RAMQ (Quebec Healthcare) or OHIP? - OUTLAND Spousal application (PREGNANT)

[Gugi123]

Hi everyone,

I am a Canadian Citizen (CC). My wife is not a CC or PR. She is a temporary resident authorized entry into Canada for 2 years in June 2013 under the IEC (International Exchange Canada) program with an open work permit type 20 until June 2015. We have resided in Gatineau, Quebec since June 2013. We submitted an OUTLAND spousal application indicating no intention of residing in Quebec because we wanted to move to Ottawa, Ontario, but we found out we're pregnant and want to know what's better/faster health coverage for my pregnant wife??

Here's some background:

We have not received the AOR (Acknowledgement of Receipt) from CIC.
We don't have CSQ.
She applied and received a SIN card.
She has an unpaid employment agreement with an Ontario employer for 80 working days, essentially 4 months.
She has private insurance, but doesn't cover pregnancy related costs.

What are the next steps and timelines associated to become eligible?

The doctor referred her to see an obstetrician, get blood tests and an ultrasound. Do you know what it roughly costs?

Thank you!!

 

[Leon]

I can't tell you which is better but RAMQ will cover a new PR for pregnancy and childbirth without the 3 month waiting period while ON tend to insist on it. However, somebody also found out not too long ago that OHIP will start the 3 month waiting period based on first stage approval rather than PR even if it is not an inland application. You can look for this thread here on the health topic.

 

[Gugi123]

I can't tell you which is better but RAMQ will cover a new PR for pregnancy and childbirth without the 3 month waiting period while ON tend to insist on it. However, somebody also found out not too long ago that OHIP will start the 3 month waiting period based on first stage approval rather than PR even if it is not an inland application. You can look for this thread here on the health topic.

Do you know if ON will cover anything during the waiting period for pregnant women? are they flexible at all?

Yes i saw the thread and looked it up - the first stage of approval in principal (AIP) for inland cases or AOR (Acknowledgement of Receipt) for outland cases.

Does anyone know if RAMQ requires the CSQ for this - outland cases?

 

[Leon]

I don't think OHIP covers anything during the waiting period.

I don't know if RAMQ requires CSQ but they could make a fuss.

Be advised that if she gets health care in one province and they cover the child birth, she should stay insured in that province for at least 6 months. Thing is that all the provinces have an eligibiity requirement of residing in that province and committed to living in that province for usually at least 6 months a year (in Ontario it's only 5) so if she registers say for RAMQ and gets the childbirth paid for but then moves to ON, they might conclude that she was never eligible for RAMQ in the first place and they might retroactively cancel her coverage and demand their money back. I have heard of such a case in BC where a new PR was billed for the birth of her baby because she made the mistake of having left BC after 5.5 months instead of 6.