Moving Provinces: How to Transfer Your Health Coverage

To transfer health coverage between provinces, speak to your current plan and apply to the plan where you will live. First, confirm when the old plan ends. Then confirm when the new plan starts. These dates help you check whether there could be a gap.

Start with the dates of your move

Write down when you leave your current home and when you will live at the new address. Next, ask each plan how those dates affect you. The rules may depend on your status and whether the move is permanent.

Do not assume that every province has the same wait. For example, Ontario’s OHIP guide says there is no waiting period for eligible people. Other plans have different rules.

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Ask the old plan what it will cover

Tell your current plan that you are moving for good. Ask for the last day of your cover. Also, ask what happens if you need care in the new province before that day.

For a move out of Ontario, OHIP’s out-of-province rules describe cover through the last day of the second full month after you leave. However, this is an Ontario rule. Do not use it as the end date for a different province’s plan.

Ask how to claim a refund if a provider bills you directly. Then keep bills and proof of payment. Also, check the deadline for any claim.

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Apply to your new plan promptly

Use the new province’s official health-plan page. Check its list of accepted proof of identity, status and address. A document accepted in one province may not meet another plan’s rules.

For example, B.C.’s MSP guide describes a general wait for new or returning residents. It may include the rest of the month you become a resident, plus two months. Check exceptions and your own start date with MSP.

Keep the receipt for your new request. Then follow up if the plan asks for more proof. A change of address alone does not enrol you in a new province’s plan.

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Compare the two plans

1. First, note the old plan’s confirmed end date.
2. Next, note the new plan’s confirmed start date.
3. Compare them and ask about any gap.
4. Also, check the rules for care during the move.
5. Finally, keep the answers with your health documents.

Check extra services separately. For example, drugs, ambulance trips and dental care may follow different rules from core health cover. A valid health card does not mean all costs are paid.

Plan ongoing care

Before the move, list your regular medicines and booked visits. Ask your current provider how to pass records to a new one. Also, start looking for a local doctor if you need one.

If there may be a gap, check suitable private cover before you move. Read the terms, including exclusions for existing health issues. Otherwise, a policy may not cover the care you need.

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What if you are moving somewhere else?

Use the same two-plan checklist. However, get the dates and document rules from your own province of departure and destination. The Ontario and B.C. examples are not a full guide to every province.

Can you keep using the old card?

Only while you remain eligible under that plan’s rules. So confirm the end date rather than relying on the date printed on the card.

More help from CanadaHelp

• Plan a move to another province
• Apply for a health card
• Check what a health plan covers