OHIP + Pregnancy --- Need help

[joeskc]

Hello All,

Me and my wife are Indian citizens with Canadian PR card. We are currently in USA where I am working on H1b and she is on H4. She is 5 weeks pregnant and we might have a chance to move to Ontario permanently. I wanted to ask:
1. Will our Pregnancy be covered by OHIP? Their site mentions 3 months waiting and 153 days ( roughly 5 months ) residence in Ontario. My guess is the 5 months residence requirement includes the 3 month waiting. Can anyone confirm?
2. Can we buy private insurance knowing that it will not cover her pregnancy? Just to cover other things given COVID situation.
3. She is on specialty medication here in USA. Will I be able to buy it in Canada based on my US doctor's prescription. If not can we stock up and then move to Canada?
4. During waiting period, we might need ultrasounds so will that be out of pocket? If so any approx charges? Google says CAD 300 to 500 per ultrasound

 

[scylla]

Hello All,

Me and my wife are Indian citizens with Canadian PR card. We are currently in USA where I am working on H1b and she is on H4. She is 5 weeks pregnant and we might have a chance to move to Ontario permanently. I wanted to ask:
1. Will our Pregnancy be covered by OHIP? Their site mentions 3 months waiting and 153 days ( roughly 5 months ) residence in Ontario. My guess is the 5 months residence requirement includes the 3 month waiting. Can anyone confirm?
2. Can we buy private insurance knowing that it will not cover her pregnancy? Just to cover other things given COVID situation.
3. She is on specialty medication here in USA. Will I be able to buy it in Canada based on my US doctor's prescription. If not can we stock up and then move to Canada?
4. During waiting period, we might need ultrasounds so will that be out of pocket? If so any approx charges? Google says CAD 300 to 500 per ultrasound

1. Yes, OHIP covers pregnancy. Waiting periods are temporarily waived right now due to COVID.
2. You will not be able to buy insurance to cover the pregnancy.
3. Your wife is allowed to bring a maximum 90 supply of medication into Canada. You should assume anything above 90 days may be confiscated at customs. You will need to research if the medication she is on is available in Canada.
4. The waiting period is currently waived due to COVID. If you return to Canada once the waiting period has been put back in place, then yes - you will need to pay for everything out of pocket during the waiting period and the costs you've quoted sound about right.

 

[joeskc]

1. Yes, OHIP covers pregnancy. Waiting periods are temporarily waived right now due to COVID.
2. You will not be able to buy insurance to cover the pregnancy.
3. Your wife is allowed to bring a maximum 90 supply of medication into Canada. You should assume anything above 90 days may be confiscated at customs. You will need to research if the medication she is on is available in Canada.
4. The waiting period is currently waived due to COVID. If you return to Canada once the waiting period has been put back in place, then yes - you will need to pay for everything out of pocket during the waiting period and the costs you've quoted sound about right.

Thank you very much @scylla

 

[canuck78]

Would add that you must remain in Canada and meet the OHIP residency obligations or you can be asked to pay back any of your healthcare expenses. Prescriptions must be from Canadaian physicians to get filled. Precription medications are not covered by OHIP if you are between 25-65 (not covered under 25 if you have other insurance). If your wife is already on medication it is likely to be excluded from any personal insurance policies you purchase at this point. If working for a Canadian employer having a benefit plan you can pay into will likely give you some coverage for prescription medication, dental care, vision care, etc. Sonograms are not usually preformed except at 20 weeks unless there are reasons why extra sonograms must be preformed like bleeding, size problems, amniotic fluid problems, problems identified in the anatomy scan, fertility treatments (not often covered), etc. There are private non-medical scans that you can pay for but good OBs will not allow you to pay for a sonogram for no medical reason.

 

[joeskc]

Would add that you must remain in Canada and meet the OHIP residency obligations or you can be asked to pay back any of your healthcare expenses. Prescriptions must be from Canadaian physicians to get filled. Precription medications are not covered by OHIP if you are between 25-65 (not covered under 25 if you have other insurance). If your wife is already on medication it is likely to be excluded from any personal insurance policies you purchase at this point. If working for a Canadian employer having a benefit plan you can pay into will likely give you some coverage for prescription medication, dental care, vision care, etc. Sonograms are not usually preformed except at 20 weeks unless there are reasons why extra sonograms must be preformed like bleeding, size problems, amniotic fluid problems, problems identified in the anatomy scan, fertility treatments (not often covered), etc. There are private non-medical scans that you can pay for but good OBs will not allow you to pay for a sonogram for no medical reason.

Thanks for the info !!!! So if I got it right, I need to purchase a separate prescription coverage for my wife. Any suggestions?

 

[canuck78]

Thanks for the info !!!! So if I got it right, I need to purchase a separate prescription coverage for my wife. Any suggestions?

Most plan purchased privately aren't worth it so people end up paying for their medication out of pocket.

 

[joeskc]

Most plan purchased privately aren't worth it so people end up paying for their medication out of pocket.

Thanks for your inputs @canuck78 ...