Maurice McGinley

Kind readers,

I am a Canadian citizen planning to return to Canada with my pregnant Australian
wife. We plan to go to Vancouver.

She will not be processed as a Permanent Resident until after she has given birth
(because of normally long processing times, and requirement for medical X-rays). So
she will be in the country as a Visitor.

Is there some way she can get health care coverage to cover my wife's pregnancy and
delivery in Canada?

Private healthcare insurance schemes I have been able to find exclude pre-existing
conditions, hence pregnancy.

with kind regards,

maurice mcginley

Andrew Miller

I don't think that you can find any health insurance other than the Provincial
one that will cover pre-existing conditions. But to be able to get BC Health Card
your wife must be not only a Canadian PR but also reside in BC for at least 3
months as such.

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../..

Andrew Miller Immigration Consultant Vancouver, British Columbia email:
[email protected] (delete REMOVE and INVALID from the above address before
sending email)
________________________________

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Arthur Dent

To the best of my knowledge (unless something has changed in the last few years),
your wife should be eligible for full coverage after three months in BC, as long as
the premium is paid. If you haven't resided in BC for at least three months, neither
of you will be elegible for coverage, but the province of your last residence should
cover you (I'm not sure about your wife). It may be necessary to buy coverage for
three months from a private company.

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Arthur Dent

You DON'T have to be a permanent resident to be covered under the provincial health
plan of BC (as many foreign students and long-term visitors in BC may attest to). I
believe you must be legally in Canada, though. I think Ontario is the only province
which wouldn't cover people who are nor landed immigrants or citizens. In Ontario the
health coverage for non-citizens (or PRs) was removed by the great believer in human
rights and equality and defender of the weak Bob Rae.

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Andrew Miller

Arthur, I don't know where from you've got the idea that Provincial health coverage
in BC doesn't require person to be a PR.

Here is exactly what is being said about the eligibility for the coverage:

*************************
An individual must be a resident of British Columbia in order to qualify for medical
coverage under the Medical Services Plan. A resident is a person who meets all of the
following conditions:

- must be a citizen of Canada or be lawfully admitted to Canada for permanent
residence;

- must make his or her home in British Columbia; and

- must be physically present in British Columbia at least 6 months in a
calendar year.

- dependents of MSP beneficiaries are eligible for coverage if they are
residents of B.C..

*************************

Please check the source below before giving misleading advice:

http://www.hlth.gov.bc.ca/msp/infoben/eligible.html

--

../..

Andrew Miller Immigration Consultant Vancouver, British Columbia email:
[email protected] (delete REMOVE and INVALID from the above address before
sending email)
________________________________

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[usenetquote2]> >I don't think that you can find any health insurance other than the[/usenetquote2]
Provincial
[usenetquote2]> >one that will cover pre-existing conditions. But to be able to get BC Health Card[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >your wife must be not only a Canadian PR but also reside in BC for at least 3[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >months as such.[/usenetquote2]

Andrew Miller

P.S. to my previous post:

Certain other individuals, such as some holders of student and/or employment
authorizations issued under the Immigration Act, are deemed to be residents under
the Medicare Protection Act and Regulations. However, tourists or visitors to
British Columbia do not qualify.

--

../..

Andrew Miller Immigration Consultant Vancouver, British Columbia email:
[email protected] (delete REMOVE and INVALID from the above address before
sending email)
________________________________

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[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > You DON'T have to be a permanent resident to be covered under the provincial[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > health plan of BC (as many foreign students and long-term visitors in BC may[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > attest to). I believe you must be legally in Canada, though. I think Ontario is[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > the only province which wouldn't cover people who are nor landed immigrants or[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > citizens. In Ontario the health coverage for non-citizens (or PRs) was removed by[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > the great believer in human rights and equality and defender of the weak Bob Rae.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > >I don't think that you can find any health insurance other than the[/usenetquote2]
    >
[usenetquote2]> > >one that will cover pre-existing conditions. But to be able to get BC[/usenetquote2]
Health
[usenetquote2]> > >Card your wife must be not only a Canadian PR but also reside in BC for at least[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > >3 months as such.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > >[/usenetquote2]

Arthur Dent

OK, so I was right that you don't have to be a PR or citizen to be covered When I
was in BC on a work visa, I was covered by MSP (true, that was a few years ago, so
regulations might have changed). My wife was on a visitor visa (she did not have a
student or work visa), but she was covered too as a dependent. I had several
colleagues in the same situation (on a work or student visa here) with wifes/children
on long-term vitsitor visas covered fully under MSP. So it would seem that visitors
DO qualify. As a said, there might have been changes since then.

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Star

Maurice McGinley,

I hope this information will help you!

Medical Service Plan of British Columbia: http://www.moh.hnet.bc.ca/msp/sitemap.html

Good luck

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