Sorry if this has been discussed before...

I am leaving Canada for the US in August, and will be going on a TN visa. I'm not sure what to do about medical (insurance) coverage. I've heard that Canada will cover you as a tourist for 6 months, but don't know how this would apply to me as I would not be a "tourist". Anyone have experience with this, or have suggestions of what carrier to use?

Thanks!

Check to see if your employer will cover you under the company plan. The US system is so totally different than anything in Canada and there isn't an easy recommendation to say which insurer is good, etc. There are many different varieties of coverage based upon the level of service you want to have and what is and isn't covered by insurance. Regardless, you can expect to pay a sizeable premium for any type of medical insurance you get, plus pay a co-pay for every time you see a doctor, have tests, fill a prescription, etc. Medical insurance in the US is profit motivated.

Since a TN visa is not an immigrant visa you should still have some initial coverage from your Provincial insurance but you should check with your Province to see how long they will insure you while you are out of the country. Insurance in Canada is based on residency, not on citizenship, so it may be 3 months to 6 months depending on your Provincial plan that you can get coverage. You may also want to purchase annual travel medical insurance. I know when I was visiting the US I always purchased additional medical insurance offered through my bank, since my Provincial plan wouldn't cover everything if i needed medical treatment in the US.

Hopefully someone else might be able to give you more personal experience based on their own TN history.

Hey,

I am moving to NYC on TN in two weeks and I was searching these boards this morning trying to figure out the same thing! I have medical insurance through my employer but it doesn't kick in for 60 days. After seeing this website: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public...hip/longer.html
and calling the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, it seems that it is possible to extend your OHIP coverage while you are working abroad with TN status since the TN status is by nature temporary. All you have to do is go here: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public...ip/ohip_mn.html
click on forms and applications then download the "change of information" form. Fill it out (in particular the "temporary absence from Ontario" section). You need to still have a permanent residence in Canada (I'm using my parents) and you need to have your job offer letter stating the length of your job (which shouldn't be an issue as this is also a requirement for the TN job offer letter). Then you take the form and your job offer letter to your closest OHIP office. Seems simple? Hopefully it is (I'm going to take mine in this afternoon).

I'm also going to get travel insurance (which you can't purchase in Ontario unless you have OHIP) since OHIP only covers you for what your medical expenses would cost in Canada, which... isn't what it costs in America... haha.. but like I said, you need OHIP to purchase most travel insurance from a bank etc. Hope this helps!

Liz

Thank you so much Liz! This confirms what I have already heard