Health insurance coverage for just a few days

[vanee 13]

I need health insurance for just a few days after I arrive in the US. I'll be added to my fiance's plan after we're married, but I want coverage for those few days before we get married.

When I called to cancel my MSP (Medical Services Plan), I was told that it would cover me for the rest of the month. (In fact, I could have coverage for 3 months after leaving Canada.) With that, I should be able to get travel insurance for the US, just as I did for my visits there.

Unfortunately, no. According to my travel agent, RBC Insurance doesn't cover trips on a one-way ticket, and she didn't know of any other options when I'm not returning to Canada when those few days of coverage are up. Has anyone here used Canadian travel insurance for the time period right after arriving in the US to live?

Also, my travel agent wrote this: "My advice would be to go into (or have your future husband go into) a travel agency in the USA and see if they sell a visitors to USA policy for those few days. I know we can offer that for visitors to Canada." I doubt that would work in the US, but I'm wondering if anyone here knows more about it.

Or do you know of any US health insurance plans that cover people for only a few days? I contacted one company (US NetCare), and their plans are for a minimum of 3 months.

Thanks for your help.

[SonoranSongbird 3]

Wow, we were assuming the travel health insurance he can get from Alberta would cover him for the week or two he is here before we have the ceremony, too.

This may or may not work, but I would try talking to the benefits manager from his employer. It is actually kind of ridiculous for them to refuse to cover you for those three days, considering there is probably a deduction from his paycheck to cover part of it. You are going to have to get the paperwork or whatever needs to be done all set ahead of time anyway so you don't find that you get sick two weeks after the marriage and have not been added to the plan yet.

Unfortunately, it is really hard to find decent individual health plans (as opposed to group coverage) even if it is not for only a few days. If it is possible, I have no idea how or where (but maybe someone else will).

Travel insurance (the kind that covers trip interruption, medical emergencies, et al) does work for this. I can't recall the logistics of this but my travel insurance covered my medical costs when I got dysentary in Peru even though I had health insurance. It may have been because of the deductible or it may have been because I had to make a claim anyway to cover the flight to Bolivia I ended up having to cancel. But travel insurance does work for medical expenses. I don't know if you can buy it from a US travel agent independant of booking a trip through them, though.

[Emancipation 2]

I believe Blue Cross will do it. I agree talk to the benefits manager at your place of work. Mine had no problem with covering me for 3-6 months as long as my medical coverage in Canada was maintained. The only thing to think about it is that with travel insurance the first thing they will do if the medical condition is serious is ship you back to Canada... that was enough for me to seek temp catastrophic medical insurance here States side to cover me until I could get my own coverage through my employer.

[lynamon 0]

My work health care would not cover me the moment I crossed the boarder .. but .. for all of you who may not know this I do believe that OHIP will cover you for all emergencies for the first 6 months .. there is a thread here somewhere

[lynamon 0]

This had been previously posted by Cutienburg:

my husband called OHIP a couple weeks ago and asked about this very topic. The person he spoke to at OHIP said you would be covered for emergency treatment in the US up to 7 months or until you obtain PR status in the US.

My argument was you should be covered until you obtain CR/LPR status since you arent considered as having abandoned your residency in Canada until the US says you're legally allowed to do so. If your AOS or CR-1 were to be denied , you would have no choice but to return to Canada, so technically I would think you'd be considered a visitor until that time.

A PHP requires you to be a resident of the province UNLESS you're going to be out of Canada temporarily......

the temporary absences are;

study

work

missionary work

vacation/other

......and its the "other" that has me wondering

NOW......OHIP says "Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care may continue your eligibility for Ontario health (OHIP) coverage when you are absent from Ontario for more than 212 days in a 12 month period, as long as you plan to return and make your permanent and principal home in Ontario."

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public...hip/longer.html

[vanee 13]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

Wow, we were assuming the travel health insurance he can get from Alberta would cover him for the week or two he is here before we have the ceremony, too.

I don't know, but health insurance options might vary depending on the province.

This may or may not work, but I would try talking to the benefits manager from his employer. It is actually kind of ridiculous for them to refuse to cover you for those three days, considering there is probably a deduction from his paycheck to cover part of it. You are going to have to get the paperwork or whatever needs to be done all set ahead of time anyway so you don't find that you get sick two weeks after the marriage and have not been added to the plan yet.

That's an idea. But I think the health plan provider requires people added to health plans to be spouses or children of the employee who has coverage.

BTW, they didn't refuse. We didn't ask. It didn't occur to us to. My fiance read in the manual from the health insurance company that coverage begins on the day of the marriage.

The only thing to think about it is that with travel insurance the first thing they will do if the medical condition is serious is ship you back to Canada...

That's a really good point, and it might be the reason that many insurance companies won't provide coverage unless the person has a round-trip ticket and is planning to return to Canada.

I've found a company that provides coverage for as little as 5 days: Inbound USA. They cover most of what could happen in a few days with some limitations, including consequences of terrorist activity. So if I go with this plan and the airport I'm in gets bombed and I survive, I won't be covered, but I will be covered if I'm in a car accident on the way home from the airport.

Oh well. You can't have it all, and it looks like it'll do. I'll probably go with it unless something better comes up.

[Jeremy + Kristy 0]

Hmm, this same issue just came up with Kristy and I, especially because she is pregnant right now and doesn't want to have any lapse in coverage. I also plan to speak with someone in my benefits department, since we cover same-sex domestic partners I'd imagine we would be able to start coverage early. Unless OHIP will cover until the marriage.