In the US , if you apply for Medicaid (state run program), they approve your benefits for one year. And every year you have to come back and re-apply. In the US it is not so much residence that government is concerned about (here you have to kick people out, no one leaves US voluntarily, unlike Canada). But the main concern is the income. If you make more than certain amount per year, then you no longer qualify for free coverage. Now, they don't fly helicopter over your head to see where you work every day, but when you return a year later to re-apply/qualify, they will take a close look at your taxes and other income related documents. I would assume something similar is done in Canada. Your health card may have time limits and expire, like PR card. And eventually, when expired, you will have to qualify and present proof of residence for it. I might be wrong, I just assume that's how it works. But I am sure doctors and hospitals won't ask for a passport or stamp in the passport, that's not how these things work.
Travelled on expired PR Card
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In the US , if you apply for Medicaid (state run program), they approve your benefits for one year. And every year you have to come back and re-apply. In the US it is not so much residence that government is concerned about (here you have to kick people out, no one leaves US voluntarily, unlike Canada). But the main concern is the income. If you make more than certain amount per year, then you no longer qualify for free coverage. Now, they don't fly helicopter over your head to see where you work every day, but when you return a year later to re-apply/qualify, they will take a close look at your taxes and other income related documents. I would assume something similar is done in Canada. Your health card may have time limits and expire, like PR card. And eventually, when expired, you will have to qualify and present proof of residence for it. I might be wrong, I just assume that's how it works. But I am sure doctors and hospitals won't ask for a passport or stamp in the passport, that's not how these things work.
That’s what I am saying. Do you know any published cases, enforcement office of OHIP, or any other source to see data regarding this?
I checked, the need proof of identity, which would be Canadian passport. Proof of being Canadian, which would again be Canadian passport/PR card and any of following- mortgage, lease, rental, life insurance paper, RRSP etc. All of the later documents do not need you to be living in Ontario to be issued. I understand their intent when they made the rule, but its not possible for them to enforce it unless they want to give provinces access to CBSA or IRCC records, which will never happen. And its even difficult if the absent person was in different province.
I think your driver's license is your proof of identity, isn't it? So, it doesn't have to be a passport. PR card doesn't have stamps. You could have life insurance and live abroad, couldn't you? The problem , I think, is that if you fraudulently qualify for the coverage, they will be able to later recover their loss if they sue you. So, you may present all the documents they ask and get a coverage, but if province pays $100K for your surgery, you bet they will be able to afford an attorney who will sue you. And it's not the amount you owe that is the problem (if you have nothing they can collect nothing), but if you re convicted of fraud you will have a black mark on your record and may even do some jail time.
Btw, in Alberta you qualify for med coverage the day you move, so you don't need any proof of past residence, just an intent to live there from the moment you apply. Doing things legally is usually a lot simpler/easier and fail-proof. You need coverage from day one you are in Canada? Go to Alberta. You don't have any money and need med services badly, but don't qualify for coverage? Just go to any emergency room, even if your treatment costs million dollars they will treat you, and you will never be convicted of fraud (just say "screw you all, I have no money! and no med coverage!").
Thank you. My intention is to complete my RO and live in Canada permanently with family. Hope to be able to meet the RO without issues. Thanks again for your adv
It depends on the province's requirement to re-activate their healthcare coverage for returning PR or citiznehip. e.g. for Ontario, you need 3 months (before COVID) For any returning citizen, they should purchase emergency medical insurnace to cover the 3 months period before they are once again covered by province healthcare.
Once they settled, they will be covered as long as they keep on living in the province (as in the residence requirement according to each province).
People who own rental home in Canada, would likely receive their rental in their Canadian bank accounts. Also, they would use their Canadian Bank Account for online payment of things such as maintenance fees, property tax, income taxes, mortgage payments, etc.
You don't have to be in Canada to access your Canadian Bank Account.
You would need to show daily or weekly transactions for everyday expenses to shoe you are living in Canada not only expenses related to housing.
A refugee doesn't get IFHP coverage as soon as they enter Canada either. If you are a senior with no assets you wouldn't be travelling for long periods of time outside Canada. Most seniors are very good at following the residency requirements to retain their healthcare because they don't want to lose their coverage. When a province seeks repayment for healthcare charges they tend to be pretty flexible when it comes to repayment plans. Makes sense to have residency requirements and wait times to discourage people from only returning to Canada to access healthcare. For example in Alberta you get coverage on arrival and you were only required to remain in Alberta for 6 months during the first year but too many people were landing in Alberta to access healthcare right away and then moving out of Alberta after 6 months so they raised the requirement and now you have to remain in Alberta for the first year. This was especially an issue for pregnant women who would land in Alberta to have their children and either move back to another country or move provinces after 6 months. If you have to remain in a province for a year you are much more likely to be settling in that province. Would add for things like pregnancy and seniors/disabled it is very easy to determine when they reentered the country because a woman would seek healthcare from the 1st trimester and not 6+ minths into her pregnancy and for seniors/disabled they usually have prescription medication heavily subsidized by the government so if they met the residency requirement there wouldn't be a long petiod of time where they didn't fill any prescriptions through the province.
I totally get the intent behind the rule. I dont think OHIP has a way or the intent to enforce it especially if the OHIP card is valid at the time of seeking care. If someone returned after 4 years absence and still has a valid card, they can get care. OHIP cards are issued for 6 years validity. Also renewal is very easy. A person only need a photo id and either mortgage docs, life insurance docs, rrsp docs among others to prove residency . All of these stay valid even if someone is not residing in Ontario.
In Alberta you are covered from day one, as returning PR or Citizen. Why go to Ontario?
They do enforce it although people do fall through the cracks. They do put holds on OHIP cards if there is suspicipus activity. Your card also has to be able to connect to OHIP when you go to the doctor or hospital. Proof of residency to get a new card is very different than proof of residency if there are concerns you don't meet the residency requirements.
