thanks for prompt reply....also should I carry my medical reports(history) while going for medical and medications I m on or do they ask for these at later stage?? also, any specific province I should select while creating profile , does this impact final decision ?
HIV positive and worried about my chances of being selected
- Thread starter Nibson2000
- Start date
Guys, Got the mail to submit my passport today. I got the PR. Thanks for all your help. This group was really helpful in alleviating my fears and nervousness throughout the process. Thanks a lot guys.
Hi,
Also, what are the essential things that I should do first on landing in Ontario?
Need information on that. Please guide me.
Hi, Now that my PR is sorted, just wanted help on one major front. I am planning to land in Ontario. What would be the source through which I can get more information about the Health Policy in Ontario? I believe I would be eligible for Health Policy only after 3 months. So Am I allowed to carry my medication from India for only 3 months or more?Are medical tests, medicines, consultations all covered by the Health Policy or we have to bear part of it?
Yes, Consultations and labwork costs are covered. Medicines are not covered. Your monthly/annual medical cost depends on which province you live in and whether you have work/private insurance or not.
if you have Private Insurance the Provincial health Departments will charge them first for your medications. Sometimes you may have to pay a small co-pay charged by insurance providers eg $0-$100 per monthly refill or per 3-month refills based on which plan you/your company is on. This co-pay may be / sometimes paid off with the drug manufacturer's discount cards or with help of some provincial high co-pay help programs.
if you don't have private insurance your charges vary depending on which province you live.
Charges for someone with no private insurance
No Charge----- Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nunavut, North West Territories
Annual Charges per Pharma Year( 1st Apr - 30th March)
Household Income % based Charges
Are there long waiting lines for medication, tests, etc?
No...If you live in a big city it is not going to be tough for you to find an HIV care clinic for tests.if you live in a remote town you may need to travel few hours to the nearest city for your appointments. Medication delivery times again depends on the province and city you live. it shouldn't be a long wait even if you live in remote places.
What are the pros and cons of HIV positive patients immigrating to Canada through Express entry?
Pro - except ON, MB, QC most states have excellent medication help programs.
Cons -
* If you don't have private insurance or you lose your job you may have to pay a few hundred to thousand dollars for medication costs.
* Qualified doctors may not be available in small towns and remote provinces
* They have very strict criminality laws. so you should let your sexual partner know that you are +ve even if you are using protection or undetectable which may be a problem in your dating life.
Also, what are the essential things that I should do first on landing in Ontario?
Need information on that. Please guide me.
Takes 3 months to get OHIP. Yes technically you can only bring a 90 day supply of medication. Given how important it is to take your medication may try to take up to a month more. What to do on your landing depends on whether it is a short landing or you will be permanently relocating. Lots of info available online to google.
Just pointing out the the free medication in many provinces is just for the HIV medication. If you had an infection, diabetes, cardiovascular issues, need birth control, etc. you would have to pay for the medications. If you are lucky enough to have a benefits program through your employer you may only have to pay 0-20% of the cost. Everything is variable by province. Most provinces cover HIV medication purely as a public health initiative.Are medical tests, medicines, consultations all covered by the Health Policy or we have to bear part of it?
Yes, Consultations and labwork costs are covered. Medicines are not covered. Your monthly/annual medical cost depends on which province you live in and whether you have work/private insurance or not.
if you have Private Insurance the Provincial health Departments will charge them first for your medications. Sometimes you may have to pay a small co-pay charged by insurance providers eg $0-$100 per monthly refill or per 3-month refills based on which plan you/your company is on. This co-pay may be / sometimes paid off with the drug manufacturer's discount cards or with help of some provincial high co-pay help programs.
if you don't have private insurance your charges vary depending on which province you live.
Charges for someone with no private insurance
No Charge
Annual Charges per Pharma Year( 1st Apr - 30th March)
Household Income % based Charges
Are there long waiting lines for medication, tests, etc?
No...If you live in a big city it is not going to be tough for you to find an HIV care clinic for tests.if you live in a remote town you may need to travel few hours to the nearest city for your appointments. Medication delivery times again depends on the province and city you live. it shouldn't be a long wait even if you live in remote places.
