OHIP question from Canada-bound couple

[Leon]

Yes, if you need services before you get OHIP, by a doctor, midwife or any other health care professional, you need to negociate payments. As in "Hello, I don't have OHIP yet but could we make arrangements to pay cash?". They will then tell you what they expect in the way of payment. I had a GP in Toronto that before I got OHIP charged me very moderately as in: "I don't know, just give me 5 bucks". I know many professional walk-in clinics would charge people without insurance $100 just for a visit. It just depends on what you negociate on.

 

[ariell]

thank you for your answer, ariell. and if there's no OHIP yet - will we havr to pay them at the end?

Suin: You would have to call individual midwives or midwife clinics to see what their policy is. My understanding is that not all of them will see people without OHIP so you would have to first find someone that will see you without OHIP and then find out what their charges are. But I would think that they would want payment at each visit, not after delivery.

 

[MARLENA]

I went yesterday applying for my husband ohip in Ottawa Ontario.
The women was so rude. I had brought many home bills showing my husband name but since he landed December 5th she didn't accept them. Also a few hours before I had applied for his SIN which I had received his # and the address is attached as well but she didn't accept it because it wasn't on the list. She wants to see something after the date he has landed as well included on the list.
I know there is 90 days waiting period but let say my husband was sick and saw a doctor before the 90 days waiting period. Can I resubmit the invoice to ohip once the waiting period is over?

 

[Karlshammar]

No, coverage doesn't start until the waiting period is over, so you have to pay any medical expenses incurred during that time yourself.

I don't know where the woman got that idea from. I haven't seen any rule that says you have to have things dated after landing. I'd try again, and ask for a supervisor if they won't help you. If they still refuse you can request a review from the General Manager of OHIP.

I went yesterday applying for my husband ohip in Ottawa Ontario.
The women was so rude. I had brought many home bills showing my husband name but since he landed December 5th she didn't accept them. Also a few hours before I had applied for his SIN which I had received his # and the address is attached as well but she didn't accept it because it wasn't on the list. She wants to see something after the date he has landed as well included on the list.
I know there is 90 days waiting period but let say my husband was sick and saw a doctor before the 90 days waiting period. Can I resubmit the invoice to ohip once the waiting period is over?

 

[Suin]

thank you ariell for your reply. we'll try to investigate it more.

 

[Suin]

I went yesterday applying for my husband ohip in Ottawa Ontario.
The women was so rude. I had brought many home bills showing my husband name but since he landed December 5th she didn't accept them. Also a few hours before I had applied for his SIN which I had received his # and the address is attached as well but she didn't accept it because it wasn't on the list. She wants to see something after the date he has landed as well included on the list.
I know there is 90 days waiting period but let say my husband was sick and saw a doctor before the 90 days waiting period. Can I resubmit the invoice to ohip once the waiting period is over?

that's really strange, and that woman's behaviour just impossible. when we went for my OHIP application, the woman that was dealing with my case was very nice. upon her request about bills I gave her several envelopes confirming my address, she just picked the Rogers phone bill (as the envelope was bigger than others), had a look and returned back. she didn't care that I applied just 10 days after my landing and she filed my application right away, she said that my medical coverage will start right 3 months after my landing, and it didn't matter when we applied, the coverage starts right after 3 months after landing, so if you apply a month later, you will not lose anything at all.

 

[MARLENA]

Actually I had showed my Rogers phone, internet and wireless Bill as well dated after December 5 but she said it's a copy and not the original invoice. Well I don't receive the inovice by mail because I set it up online so I had to printed out from my laptop. The address on all of them with both names but still didn't accept them. I'm waiting until the end of month to receive his bank account statement. I read through the application and couldn't find where it mentioned it has home bills must be dated after the landing time. It's so ridiculous!!! I think she is really going by the book and the funny part she completed ohip section with her signature and date and gave it back to us and told me until you bring a home bill after his landing I won't keep the application.
Anyways not a big deal since he won't be covered anyways but just to save the time and the travelling. At least I have added with my public service health care plan at work.

 

[ariell]

I really don't see why everyone is so surprised that they wouldn't accept bills dated from before your husband landed as proof of his residence. All those bills show is proof that you added him to the account. It's not proof that he actually lives there -- obviously he couldn't have been living there if the bills are dated prior to his landing.

