Health coverage seems to be a very heated subject today. I just got back from service ontario - went to apply for OHIP, for those that don't know I got AIP back in October but dint know I could apply for it till very recently. (Thank you computergeek for enlightening me)
Anyway, this is what my experience was like -got to service ontario, got my ticket, waited in line, and when I got to the desk, the agent very rudely and aggressively informed me that I was in fact not eligible for the OHIP because as it clearly says on the letter I "meet the eligibility requirements to apply for permanent residence" but I was not a permanent resident, and that AIP was not sufficient. I advised that their website and several others say that AIP is sufficient, to which she pulled out the hand book to show the letter I needed DM. At this point, because of the room full of people looking at me, hubby and I choose to leave, however he wasn't having it..he pulled up the info on the website and we went back. The supervisor got involved, the supervisor agreed with me, the agent stood her ground, and a second agent got involved-he agreed with me, they all decided to call head office.
I did eventually get it done - even got an apology from the initial agent. The second agent took over and was very sympathetic.
Now for those of you that my think I just wanna mooch of the Canadian health care system, I do have insurance through my hubby. It isn't about that its just amount moving forward, moving on with life.
I was previously misinformed by an agent at CIC and because of that am still "on my ass" waiting for OWP. I think no matter where u stand on health care and what the criteria for immigration should be, we can all agree the immigration process is flawed and in my opinion a big flaw is it not taking into consideration the human aspect of it all!