I'll ask again, how does Canada's free healthcare work if you move there after you retire?

Question

I asked this question, but all I got was a bunch of people telling me how bad their system was and how bad Canada is. Thanks for not even being close to not answering my quesion? So I'll re-post it:

I know you have to live in Canada for a minimum time to receive their free health care. But the idea is you are paying taxes into the system and you get free healthcare in return. But if you are retired and not working, then does it still work the same way? Since you aren't and have never paid Canadian tax, do you still get the free healthcare?

Please don't tell me how much their healthcare system sucks or how they are socialists or how they have no freedoms. If you want a place to rant about Canada, post you own question. Please just try and answer my question about retiring in Canada.

I got a few more informative answers this time. thanks for the info.

Also, have any of you who diss Canada's health system every actually been to their hospitals? Because I've had to wait long in US hospitals. I once had to wait 8 hours for doctors to set and cast a broken bone when I went to a hospital once. And since I've never been to a Canadian hospital, I can't comment on their pros and cons. And I'm guessing most of you haven't been to one either.

Answer 1

You would have to apply in whichever province or territory you are moving to. The site I gave you will show you how to apply.

Accessing Health Care
Accessing Canada's health care system involves first applying for a provincial health card. Excluding inmates, the Canadian Armed Forces and certain members of the RCMP, the Canada Health Act requires all residents of a province or territory to be accepted for health coverage. There is a waiting period in place for new immigrants that cannot exceed three months.

Once a health card is assigned, it is used whenever visiting a physician or health care provider. The health card contains an identification number, which is used to access a person's medical information.

After obtaining health coverage, one can register with a primary care physician. For routine visits to a physician, one needs only present their health card. There are typically no forms to be filled out or individual service fees.

The availability of physicians depends largely on the number of doctors and the current demand for medical services. Currently there is about 1 primary care doctor for every 1000 Canadians.

Health care in Canada is funded at both the provincial and federal levels. The financing of health care is provided via taxation both from personal and corporate income taxes. Additional funds from other financial sources like sales tax and lottery proceeds are also used by some provinces.

Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario also charge health premiums to supplement health funding, but such premiums are not required for health coverage as per the Canada Health Act.

At a federal level, funds are allocated to provinces and territories via the Canadian Health and Social Transfer (CHST). Transfer payments are made as a combination of tax transfers and cash contributions. The amount of funding provinces and territories receive is significant, and topped $35 billion in 2002-2003.

In 2000, the new budget injected an additional $23 billion of investment into the health care system.

Canada's health care has a large impact on the Canadian economy. Here are a few facts and figures about the economy and health care:

Health care expenditures in Canada topped $100 billion in 2001.


Approximately 9.5% of Canada's gross domestic product is spent on health care. In comparison, the United States spends close to 14% of its GDP on health care.


Individually, Canadians spend about $3300 per capita on health care.


At a provincial level, funding is between one-third and one-half of what provinces spend on social programs.

About three-quarters of all funding comes from public sources, with the remainder from private sources such as businesses and private insurance.

One of the forefronts of debate in Canadian politics is its health care system. There are many factors in the debate, but some key issues are:

Federal involvement in health care: Because provinces and territories are responsible for the actual administration and delivery of health care in Canada, friction is apparent whenever policies are set at a federal level.

Private health care: While privately funded clinics do provide certain services with shorter wait times than the public system, there are those who object to any privatization of the health system. The arguments are that a "two-tier" health care system will unbalance the system and favor those with higher incomes.

The shortage of doctors and nurses in Canada: Some feel that Canada's health care system does not adequately compensate health care providers. This has led to a "brain drain" of Canadian doctors and nurses, which have left Canada to pursue careers in the United States. Attracting and keeping skilled medical workers is a priority if Canada is to be able to provide proper medical services.

Answer 2

The problem is not how the healthcare system works : the problem is, will you be accepted in Canada as an Permanent Resident.

Canada is well aware that it health system can attract older people, who seek lower cost medical than let's say, the USA. So Canada made it extremely difficult to immigrate after a certain age, which is I think 45-50. The only way to immigrate to Canada after this age is to be sponsored by a family member, or be an investor. Otherwise, you have no chance. It fair after all : why would you benefit from something you didn't pay for ?

