OHIP won’t cover all medical costs in Canada
My wife and I are planning a road trip to the East Coast this summer. We usually purchase travel insurance that includes medical coverage when we travel outside of Canada. Since we are travelling within Canada and have coverage from the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP), do we still need to purchase medical insurance as Canadians travelling within Canada?
Good question. The answer is yes. Most travellers are aware of the importance of purchasing travel insurance (cancellation and medical) when travelling outside the country, but many Ontarians don’t even consider purchasing medical insurance when travelling within Canada.
Many Ontarians assume their provincial health coverage, OHIP, will cover any unexpected medical costs they may incur should they require medical assistance while travelling in another province.
While OHIP will provide some coverage for emergency or immediate medical care required while travelling outside the province, the fact is the provincial health insurance plan will only cover some medical expenses.
Therefore, you should always protect yourself by purchasing medical insurance when travelling within Canada.
One potential expense travellers could incur is for ambulance services, either by ground or by air. This expense is not covered by OHIP when out of province.
Depending on the province, the cost for ground ambulance ranges in the hundreds of dollars, while flying home via air ambulance could cost thousands of dollars. Travel medical insurance typically includes coverage for medical transportation back to your home province, if recommended by a physician.
Some of the other medical expenses that are not covered by OHIP include prescription drugs from pharmacies, some dental emergencies and long-term care services.
Travel insurance may be purchased from a travel agent or from an insurance provider. Don’t be afraid to ask questions to ensure you have an understanding of the coverage included in your policy. The Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada provides useful information to consumers, which includes a Canadian Traveller’s Insurance Guide that is available at thiaonline.com.
Most travel insurance companies have a toll-free emergency assistance telephone number you can reach 24 hours a day, seven days a week from anywhere you travel.
It’s a good idea to keep this information handy while travelling. That way, you’ll have peace of mind knowing you can get the answers you need should anything unexpected occur. Dorian Werda is vice-president, operations, for the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO), a non-profit corporation that regulates 2,500 travel retailers and wholesalers registered in Ontario. Send your travel questions to
askdorian@tico.ca. Not all questions can be answered.
Some of the medical expenses that are not covered by OHIP include prescription drugs and some dental emergencies