Province of Quebec

Most doctors participate in the Health Insurance Plan. Treatment is free when you present the Health Insurance Card issued by the Quebec Health Insurance Plan at the time of your doctor´s visit. The Health Insurance Plan reimburses participating doctors directly for the services they provide. You should check with the doctor in advance whether they participate in the Plan.

A small number of doctors do not accept the Health Insurance Card. These doctors charge the patient directly, who can then apply for reimbursement from the Health Insurance Plan. Such doctors are required to inform patients of their status.

In addition, some doctors who have opted out of the Health Insurance Plan entirely (non-participanting doctors) do not accept the Health Insurance Card, and you cannot claim reimbursement for any services provided by them. Non-participating doctors must also inform their patients of their status.

A doctor’s referral is usually required for hospital treatment. In urgent cases, you can go directly to a hospital. Emergency care is free of charge if you have a Health Insurance Card issued by the Quebec Health Insurance Plan.

You are responsible for your own dental care costs. However, the employer’s insurance may cover all or part of the dental expenses for you and your family members. More information on dental services for children is available on the Quebec Health Insurance Board (Régie de l’assurance maladie) website. Dental services are also provided during the school day for primary school children. Some schools have a travelling dentist who visits the school to clean and examine children’s teeth.

Only certain groups are eligible for reimbursement of prescription drugs under the Health Insurance Plan. To be eligible for reimbursement, a person must be insured under the separate Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan, which is available only to people over the age of 65, those with low income, and individuals who are unable to obtain private insurance.

If you are not covered under the public plan, it is recommended that you take out a private insurance plan. Private plans are usually available through employment or membership in a trade union. In such cases, prescription drug costs will be reimbursed according to the terms of the private insurance plan.

Healthcare services are extremely expensive for people travelling to Canada on a temporary basis. A single doctor´s appointment can cost over one hundred Canadian dollars, and hospital expenses may amount to several thousand. Therefore, you should take out comprehensive travel insurance before travelling to Canada.

Canada has a national health insurance programme designed to ensure that everyone has reasonable access to medically necessary healthcare services. Individuals covered by the programme receive services on a prepaid basis, while those staying in the country temporarily must pay the full cost of care.

In general, healthcare services in Canada are excellent. Specialists and laboratory services, for example, are widely available. To see a specialist, you usually need a referral from a general practitioner. However, if you are not covered by the national health insurance programme, getting an appointment quickly can sometimes be difficult. Treatment may be obtained faster at a private medical centre. You may need to pay for the visit yourself initially, even if you have travel insurance.

Remember to make sure that your patient data is transferred between countries. You can provide those responsible for your follow-up care or your health centre with the patient records concerning the treatment you received abroad. If the patient records need to be translated, you will be responsible for arranging that yourself.