What You Should Know When Travelling Outside Manitoba

October 8, 2009

Travelling outside Manitoba involves special problems and issues that should be addressed by everyone BEFORE they leave the province.

Basically to remain eligible for Manitoba Health benefits you must be present in Manitoba for at least 183 days of the year (these do not have to be consecutive).

Moving?

Moving away from Manitoba is also a time when extra insurance can come in handy. People who do make a permanent move should apply to the Insured Benefits Branch of Manitoba Health for an Out-of-Province Certificate. That will ensure they are insured for the remainder of the month in which they arrive plus two months.

In cases where you are employed outside of Canada temporarily you must provide Manitoba Health with a copy of your work contract. At their discretion Manitoba Health may extend your coverage for up to two years.

Limits

However the benefits paid out are limited to what Manitoba Health will normally pay to Manitoba doctors. As everyone knows this cost is frequently not the same in other countries – for example, in the United States the average cost of a hospital stay for an uncomplicated birth is around $8,800.00 with a Caesarean delivery increasing the costs to $11,000.00 (Source: The Business of Being Born, a film documentary).

So the Province would cover you for the average cost, which can vary. In 2003 the cost for an uncomplicated birth was $2,800.00 and the cost for a Caesarean delivery was around $4,600.00 (Source: http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/dispPage.jsp?cw_page=media_26apr2006_e).

The remainder would come directly from your pocket.

In other words, not having insurance can cost you a lot!

Official Advice

The advice given by Manitoba Health is unambiguous:

Please note: We recommend you explore private insurance options along with your Manitoba Health coverage. (Source: http://www.gov.mb.ca/health/mhsip/index.html#drcountry)

And if you do choose to buy travel health insurance (and we suggest you do!) then please come down to Hilton Insurance Services and let our experienced brokers help you make the right choice.

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