Unfortunately, there a lots of people who try to scam their way into getting OHIP so we're paying the price for that. They are very rigid about what they will accept as proof. They'll only accept what's listed on their checklist. In our case, we had to go back twice before they deemed my husband's proof of residence satisfactory. I understand that they are trying to keep out the scammers, but they don't have to be so rude! The woman that we dealt with at the OHIP office was very rude and snarky. Not a very nice welcome to Canada at all.

 

[Suin]

Yes, if you need services before you get OHIP, by a doctor, midwife or any other health care professional, you need to negociate payments. As in "Hello, I don't have OHIP yet but could we make arrangements to pay cash?". They will then tell you what they expect in the way of payment. I had a GP in Toronto that before I got OHIP charged me very moderately as in: "I don't know, just give me 5 bucks". I know many professional walk-in clinics would charge people without insurance $100 just for a visit. It just depends on what you negociate on.

for a walk-in clinic they charged us $250 just for a visit - no medical prescription, just to ask a question and not even received a proper answer.
a visit to GP was $150.
with such prices it's better to stay at home.

 

[Suin]

Suin: You would have to call individual midwives or midwife clinics to see what their policy is. My understanding is that not all of them will see people without OHIP so you would have to first find someone that will see you without OHIP and then find out what their charges are. But I would think that they would want payment at each visit, not after delivery.

we called midwives. they said that they will not charge us till delivery, but never explained that they will after. we know only that we will have to pay for delivery ourselves.

 

[ariell]

we called midwives. they said that they will not charge us till delivery, but never explained that they will after. we know only that we will have to pay for delivery ourselves.

Wow, that's great news!! I'm really happy for you. I think you'll really like seeing a midwife. I know alot of people that would never go back to using a doctor for their pregnancy after having a midwife. Best of luck.

 

[Suin]

I really don't see why everyone is so surprised that they wouldn't accept bills dated from before your husband landed as proof of his residence. All those bills show is proof that you added him to the account. It's not proof that he actually lives there -- obviously he couldn't have been living there if the bills are dated prior to his landing.

actually all my bills were dated before landing and they did accept them. I guess OHIP offices are different in dealing with applications.

 

[Suin]

Wow, that's great news!! I'm really happy for you. I think you'll really like seeing a midwife. I know alot of people that would never go back to using a doctor for their pregnancy after having a midwife. Best of luck.

thank you for your kind words, ariell. I appreciate it a lot.

 

[Karlshammar]

We are surprised because nowhere is there any documentation that the dates need to be from after landing, including on their official document checklist.

I lived with my wife for a long time before landing; both as a visitor and a temporary worker. I had an Ontario driver's licence, issued way before landing, that was accepted as proof of address.

Anyway, my point is this: if it is on the document checklist and the document checklist does not state demands on dates, then the woman at OHIP is in error by making up her own personal rules and applying them.

I really don't see why everyone is so surprised that they wouldn't accept bills dated from before your husband landed as proof of his residence. All those bills show is proof that you added him to the account. It's not proof that he actually lives there -- obviously he couldn't have been living there if the bills are dated prior to his landing.

Unfortunately, there a lots of people who try to scam their way into getting OHIP so we're paying the price for that. They are very rigid about what they will accept as proof. They'll only accept what's listed on their checklist. In our case, we had to go back twice before they deemed my husband's proof of residence satisfactory. I understand that they are trying to keep out the scammers, but they don't have to be so rude! The woman that we dealt with at the OHIP office was very rude and snarky. Not a very nice welcome to Canada at all.

 

[tgchi13]

That's not dumb at all. That's a great idea. Sometimes the obvious escapes us!

You can find info. about your eligibility for OHIP when you have left the country here: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/ohip/ohipfaq_dt.aspx#2 Wow, I had no idea OHIP was so lenient with extended absences from Ontario. It sounds like you may still be covered, depending on how long she was in Ontario prior to leaving. Definitely worth checking into!

I went in to renew my health card today and (other than the regulated proofs for which I presented my passport and DL) the only thing they asked me was had I been out of the province for more than seven consecutive months in the past five years.