JuneSpring

Hi,

For sponsoring parents, I have read that

"The sponsor must sign an undertaking to repay any provincial social assistance benefits paid to the sponsor and accompanying family member(s)"

for 20 years. Is that correct?

Does this mean that there is no medical coverage at all during this time?

Thanks.

Zoe Bell

social assistance is not the same as Provincial health coverage.

Aviator

Disability, Welfare, Senior Supplement, the sponsor is responsible for and has to repay to the govt. for 20 years.

JuneSpring

Thanks, Zoe and Aviator.

So medical is still covered. Presumably the Government wouldn't pay a Senior Supplement then, rather than paying it and making one pay it back?

Aviator

Any payment coming from welfare would be reimbursed to the govt. by the sponsor for 20 years. If the govt. paid it out, they would come after the sponsor to reimburse as the sponsor has signed a contractual agreement to cover such eventualities. Failure to pay could have serious financial consequences.

JuneSpring

Thanks Aviator!

scilly

You may want to double check the medical ......

....... when we were considering sponsoring my m-i-l we were told that we would have to buy private medical insurance for her for 3 months, then the BC Medical Plan would kick in BUT it would not cover any pre-existing medical condition(s) that she had prior to immigrating.

She had congestive heart failure, controlled by medications ........ but the estimated cost per year for her medications for it here was estimated to be in the 5 figures, and had to be guaranteed by OH and his sister.

That was quite a few years ago, and may no longer apply.

You could phone Victoria and ask.

Aviator

BC MSP will cover all and any conditions, pre existing or not for those eligible to participate (it is mandatory) in MSP. No guarantor required. That was 20 odd years ago and the same today.

Private interim plans may not cover pre existing.

scilly

Aviator ...... it was about 25 years ago that we were told that her heart condition would not be covered by MSP

Private medical plans presumably means Extended Health Plans ...... which cover so many more medical costs than MSP, such as hospital room charges, prescription drug costs not covered by MSP, prostheses if necessary, etc

As seniors with more income than basic OAS and CPP, we find that a lot of costs are not covered by MSP, and that Extended Health and Dental Plans are necessary. Yet we still racked up over $10,000 of medical expenses last year that had to be claimed on our income tax in the "costs over 3% of net taxes" because they either were not covered by any insurance or exceeded the annual amount.

I had physiotherapy sessions every 3 weeks ($250 worth of physiotherapy per year covered by Extended Health), OH had new glasses (not covered by any insurance, plus the $43 extra charge by the optometrist for the annual test) and some major dental work that was not completely covered by the Dental Plan, and we had about $3,000 of prescription costs that were not covered by Extended Health.

There's lots of help that seniors get in the UK that are not provided here and that should also be taken into consideration ......... no free bus and train fares, for example

Aviator

We came around the same time, with a child with a serious medical condition and had no issue getting coverage, never a mention of not being covered.
Private interim is private insurance until MSP kicks in, not extnded health which requires you to have MSP coverage.

PMM

Hi



1. Probably wouldn't happen today, unless the person was included in a spousal application.
2. If the costs were determined to be more than about $6300 a year, the application would most likely be refused for excessive demand.