How soon parents can get OHIP coverage after landing

[Ottawan83]

According to Ontario's website:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-ohip-and-get-health-card
"There is no longer a waiting period for OHIP coverage. If you are eligible, you will have immediate health insurance coverage."

However, to qualify, "be physically in Ontario for at least 153 days of the first 183 days immediately after you began living in the province"

So does that mean I can apply for OHIP for my parents only after they their 153th day in Ontario? This confuses me as they mention there is no waiting period.

If I need to wait until their 153th day in Ontario, that means i need to purchase private health insurance? Does anyone have any recommendations for health insurance in Ontario?

I appreciate your input.

 

[armoured]

According to Ontario's website:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-ohip-and-get-health-card
"There is no longer a waiting period for OHIP coverage. If you are eligible, you will have immediate health insurance coverage."

However, to qualify, "be physically in Ontario for at least 153 days of the first 183 days immediately after you began living in the province"

So does that mean I can apply for OHIP for my parents only after they their 153th day in Ontario?

It means that if they leave or intend to leave/not remain in Ontario for 153 of the first 183 days in Canada, they're not eligible. (And if they should not fulfill that requirement, amounts paid can be clawed back from them).

So in short:
-apply when they arrive;
-don't leave.

 

[Ottawan83]

Excellent. I have follow-up questions:

- How soon they get coverage? Once they apply or after they receive OHIP card? (Asking to see if i need to get them health insurance; I don't want them to spend a day here without emergency insurance at least)
- How to prove Ontario residency as soon as they arrive? (They won't have any mail with their name at that time, maybe there is a smarter way to do it?)

 

[armoured]

Excellent. I have follow-up questions:

- How soon they get coverage? Once they apply or after they receive OHIP card? (Asking to see if i need to get them health insurance; I don't want them to spend a day here without emergency insurance at least)
- How to prove Ontario residency as soon as they arrive? (They won't have any mail with their name at that time, maybe there is a smarter way to do it?)

-As soon as they apply, really. You're given a temporary card (or piece of paper that acts as such, don't remember) on the spot. (They actually will be covered from arrival but might have to claim back money if they pay anything out of pocket - which wouldn't likely be an issue at an emergency dept).
-Check the requirements. Easiest is some proof of residential lease (lease, insurance, a few other things are accepted).

 

[Ottawan83]

-As soon as they apply, really. You're given a temporary card (or piece of paper that acts as such, don't remember) on the spot. (They actually will be covered from arrival but might have to claim back money if they pay anything out of pocket - which wouldn't likely be an issue at an emergency dept).
-Check the requirements. Easiest is some proof of residential lease (lease, insurance, a few other things are accepted).

Thanks alot

 

[canvis2006]

Why not let them apply fir “ontario photo card” which is issued by ontario(service ontario)
Take your passports/copr and aoply there, u get em in a couple of weeks and its their id with address on it
Ontario photo card can be used to do registration fir health etc banking etc

 

[armoured]

Why not let them apply fir “ontario photo card” which is issued by ontario(service ontario)
Take your passports/copr and aoply there, u get em in a couple of weeks and its their id with address on it
Ontario photo card can be used to do registration fir health etc banking etc

To get Ontario photo card, essentially same documentary requirements to prove address as for the Ohip card.

 

[Ottawan83]

[

Why not let them apply fir “ontario photo card” which is issued by ontario(service ontario)
Take your passports/copr and aoply there, u get em in a couple of weeks and its their id with address on it
Ontario photo card can be used to do registration fir health etc banking etc

It is a great idea and i will do it. I wonder though if there is a proof of address i can get faster than 2 weeks so i can apply to OHIP as soon as they arrive.

 

[Ottawan83]

To get Ontario photo card, essentially same documentary requirements to prove address as for the Ohip card.

Hmm, it seems it is a bit relaxed in terms of documents as they don't require proof of address. Here is a copy from the website:

"You will need to bring the following to a ServiceOntario centre:

original identity documents (for example, birth certificate) to prove your legal name, date of birth and signature
your marriage certificate, if you are applying under your married name
If you do not have proof of signature document, you can use a Declaration from a Guarantor instead."

 

[armoured]

[
It is a great idea and i will do it. I wonder though if there is a proof of address i can get faster than 2 weeks so i can apply to OHIP as soon as they arrive.

Look at the instructions first under proof of residency in Ontario:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/documents-needed-get-health-card

-lease, utility bill, bank statements, insurance policy (eg home or tenant), phone bill, and some others.

Lease or perhaps insurance policy is the easiest to get as new arrival, in my experience, and easily accepted. Not saying the others aren't but that's what we found easy.

 

[Ottawan83]

Look at the instructions first under proof of residency in Ontario:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/documents-needed-get-health-card

-lease, utility bill, bank statements, insurance policy (eg home or tenant), phone bill, and some others.

Lease or perhaps insurance policy is the easiest to get as new arrival, in my experience, and easily accepted. Not saying the others aren't but that's what we found easy.

Got it! Thanks alot

 

[canuck78]

Would also doublecheck that the 3 month wait period hasn’t returned right before their departure. The 3 month wait period will be back.

 

[armoured]

Hmm, it seems it is a bit relaxed in terms of documents as they don't require proof of address.

I won't argue wiht the webpage but I recall they do require some form of proof of address. At any rate, demands for the OHIP address are not that onerous.

 

[armoured]

Lease

I should have mentioned: there is a standard type of 'government lease' (it's not with the government but understood by landlords as 'for the government'), the purpose of which is to add people who live there who wouldn't normally be on the lease (as financial obligors).

I think you could also use this if eg one family member owns house and wants to add others as 'living there', but I don't know for certain.

 

[anuragshah89]

Got it! Thanks alot

Hi Ottawan83,
Can you provide details as to how you applied OHIP for your parents and what documents are needed?