Out-of-country coverage changing for Albertans

Advice to snowbirds — schedule your hip replacements at home.

Provincial government changes to health coverage outside Canada could leave patients paying the full cost of non-emergency care abroad.

Non-urgent health services, elective procedures and routine lab tests outside the country will no longer be insured by the Alberta government as of April 1, according to a Thursday news release.

Roughly 2,400 Albertans file claims each year for non-emergency health services they received outside the country, said Tom Mcmillan, a spokesman for Alberta Health.

The change will save about $1 million each year, said a government news release. Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador are the only other provinces that cover non-urgent care outside Canada.

Albertans will now foot the entire bill for any pre-scheduled procedure outside the country, Mcmillan said.

For instance, an Albertan who winters in Arizona and opts to have a hip replacement surgery there, rather than returning to Alberta, must cover the cost out of pocket.

Emergency care in other countries is partially covered by Alberta Health, which remains unchanged.

Insured doctor visits are either covered at cost, or at whatever rate the service would cost in Alberta — whichever is cheaper, Mcmillan said.

The government will cover $100 worth of hospital services a day, or $50 worth of outpatient services, if those services are insured in Alberta. Medically necessary lab tests are also covered.