blue cross do a " new to canada" policey, but it depends on if you have outstanding medical issues then the price wil go up. But belive me take out the insurence if you get ill here and you are not covered it will cost thousands.

Gary

Re: Medicare costs - how much?
 

This should answer your questions:-


http://www.bluecross.ca/

Re: Medicare costs - how much?
 

I think they mean in general rather than the first three months in Ontario.....

It doesn't cost anything per se - that's the point..... There's no explicit insurance payment to make, it works like the NHS does, except certain things are not subsidised or covered like on the NHS, e.g. prescriptions, that's where your private coverage comes in - iirc I pay $90 bi-weekly for the top level of coverage offered by my employer for dental and medical coverage.

Re: Medicare costs - how much?
 

So you think it's free !!! Who pays the bills for it then ?

Re: Medicare costs - how much?
 

Not free in the UK - national insurance (medical and state pension) is 11 percent of income. Here it varies by province - BC is around 45 dollars a month per person (Canada pension plan and employment insurance is based on income and maxes out at around 2700 dollars a year) . However, as you will find, medical costs are typically covered by employers as part of a benefits package. This extends to all dependents and usually covers, prescriptions, dental, optical, etc.
.
For instance, blue cross covers everything for me - even overseas medical insurance. I have never paid a single penny for dental, meds, physio, eye exams and even massages. However, the extent/type of coverage varies from employer to employer. Those not working or self employed should take out private insurance. Any half decent employer - even mcdonalds - will offer some form of benefits.

Re: Medicare costs - how much?
 

Hi

It all depends on the province of destination or whether the employer pays a part or all. For example in BC the cost for a family of 3, with no employer contribution would be $108 per month. In Alberta there are no premiums.

Re: Medicare costs - how much?
 

Yes. I don't get this. Why scrap the health premiums and then tell us we are over spent!? .... surely they need our money? Personally I would rather pay a monthly premium and know that the care would be available when I needed it. :blink:

Re: Medicare costs - how much?
 

Unfortunately healthcare premiums didn't go directly to health care in the first place, they just went into general revenues.

So whether or not we pay those premiums is moot as far as health care funding goes, to the government they were just another revenue stream.