Canceling OHIP coverage

[Pauley 2]

The Setup: Yvonne is moving to the US effective today (Saturday). My company's HR department says that, despite open enrollment being about 6 months away, if we can provide documentation that her OHIP coverage is ending, I can add her to my medical insurance now under the rules covering "significant change in other coverage."

OHIP's web site says she can cancel her coverage on account of leaving Ontario/Canada by filling out for 0280-82, "Change of Information," specifically, section F.

The questions: 1) Does OHIP send back any notification that they've received this form and that you're no longer covered, and 2) how exactly does she agree to section G that she's still living in Ontario when we're specifically filling out the form to say she's not?

[Udella&Wiz 325]

The Setup: Yvonne is moving to the US effective today (Saturday). My company's HR department says that, despite open enrollment being about 6 months away, if we can provide documentation that her OHIP coverage is ending, I can add her to my medical insurance now under the rules covering "significant change in other coverage."

OHIP's web site says she can cancel her coverage on account of leaving Ontario/Canada by filling out for 0280-82, "Change of Information," specifically, section F.

The questions: 1) Does OHIP send back any notification that they've received this form and that you're no longer covered, and 2) how exactly does she agree to section G that she's still living in Ontario when we're specifically filling out the form to say she's not?

I don't think she is filling out section G...only A, B and F. I cancelled my daughter's and my coverage and no, they did not send back confirmation.

I imagine she could request it though...perhaps she should give them a call about it since needs it for new coverage. I didn;t really care whether or not they confirmed it since basically I just wasn't going to be using it.

[Kimbear 53]

quick question, what address do you mail it off too? i checked the service ontario site as i was told i could get a refund on my drivers licence as well since i just got it in january when they came back off strike, and the website hates me. I can't seem to find an address? i tried for the heck of it to do an online change of address too, but it asked for the last 4 digits of the immigration document i used to prove my nationality..WTH? and neither my passport or bc worked for that..UGH.

if i weren't scared of OHIP comming back in a year saying i owe ohip money for not notifying them of my move i would'nt care either way..but i dont want anything comming back to bite me in the butt 3 years or so from now. I was kinda hoping it was the same address for both as some offices processed both d/l and ohip cards..

[Hugglebuggles 60]

I would say that a good 90% of us never notified OHIP that we moved, and I've never heard of anyone being told they owe them money. Now, if you went back to Canada as a visitor, used OHIP, then they found out you have been living in the US... I could see that being an issue!

Pauley- Would they maybe accept a printout from the government of Ontario site stating that when one gives up their residency the coverage stops? Or is that not official enough? I think I remember a thread a while back where someone called OHIP and asked for prof that their coverage has stopped and they were told that it couldn't be provided. I looked but I can't seem to find it. They sure don't like to make it easy on us!

[Pauley 2]

Pauley- Would they maybe accept a printout from the government of Ontario site stating that when one gives up their residency the coverage stops? Or is that not official enough? I think I remember a thread a while back where someone called OHIP and asked for prof that their coverage has stopped and they were told that it couldn't be provided. I looked but I can't seem to find it. They sure don't like to make it easy on us!

Perhaps. I'll ask the HR department when I go back to work on Tuesday.

Thanks everyone for your responses!

[Udella&Wiz 325]

There's no such thing as you owing money to OHIP.....you qualified because you lived in ON and paid taxes and are no longer qualified because you don't fill the residency requirement (and thus don't pay taxes in ON)

No worries

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Perhaps. I'll ask the HR department when I go back to work on Tuesday.

Thanks everyone for your responses!

My husband just made a good point....why does your insurance care whether your wife is or isn't covered by another plan? She could be covered under 2. It's definitely a miss understanding down here how provincial healthcare works...but then why would we expect them to know.

If she plans to get a job as soon as she can, she'll hopefully be able to be covered under her own company's insurance if nothing else of course.

[Arabella 4]

My husband just made a good point....why does your insurance care whether your wife is or isn't covered by another plan? She could be covered under 2. It's definitely a miss understanding down here how provincial healthcare works...but then why would we expect them to know.

If she plans to get a job as soon as she can, she'll hopefully be able to be covered under her own company's insurance if nothing else of course.

His insurance cares for the same reason mine does- they are cheap. My insurance made me sign an affidavit that Sean does not have other health insurance. If he did have other health insurance (or was eligible to get it through his employer but opted for mine instead), I would have to pay a penalty of $250 per month for the privilege of having him on my insurance, and then pay for his medical insurance on top of the penalty. Cheap, cheap bastards.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

His insurance cares for the same reason mine does- they are cheap. My insurance made me sign an affidavit that Sean does not have other health insurance. If he did have other health insurance (or was eligible to get it through his employer but opted for mine instead), I would have to pay a penalty of $250 per month for the privilege of having him on my insurance, and then pay for his medical insurance on top of the penalty. Cheap, cheap bastards.

Gotcha...guess we were lucky. Don's employer just went with the fact that our wedding was a life event. I wonder if they ever even knew I was Cdn? We didn't explicitly say so, didn't think of it

[Kimbear 53]

ya davids was a life event he just gave them my info, name date of birth when we got married and that was it. then we haggled over which policy price etc.

Edited May 10, 2010 by Kimbear

[Pauley 2]

Yvonne will not be working full-time, and thus will not have insurance coverage from her employer. "Moved to a new country" does not count as a qualifying event to add a beneficiary to my insurance before the next open enrollment in November, but they will accept "no longer covered by other insurance." "Got married" doesn't work for us either, because we've been married for over a year and a half now, and I didn't add her at the time because she was already covered by insurance in Ontario before she moved.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Yvonne will not be working full-time, and thus will not have insurance coverage from her employer. "Moved to a new country" does not count as a qualifying event to add a beneficiary to my insurance before the next open enrollment in November, but they will accept "no longer covered by other insurance." "Got married" doesn't work for us either, because we've been married for over a year and a half now, and I didn't add her at the time because she was already covered by insurance in Ontario before she moved.

Yep - your best bet is to print off and perhaps show your company the eligibility page for OHIP and explain that people don't cancel their provincial health care most times. If you move out of the province, you just aren't eligible. Your company just doesn't have experience with it which makes it difficult for them to understand. perhaps they could call a toll free number and hear the info for themselves?