For Canadians who are used to their government picking up the tab for everything from their annual flu shot to the therapeutic massage in Mississauga they need to recover from a sprained muscle, moving to Anaheim can be quite a shock, because they will no longer be covered by Canada's universal health plan and the United States does not have one at all. Thus they will be forced to find a private health insurance plan. Here's what to look for in terms of coverage.
All medical insurance plans are different. Some will cover you regardless of which hospital you go to for treatment while others will refuse to pay unless you use one of their partner facilities. These facility limited plans are cheaper than broader plans, but they can be a pain if you do a lot of traveling or do not live near an approved hospital. Either way, traveling for acne treatment in Edmonton or to Spain for an experimental cancer treatment will have to be approved by the insurance company.
You will also have to be careful about choosing a plan if you have specific health needs. autism treatment, for example, may not be covered under certain plans, especially if you are already diagnosed with autism when you apply for your insurance. Therefore talk at length with your insurance officer to see whether certain common or alternative treatments, such as elective surgery, physiotherapy, chiropractic appointments, vision checkups, dentist trips, or prescription drugs are covered under your plan.
Whereas in Canada all citizens are automatically granted medical insurance, in the United States you will have to work for it. Before you will be granted coverage you will have to submit to a physical exam and a detailed check of your medical records for every visit to the physiotherapist in Toronto and beyond. If you are known to have a pre-existing medical condition, such as heart disease, you may be denied coverage or forced to accept a much higher premium than someone who is healthy.
Even if you are only visiting the United States for an Aurora dentist conference or working there temporarily you will have to buy medical insurance. However temporary visitors have the option of buying travel medical insurance which usually does not require a physical and costs about $100 for two weeks of coverage. If there are several people in your family, make sure your coverage extends to each of them.
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