The epidemic of Coronavirus has revealed the importance of health insurance especially when you travel abroad. It often happens that one can get sick when visiting another country, medical bills are racked up in foreign currency that may be expensive to pay off. When you are sick in a country like Canada, it is important to have medical insurance to deal with the expenses of emergency medical care.
It is extremely priceless to walk into a clinic and not have to worry about how to pay for your medical bills. I am extremely guilty of travelling without travel insurance. Travel insurance covers a variety of benefits including health care. Health insurance is so important whether you are a tourist visiting Canada or an international student. With the scare of Coronavirus on everyone’s mind, it is important to be covered with travel insurance that looks after your health as well. Also, some credit cards offer travel insurance as part of their perks. Some other travel insurance options are RBC Insurance, World Nomads in case you are sick and in need of emergency medical care in Canada or even outside Canada.
As a tourist visiting Canada who needs medical care, you need health insurance to cover the cost. Otherwise, you will be left with a large bill to pay depending on the type of medical attention you require. It is explicitly stated on the Government of Canada’s website – “Canada does not pay for hospital or medical services for visitors. You should get health insurance to cover any medical costs before you come to Canada”
As an international student in Canada, it is mandatory you have health insurance which in most cases is provided by your University. In order cases, you may have to purchase your own health insurance. Different provinces in Canada may offer free health care based on certain criteria for international students. For instance, if you lived in Nova Scotia for a year, you are entitled to free medical healthcare with Medical Service Insurance ( MSI). Find out if you are eligible here. It is important to know what the MSI covers before choosing to opt-out of your current health plan.
The standard expectation of health insurance while living in Canada should cover doctor visits, dental and drugs. In emergency situations where one needs to have surgery, health insurance comes in handy as it will cover some of the cost of the surgery. In most cases, your medical care bill comes during or after recovery depending on how many days you spend at the hospital, out of hospital care and any other special hospital visit.
The appreciation for health insurance is only felt when one is in dire need. Don’t be that person who does not have their health covered in a foreign country and racks up medical bills.
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SImran Saini
Great information!