OHIP and the United States?

Question

I heard that OHIP has some sort of agreement with the U.S. and that OHIP can be helpful if a Canadian, in my case, from Ontario were to get injured and need to visit a hospital in the states. Is this true? What would happen if the American hospital were to hear I was from Canada? Would I be charged more?

Answer 1

Yes, but I don't think it's an "agreement" per se. I think you have to put the money upfront and and then OHIP reimburses you.

Answer 2

The Ontario Government website, encourages citizens to get supplemental insurance when travelling to the United States.

Here is why
If you are injured or become ill while travelling outside Canada, OHIP will pay for emergency health services as follows :

If you receive medically necessary emergency care from a physician or other OHIP funded health care provider, OHIP will pay to a maximum of what it would have paid had the service been provided in Ontario.
Emergency inpatient hospital services eligible for OHIP coverage will be paid as follows :
the amount actually billed to a maximum of $400 (Canadian) per day for higher level hospital care, that is rendered in a coronary care unit, an intensive care unit, a neonatal or paediatric special care unit or an operating room of an eligible hospital or health facility
up to $200 (Canadian) for any other kind of medical care
Emergency outpatient services, with the exception of dialysis, will be the amount payable by OHIP if services had been rendered in Ontario or $50 (Canadian) per day, whichever is less for all outpatient services provided on any given day. Out-of-country dialysis treatment will be paid at a rate of $210 (Canadian) per day.

Medical expenses in the US can be thousands of dollars for minor injuries.

Answer 3

OHIP is only in ontario. (Ontario Health Insurance Plan)
Whether or not they help over there...I don't know. Try calling the Heath Department.

Answer 4

I hope not. Seeing that crimaliens sneak in from our south border demanding free health care, and getting it through federal gov't fiat, I can't imagine a Canadien being overcharged.