What are the pros and cons of HIV positive patients immigrating to Canada through Express entry?
Pro - except ON, MB, QC most states have excellent medication help programs.
Cons -
* If you don't have private insurance or you lose your job you may have to pay a few hundred to thousand dollars for medication costs.
* Qualified doctors may not be available in small towns and remote provinces
* They have very strict criminality laws. so you should let your sexual partner know that you are +ve even if you are using protection or undetectable which may be a problem in your dating life.
The essential things to do during Landing:-
You will be given a "Medical Surveillance undertaking" Handout (IMM 0535B) by Officer at POE / Airport if you haven't received it earlier with your PPR stamped Passport.
Once you land, you have to call the Ontario Provincial HIV Coordinators number (English: 1-800-668-2437) and inform them. You will be asked to speak to an Administrator or a Nurse who will then ask you to fax /email the IMM 0535 form. They will do an assessment over the phone or ask you to come to their office.
If you are soft landing inform them during your first call and call them again before you leave and inform them you'll be out of Canada.
If you inform them you have moved there permanently, You will then be given a date, time and location for your follow-up appointment, which you must attend without fail through email. carefully read the instructions and fulfill whatever they have asked you to do. You have to pay for any medical tests if they ask you to do one.
Take all your previous medical records from India related to your HIV treatment with yourself to the doctor. Get a letter from your doctor also.
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I believe I would be eligible for Health Policy only after 3 months.
Yes
So Am I allowed to carry my medication from India for only 3 months or more?
You can carry more. 6 months too as long as it has not been opened. if they ask you (normally they won't) do explain that these tablets are important for your immunity.
source through which I can get more information about the Health Policy in Ontario
Wait until OHIP coverage is active then enroll yourself in a clinic
If you will be staying in Toronto/GTA let me know, there are a couple of good clinics devoted to HIV care (will PM you the Clinic details if u want)
Orientation: A Nursing Staff will go through your orientation process. There will be additional blood work, X-ray and other tests + the routine VL/CD4 tests during your first visit
Psychosocial Assessment : It is mandatory ( report will be sent to the Health Department) for any new person with enrolling in the Provincial HIV Care. During your first visit, you will be asked to meet the Clinical Social Worker You can ask them any questions you may have regarding the treatment and they will explain you the various Public and Private Medical Payment assistance programs.
Medical Specialist/ Resident doctor: once test reports are available, the doctor will write your prescription which you can use it
Initially, for a year you have to do the Nurse-Labs-Doctor cycle once in 4 months. After the first year its once in 6 months
You will be put through a vaccination cycle - Pneumococcal vaccine, Havrix (Hep A) etc (again even if you carry a previous vaccination record from India)
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Please don’t be rude. This is a public forum and anyone is allowed to provide clarification or corrections to posts.
Please do not risk bringing 6 months of medication with you. There are higher chances of it being thrown out if you bring substantially more than the allowed 90 days. An extra week or two should allow you time to get your new medication prescriptions. Any family doctor can prescribe your medications. Make sure your medication are well labeled so it is clear that they are prescribed by a doctor for your use.
Bringing prescription medication back to Canada
To avoid interrupting a course of treatment, Health Canada may permit you to return from abroad with a single course of treatment or a 90-day supply, whichever is less based on the directions for use, of a prescription drug. The drug must be for your use or for the use of a person who is travelling with you and for whom you are responsible. The drug must be in hospital or pharmacy-dispensed packaging, the original retail packaging, or have the original label attached to it clearly indicating what the health product is and what it contains.
https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/health-safety/medication
That's great. I am indeed staying in Toronto initially. Please PM me the Clinic Details.
So what I understand is I would need to pay for the additional tests (blood work, Xray, VL,CD$, etc) and vaccinations that would be done before the OHIP kicks in. Any idea how much does this thing cost overall in Canada (an approx range would suffice).
Hi Guys , I have a good news , my medicals are favorable, since yesterday (11/06/2019).
after receiving my furtherance letter, I passed the test quickly and my results were sent by the doctor on 23/05/2019.
hope you will get the same news.
good luck