A friend of mine has a son who is working illegally in Canada for the summer. She's been worrying about his insurance (he's got some kind of international insurance that will expire shortly), but a coworker told her not to worry, that health care in Canada is free for everyone, including undocumented workers. I was impressed! Is that true?

Very interesting article. Nice job, Sher.

Actually, I don't think it's true to say "if you're on the grounds, you're covered", but it may depend on which province; each has a slightly different system. When I arrived in BC as a legal immigrant, I was not eligible to join the BC health care plan for three months:

'New residents or persons re-establishing residence in B.C. are eligible for coverage after completing a waiting period that normally consists of the balance of the month of arrival plus two months. For example, if an eligible person arrives during the month of July, coverage is available October 1. If absences from Canada exceed a total of 30 days during the waiting period, eligibility for coverage may be affected...

...New residents from other parts of Canada should maintain coverage with their former medical plan during the waiting period. New or returning residents arriving from outside Canada should contact a private insurance company for coverage during this period.' www.hlth.gov.bc.ca

The US government says, 'Make certain that your insurance policy covers you during your time in Canada. Consider purchasing supplemental or other insurance if your own policy does not provide this coverage.' travel.state.gov

Of course, health care isn't really free anywhere. In the UK, it's paid for from general taxation. In Canada, once you're eligible for coverage, there's also a compulsory insurance payment (means-tested and not so expensive).

The guy wouldn't be denied medical care, in any province, but the authorities wouldn't be very pleased about it.

This is interesting. I'm sure the authorities wouldn't like it, but my friend isn't the least bit concerned about her son being deported. In fact, she'd kind of LIKE it if he were deported, because it would be like a free ticket back to Mexico. I told her that if he gets deported, he probably won't be allowed back into Canada for a while, but that's not a major concern for her. It's doubtful that he'll get sick or get deported - he's a young man and only plans to be in Canada for a couple more months. Anyway, I think it's incredible how progressive Canada's health care system is!

Anyway, if I get pregnant after we move to the US and find I can't afford it there, maybe I can move in with my Canadian relatives for a few months! (Just kidding!)

This makes me wonder... does Canada require that children show legal status to study in Canadian schools? Also, is a child born in Canada automatically a Canadian?

A front-page story in the Vancouver Sun today talks about how BC is owed $10m by foriegners who received health care here, and then went home without paying. They're thinking about putting the names on a list, so that these people could be stopped at the border if they ever tried to re-enter Canada.

Newnickname, do you mean that BC is upset because people went home without paying the small copay that you described, or because they went home without paying for the entire service?

What happened to the days when people obeyed the laws, and made it on their own without the general population paying their their expenses?
Why should the people of Canada be stuck with this guys medical bills?

Scotty, I see your point, but my question isn't about morality or about what *should* be done. My question is about what *can* be done.

I don't have the original article anymore, but I'm sure this was about people who needed emergency care while here, then went home without paying anything. To qualify to join the provincial insurance scheme, they would have had to be here for three months or more, on some kind of visa.

From the article it seems a lot *can* be done. I remember in the same paper, some time ago, a letter from someone complaining how poor his hospital care had been, and how rude the admin. staff had been about his not having paid the compulsory insurance although a BC resident. He didn't seem to see the possible connection between people not paying and a poorer service.

Anyway - it seems, for tourists and visitors, you get the treatment you need, and then, if you don't pay and just go home, nothing happens.

The same probably applies to school. Turn up with your child, and he or she will probably be taught. At some point, an office person might get round to checking about eligibility.

Canadian bureaucracy - unfairness sometimes tempered by inefficiency.

Very interesting. Thanks, NNN.