If I go to Canada as a tourist and hae a baby over there, is it going to cost me anything? or is it free?

Question

I am going to be going to Canada as a tourist and if I end up having my baby over there I want to know if its free because they have free medical health care over there.

Answer 1

definately NO... its only  "free" to permanent residents and residents of Canada and you need to present a healthcard from one of the provinces.  

You need to take out health travel insurance if you think you might have baby here because you will be billed as a foreigner if you have in hospital here.  Prices for that are almost the same as the US if you dont have medical coverage.,    I mean you wont be denied care or anything even without insurance but definately billed for it.  

Answer 2

only canadians get the health cover,you would have to pay all medical and doctor bills yourself

these can be thousands of dollars

having a baby in canada will not enable you to stay,you will have to leave when your visa expires

note travel insurance does not cover maternity either

Answer 3

You must be  a resident.If your coming to BC go to medical  service  plan

Answer 4

What is going on with so many people that they think health care in Canada is both free and available to just anyone who happens to be here visiting?

Health care in Canada is NOT FREE. It never was and it never will be. It is a service paid for by the taxes Canadian citizens pay.

As for your plan to have your baby here in Canada, don't even think about doing that. Before you can even enter Canada as a tourist, you will have to have purchased supplemental health care insurance. Provincial health care WILL NOT pay the cost of you having your baby. In fact, you will be given a rather thick and hefty bill to cover the costs of your hospital stay, the doctors, nurses and any medication you may receive.

In short, you would not be entitled to gain access to our health care system because you don't pay into it.

Answer 5

We do not have free health care in Canada.We have government health insurance,It`s  paid through are taxes,lotteries and casinos also help with the cost .Most provinces still require you to pay insurance premiums.So it`s not free, it`s affordable.You have to be paying into it before you qualify for coverage.

Answer 6

It's definitely not free.  You can ask around for the cost.  Maybe it's cheaper than where you are living.  I've heard figures from $5000 to $8000.  The benefits are that your baby would be a Canadian citizen and depending on if where you are from allows dual citizenship, your baby could be a dual citizen.

To be covered by the "free" healthcare that we pay for through our taxes and health care premiums, you would have to immigrate to Canada legally.  Provinces have their own health care systems so they differ a bit in who they cover and what the waiting time is but generally you are covered if you are living in Canada on a work permit, as a permanent resident or citizen and the waiting time is usually 3 months after you move there.  You are covered by the province you live in but they negociate between them so if you travel from your province to another, they will still help you and send the bill to your province.

Answer 7

Are you a Canadian?  No?  You better have travel insurance.  

Answer 8

Nope- it won't be free unless you are a permanent resident of whatever province you are visiting. You can, however, get travellers health insurance- for example at AAA- just make sure you disclose to them that you may be having a baby and ask them if it's covered beforehand.

Here in Canada you need to have something called a Health Card to be covered for free medical care. No health card? No free health care!

Answer 9

No it's not FREE and neither is the 18 or so years you'll spend raising it. Big Bucks.

Answer 10

No, as a visitor to Canada you are not covered by their health care system.  Your own US insurance probably will not cover it, either.  

Add:  I did a little research on travel insurance to Canada, and on most of them, pregnancy is considered a pre-existing condition and is not covered.

Answer 11

If you try to get travel insurance there's a good chance that they won't cover you for pregnancy since that is a "pre-existing" condition.  

You would have to pay for the delivery out of pocket.