Doctor's visits after immigrating

[Loki_Go 126]

So we're getting married next year and I'll be the one moving to the US. We're not far away from each other right now (Windsor-Cleveland, about 2.5 hours) so day trips back and forth are doable. A couple quick questions:

1. I have a great doctor now. Can I still make appointments to see him after I move over there?

2. After we're married can I bring his daughter (previous marriage) across for healthcare? I think not; I'm thinking I'd have to legally adopt her, right?

Thanks!

[Dualie 185]

So we're getting married next year and I'll be the one moving to the US. We're not far away from each other right now (Windsor-Cleveland, about 2.5 hours) so day trips back and forth are doable. A couple quick questions:

1. I have a great doctor now. Can I still make appointments to see him after I move over there?

2. After we're married can I bring his daughter (previous marriage) across for healthcare? I think not; I'm thinking I'd have to legally adopt her, right?

Thanks!

Hi! I am just guessing here, but I am thinking you are free to see any doctor you want, but you will probably have to pay out-of-pocket, if the doctor is willing to see a non-resident. I have been poking around this myself, as I have an awesome chiropractor whom I see every month to 6 weeks for treatment. She will see me as long as I pay her the full rate. I live 3.5 hours away from Fargo now so regular trips to visit good friends will definitely happen after I move (I'm even planning to see my regular colourist at the salon I use here). Now I am sure medical appointments will all depend on the doctor involved, etc., just bear in mind that you won't be covered by your provincial medical insurance anymore, and your US medical insurance probably won't touch it either (just guessing here ).

As for your step daughter, I am thinking likely not, as he is not her doctor now...but then again, it would be up to the doctor. And...it may not even be allowed for you. Emergency care would be one thing, but a regular non-resident patient...not sure that Ontario would allow it. Hopefully someone with experience chimes in here

Hope this helps!

Edited November 5, 2014 by Dualie

[Loki_Go 126]

I think if I wanted to see a chiro I'd have to pay right now anyway. I work full time in Canada and I'm not sure that's covered under my work insurance. If it is it's either a majority of the cost is (like 80%) or I only get so many appointments per year. Sadly I've never thought about who/how my regular GP appointments are covered. I feel like a lousy Canadian lol. I mean I don't know how much of what I go to my doctor for is OHIP and what's covered through work. I've been working since I was 15 and my doctor just takes my recent insurance plan card and handles the rest. I don't see any of the paperwork or processes.

Edited November 5, 2014 by Loki_Go

[Ontarkie 13,915]

When I lived in Sault Ste. Marie I noticed that in the waiting room they had American patients they billed them for each visit. Now I know the SOO had a special agreement with Sault Mich so that could be part of it.

Ontario health is no longer an option once you make the move. Work insurance is normally supplemental insurance to fill in any gaps which I'm guessing will also end once move. Really with the new health laws you need to have in the US you'd be better off using the insurance you're going to be paying for, rather then paying twice.

[Loki_Go 126]

That makes sense. What a drag considering I'll be out of work bare minimum 6 months. I'll have to speak to my doctor about the possibility of stocking up on medications if I can. It's really going to feel like living without a safety net for a while. Eek.

[Dualie 185]

That makes sense. What a drag considering I'll be out of work bare minimum 6 months. I'll have to speak to my doctor about the possibility of stocking up on medications if I can. It's really going to feel like living without a safety net for a while. Eek.

I have been thinking about that one too...stocking up on meds. I have an annual script written by a doc here in Manitoba. I know the pharmacy won't fill more than a month at a time. And my work insurance covers what Manitoba Health doesn't, and I pay a little on top of that. I have no clue how that's gonna work, but I am going to start asking questions around here (Manitoba) real soon.

[Texas22 50]

When I was getting ready to move I went into Service Ontario to deal with my driver's license and stuff, and since I was moving "permanently" they took mine and my kids OHIP cards, so we are no longer covered in Ontario for health care. My husband has insurance here and it covers us when we are in Canada, but that is "emergency treatment". Kind of like what you would get if you bought medical travel insurance.

Does your (soon-to-be) husband have medical insurance already? He will likely be able to just include you on that. I am assuming that he would have a family plan already that covers him and his daughter.

I know it is hard. It is like starting all over. I had to leave my family doctor of 23 years and my cardiologist of 20 years and get new doctors down here. Fortunately my cardiologist was great about it and actually referred me to a cardiologist down here in Houston, and I really do like him - he knows his stuff.

Perhaps your chiropractor can refer you to someone close to where you will move to? At the very least - delve into your fiance's insurance benefits and see what's covered.. you never know until you ask.

Just another thing to think about. Check your driver's licence. If it is due to expire any time around the time you are planning to move - then pay to have it renewed in Ontario. I was glad that I did, because it took me almost 6 months to get my Texas driver's licence. (Oh - and when I got that - Texas took away my Ontario licence. ) That upset me because I wanted to keep it, after all - it was part of my life for so very long...

Good luck to you!

[Rob & Monika 87]

There are a lot of variables in this. The first thing is to look into your future husbands insurance plan. Mine has a list of doctors and hospitals that will take my insurance in Canada and other countries. There is also the ability to pay up front then send the claim into the insurance manually to get reimbursed. But there is nothing stopping you from going, you just can't use the provincial health care.

For medications, there is nothing stopping you from finding a doctor here in the US just to get prescriptions, especially for common things like BC, asthma, and allergy meds. Try to get a copy of your medical records before you move.

I don't see a timeline for you, what route are you taking, K-1 or CR-1? The CR-1 route would allow you to work immediately.