Any landed immigrant can apply for his provincial health system. In some of them (at least Ontario & Québec as far as I know), you have a 3 months period before you actually get it. That is to prevent people from just crossing the border to get medical stuff...

Anyway, weigh the pro and the cons. Honestly, I think American should concentrate on making their own government create a better health system rather than going to Canada, but hope it works out for you.

Answer 3

Us lifetime Canadian tax payers just bite the bullet...don't worry, we are Canadians, we don't mind....

And don't worry, you'll be paying tax...provincial sales tax and federal sales tax...plus all sorts of hidden taxes when you buy property and the like. How do you think we can afford the free healthcare.

You have to be a Canadian Citizen or immigrant, though...and then you must apply for a health care number from the province you are residing in...and I don't believe you will be considered a resident of a province until you have been there for a year.

Also, our system does not suck as bad as people say...everyone everywhere complains about wait times and the like....I have had some pressing issues that have always been attended to in a timely fashion, including surgery wait times for even a non life threatening problem.

Our ER's and doctors offices do get a little backed up, but that is since we don't pay, people don't think twice about going for a cold...or going to the ER to get a boil lanced or the like.

I just couldn't imagine having a sick baby or something and having to worry just as much about the costs as the welfare of my baby.

AS TO YOUR ADDITIONAL DETAILS:
I have never had to have treatment in the US...but I have had sevral friends who have needed to be attended to with a broken bone in Canada and they waited maybe five hours.....

in fact about 2 months ago, I managed to get a nasty cut in my arm...I was throwing a box of garbage into a large bin, when I caught my arm on a large jagged copper pipe in the bin...it zippered my skin, but looked way yuckier than it was...in fact it barely bled...I didn't even care about a scar....problem was I hadn't had a tetnus shot in exactly 10 years....it was a Sunday, and I felt bad for going to the ER in the first place..but you know what...they told me I did the right thing to come in....and was in and out..from check in to out....in 45 minutes....and didn't pay a cent.

Answer 4

I would think that you would have to become a citizen first. Remember just because something is "free" doesn't mean that you want it. It is kind of like saying If I move to Canada will they give me a free couch? And the answer is yes. But when you get into the details you find out that what they do is back up a truck to your house and dump a load of horse crap into your living room and then shape it into a couch for you. It is true that they gave you a couch but when you look at it really all it is, is a big pile of crap.
If you are not able to obtain health insurance here because of bad health know that the Canadian system will most likely kill you.

Answer 5

The Canadian Health care sytem is a provincial run program.
Every province is responsible for administrating its own system.
Example: New Brunswick is medicare, Quebec has carte soleil., Ontario is Ohip.. so on and so on.

In order to be entitled to use any of these programs you must be legal resident in Canda. Say for example you lived in the USA but you were born in Canada. If you never gave up your Canadian rights you may choose to move back permanently and apply for
Health Coverage. This sometimes means giving up your visa or other to proove so.

Usually the process can take up to 3months if all sufficiant proof is sent in with application. The proof can vary from situation to situation. A person should verify with the province they will be moving to , to insure they qualify.

I hope this is helpful...

Answer 6

Sorry dude, no landed immigrant status, or no citizen status no free health care. If you become one of the above, our government'll tax you somehow (pension or capital gains etc) so you'll end up paying end the long run. And not everything is free. You'll still need health insurance for dental, prescriptions, crutches etc.

It would be better to pay for health insurance and stay in the US. At least you have a doctor that has your health history.

And thanks for backing us up. Our health care system is pretty good. I've had to use it for a broken leg, and a spinal disease. I've had 16 X-Rays, 3 Cat Scans, 5 MRIs and paid absolutely $0. It's nice to walk out of a hospital never having to pull out anything except a health care and never knowing how much it costs!!!

Answer 7

this is how it works,you retire,and move to canada,once there you apply for your heath care card,and then you go to the doctor for some aliment,and find out you have to wait several months,or years to receive treatment,then you go to the U.S.,and pay cash,and get healed.

Answer 8

What's all this about free stuff, Just buy some kind of insurance that will take care of you. I hope the CHENTE AND LOUDOBBS are not right about all anti-immigrants.

Answer 9

It's actually easier to get the benefits if you're a senior citizen.