American retiring in Canada, healthcare questions

[lineinthesnow]

I am an immigrant from the US to Canada, now a dual citizen. I am sponsoring my mother to move here to Ontario, so I can help take care of her when she is no longer able to. Of course at that point she wouldn't be medically admissible to Canada, so that's why she's moving now. Currently she is a healthy 74-year old. By the way, whenever I mention "Medicare" below I'm referring to the US National program, not Canadian provincial health care.

We are trying to figure out our health care options for her. She is cancelling her Medicare Part B, but keeping Part A since it's free. I'm getting her emergency coverage for the first 3 months in Canada before OHIP coverage begins. Her prescription drugs should be covered after that time too, by OHIP+.

Questions:
1) Will Medicare Part A be enough to cover her in case of emergency when she travels back to the states? Or should we buy travel insurance like most Canadians have to?

2) Is supplementary private health insurance worth it? I get it through my job, covering drugs, dental, vision, and travel, but I"m not sure it's worth paying for as an individual since her drugs are already covered by OHIP+, and travel to the US (she's unlikely to ever go anywhere else) may be covered by her Medicare. For dental and vision, I don't think it's such a great deal. The one other thing is private hospital room, but maybe it's worth just paying out of pocket the extra amount for that should the need arise. Any opinions?

 

[vensak]

Maybe lets start with the most important part.
In order to sponsor your parent or grand parent you need to enter a lottery and you need to be invited to put down the application. During the whole time you need to meet financial criteria and she will of course needs her medicals has to be done.
Now how far are you in the sponsoring process?

As for your questions regarding additional insurance for her, that will be completely up to you how much chance you estimate for her to have a toothache or problems with eyes or anything else.

 

[lineinthesnow]

Sorry I wasn't more clear about our situation. Yes, we have been through the entire sponsorship process - it took about 2 1/2 years, starting with us paying a courier a lot of money to deliver our application package within the first 5000 on January 1. She has the "Confirmation of Permanent Residence" and will become a PR when she lands.

Obviously purchasing insurance is a personal choice about risk/benefits, but since the math is pretty similar for everyone in a certain situation (e.g. US citizen over 65 in Canada), I am soliciting other people's opinions about what kinds of policies are a good buy and which are not worth it.

 

[vensak]

Just so you know. You were very lucky back then. The year after that whole system was changed for a lottery.

Be also aware of one more thing. You will be financially responsible for your mother next 10 years. That is especially if she would decide to go for certain social services and help.

General perception is the following:
The older you are slower it is for any wound to heal. The easier also is to spiral down to any kind of illness. Bear also in mind that the advertised "free" health care has its downs. That is the waiting time for many things like surgeries and also difficulties to get a hospital bed. As the capacities are nowhere close to the demand.

And then there is one important aspect for the health insurance itself. Since it is managed by provinces, they want to be sure that people will stay there and they will not just come for the health treatment.
So most of them including Ontario has a 6 months requirement.
What it means, that in order for the province to pay off your medical expense, you would have to be a resident there for at least 6 months of that year. And yes they can start requesting those money backwards as well.
So if she wants to move to Ontario for example she needs to be aware of that clause as well.

 

[lineinthesnow]

Yes, we have been very lucky in many ways, including to be born in one very prosperous country and to move to another. I never thought it would happen so fast with the sponsorship going through. To be clear, the waiting period for OHIP coverage is 3 months, not 6. We have purchased visitor's insurance to cover that period. You also have to be present in Ontario for 153 out of the first 183 days, but that is a separate requirement - if you go to the hospital after living in Ontario for 4 months continuous, OHIP will cover you.

 

[vensak]

Yes, we have been very lucky in many ways, including to be born in one very prosperous country and to move to another. I never thought it would happen so fast with the sponsorship going through. To be clear, the waiting period for OHIP coverage is 3 months, not 6. We have purchased visitor's insurance to cover that period. You also have to be present in Ontario for 153 out of the first 183 days, but that is a separate requirement - if you go to the hospital after living in Ontario for 4 months continuous, OHIP will cover you.

I never said anything about the waiting period. I was talking about those days that you have to be present in the province in order to keep your health insurance (roughly 6 months per year). And be aware, if they find out that she is mainly living somewhere else and only went there for treatment - so you were present less than required for that year, this can be tracked back and a payment requested (which might not be a cheap matter).
Also those days are to be required to be fulfilled for each year and not just for the first year, in order to keep getting it paid for that particular year

 

[lineinthesnow]

My mom is simply moving to Ontario to spend the rest of her life close to her child and grandchildren. We are not trying to game the system, and my original question had nothing to do with that. If anyone has any recommendations about the desirability of supplementary health and travel insurance plans for US citizen seniors residing in Canada, I'd like to hear them. Thanks.

 

[canuck78]

Would definitely encourage you to get 3 months of health insurance but extended benefits aren't a great idea in my opinion. The coverage allowance is pretty low. Would probably pay cash but dental work is very expensive. .