[Loki_Go 126]

I haven't started my timeline yet, I know. I've been separated since 2011 but didn't get down to actually making the divorce final until this summer. My ex and I are completely civil and just put it off until we needed to deal with it because of the cost. My current SO is waiting until that becomes final before actually asking me to marry him. It'll be final on November 25. We'll be doing the K1 route.

We did look into his insurance after I asked this question here and he can add me. It's scary because I've heard so many horror stories though. And now that I see that I'll have to surrender some of my Canadian ID... that makes me so sad! You know, the thought of moving for love in theory sounds so romantic but the reality is pretty harsh. Worth it... but harsh.

[Loki_Go 126]

Texas22, why did it take so long to get a driver's license? I renew mine in December thankfully. I've also read getting auto insurance is one of the things I can get right away, right?

[Udella&Wiz 325]

I would get past the horror stories (which BTW the Cdn media loves to perpetuate and point fingers at)and look at hard facts. I have never had better healthcare in my life. I love the availability of doctors and specialists and they treat you like a human being, they spend time and are interested in having more than an annual 10 minute visit with you. You are their customer so hence the interest in making you happy. Back in ON I barely had a family Dr, could barely get a visit within a week and when I needed care I went to Urgent Care instead.

I understand the desire to stick with the Cdn doctor because its who you know and what you're familiar with but once you're being billed directly because you're not covered by provincial coverage that will be a whole new ball game. Your American insurer may not cover out of country regular visits to a Cdn Dr. You'll probably have to pay up front even if you can submit later to your insurer and the Cdn Dr is likely to be out of network anyway so they won;t cover as much.

It's not as complicated as you'd think - I used to rant about it (here in fact) but it worked out pretty well. You can have your current providers write letters and explain past conditions and care and meds to hep the new switch-over. You'll probably be pleasantly surpirsed

I have a decent job with good benefits, yes they cost money. We happen to use the hub's benefits because his are just better but we could go either way. If our companies didn't offer insurance, we'd use the Affordable Care act health exchanges more than likely.

[Texas22 50]

Texas22, why did it take so long to get a driver's license? I renew mine in December thankfully. I've also read getting auto insurance is one of the things I can get right away, right?

Long story, but I imported my vehicle, so we went straight away to get insurance on it because my Canadian insurance would only cover me for 30 days after being in the US. When we went to the first insurance company, they told me that they could not insure the vehicle without it being registered (plates etc. - which was a crock), so then we went to register the vehicle and get new plates. The registry office told me that the information given by the insurance company was incorrect - that we actually needed to prove the vehicle was insured before they would register it. So we ended up going with Progressive. (BTW if you import your vehicle - make sure you keep the paperwork that they give you on POE - this is an absolute requirement to register the vehicle in your state.)

When I went to get my licence (in Texas they accept my Ontario driver's licence and just switch it over - so no test - yay. )

I brought my passport and my I-94. But my I-94 was going to expire July 29th so they told me they could only give me a licence effective until that date, because after that I was in that grey area (legal - but not really) - the time between when your I-94 expires and your green-card arrives. (Adjustment of Status). They told me I could get my licence as soon as I got my AOS NOA1 - but I just ended up waiting until the actual green card came a couple of months later.

As far as the health care goes, I also get excellent care here. I am very happy with my specialist, family doctor is okay too. It's just different. In Canada, if we were sick and went to the emerg or doctor, we didn't worry about any cost. Here - make a doctor's appt, think about the co-pay, go to Emerg or Urgent care - think about the co-pay. I ended up with influenza on New Years this year, and my fever was about 104, so my husband took me to urgent care on New Years Day - $50.00 co-pay... ... just have to get used to it. But the good thing is - the care is available - no waiting weeks or months for tests. Emergency room waits down here average about 5 - 15 minutes.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Texas22

[NikLR 13,220]

US insurance is VERY complicated. There are all sorts of plans and variables. Once you know yours, then it's fine, but picking one and getting to know the ins and outs of it, feels like a huge task compared to Canadian health care. But I admit the lack of waiting at Emerg is a huge plus.

We're fortunate, we don't need referrals etc, but we have a High Deductible HSA plan, so we can save for when we need the health care money, but otherwise we're paying out of pocket for anything but routine or preventative care. Some health care also does dental and/or vision, ours does vision, but we get a separate vision plan that covers a bunch. My glasses (reg and perscript sun) would have cost 1500 out of pocket, but ended up only paying under 500. I have yet to use the dental, which I should and it has good coverage, and haven't found a obgyn, which I need to for my yearly women's exam. Fortunately that's covered by our plan because it's routine.

We're lucky in a way because our premiums are far less than they would be for some people because my husband works for the feds.

Edited November 14, 2014 by NLR

[Texas22 50]

We're lucky in a way because our premiums are far less than they would be for some people because my husband works for the feds.

My hubby works for the Feds too.

That is probably one of the biggest reasons we decided to make the move south vs. him coming to Canada. (Plus, I hate the cold. )

It's a pretty good plan, just yeah a little complicated until you get used to it. Once you find a provider(s) it's really no big deal. We also have dental and vision coverage (albeit not great), but pretty similar to Canadian health insurance coverage.

[Flames9_RN 358]

One simply can't ask if they accept your insurance----as u may find out the hard way,lol I did that with a dentist! Sure they accepted it, but since they were out of network..didn't cover much...only made that mistake once, luckily it was just a check up.

Medical tourism is really picking up. The dental care in Managua Nicaragua was awesome and cheap.....fully modern.....Pretty good too here in Quito from what I have heard......doesn't do much if ur having a heart attack,lol But medical tourism is big business......Bogota Columbia has great laser eye surgery................