healthcare in vancouver

[Keithcjk]

Hi, would like to find out regarding the health premiums in vancovuer
I understand that PR and citizens need to pay health premiums unlike calgary where it is free.

I would like to confirm the following :

1) for a newly landed immigrant with canadian PR status, the health premium i got to pay is $64 monthly?
2) can I say that even if i am not sick for that particular month, I would still need to pay $64?
3) are there so call any rebates if a person is not sick for a number of months?
4) I understand that Alberta residents do not need to pay monthly premiums. Would BC be adopting that in the near future?
5) Are permanent residents eligible for pharma care?
6) I dont understand what it means by deductible under pharmacare and how it really works.
7) How are the premiums deducted monthly?
8) I also understand that you need to reside there for 183 days in order to maintain healthcare benefits
9) The healthcare doesn't cover everything so you need to buy insurance for those that is not covered such as eye examination, dental etc
Generally how much does the insurance cost per month?

Thanks

 

[steaky]

Hi, would like to find out regarding the health premiums in vancovuer
I understand that PR and citizens need to pay health premiums unlike calgary where it is free.

I would like to confirm the following :

1) for a newly landed immigrant with canadian PR status, the health premium i got to pay is $64 monthly? Probably, not sure.
2) can I say that even if i am not sick for that particular month, I would still need to pay $64? Better ask HealthBC directly
3) are there so call any rebates if a person is not sick for a number of months? No
4) I understand that Alberta residents do not need to pay monthly premiums. Would BC be adopting that in the near future? Certainly hope so
5) Are permanent residents eligible for pharma care? Yes, depending on income
6) I dont understand what it means by deductible under pharmacare and how it really works. For example they impose $10K as deductible. If medication costs more than $10K, you have to pay the first $10K and pharmacare will pay the rest
7) How are the premiums deducted monthly? Don't know about premium deducted monthly. Usually I pay by bank transfer.
8) I also understand that you need to reside there for 183 days in order to maintain healthcare benefits Right
9) The healthcare doesn't cover everything so you need to buy insurance for those that is not covered such as eye examination, dental etc
Generally how much does the insurance cost per month? There are many insurance providers out there. You can contact haver (a member in this forum) for details.
Thanks

 

[Leon]

1) Currently $64 a month for a single person or $109 for a family of two or $128 for a family of three or more, see http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/msp/infoben/premium.html

2) Yes, you also pay when you are not sick.

3) No

4) Nobody knows.

 

[Keithcjk]

Hi leon

Thanks for the answers.

Hi Steaky, thanks for your answers. Would like to ask more.

1) Can I say that lower income earners would be able to qualify for pharmacare?
2) What is the range of income per month to qualify for pharmacare?
3) can I say that once you are qualify for pharmacare, they will impose a deductible based on your income?
4) Different range of incomes will have different $ deductible?
5) Is it a yearly deductible?
say eg, if the medication cost $300 for the first time in Jan 12, $500 for the second time in April 12 and $1000 for the 3rd time in Aug 12, and the deductible impose is $2000, it will be totally covered beacuse I only hit $1800?

Thanks

 

[steaky]

Probably every BC residents qualify for pharmacare. Different range income earners will have different $ deductible. Perhaps other members (such as haver) can tell you more.

 

[Leon]

You can just google pharmacare and learn more about it if you want to. That is what I just did. I had actually never heard about it before. There is a calculator at http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/pharmacare/plani/calculator/calculator.html They want your income as you filed for taxes 2 years ago. You can learn about registration here: http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/pharmacare/plani/newresidents.html They say that if you never filed taxes in Canada, they will base your deductible and maximum on your income where you lived before.

You pay 100% of your medication until you reach the deductible for that year, after that, you pay 30% until you reach your family maximum.

Lets say for example that your deductible is 1500 and your family maximum is 2000. If you get medication for 1500 in one year, you pay all of it yourself. If you get for 1700, you pay the first 1500 plus 30% of the rest so 1560 total. If you get for 2000 in one year, you pay 1500 + 30% of the rest so 1650 but at that point, you have reached 2000 which is your family maximum so if you have more costs after that, you are 100% covered.

 

[rdmcfee]

Insurance is a tricky thing. Some of it is described well in this article: 2vancouver.com/en/blog/how-does-british-columbias-health-system-actually-work

If you're looking for a dentist, Clinicbook provides a list of Vancouver dentists and Vancouver Emergency Dentists who all accept insurance and you can book online instantly clinicbook.com/vancouver/emergency-dentist