When it comes to your family, taking care of their physical and mental wellbeing is a priority.
Although the Canadian government does provide basic healthcare coverage, many Canadians need additional health insurance to cover certain medical costs. If you have kids, these costs can quickly add up over the years, especially if they have medical conditions that require ongoing treatment.
If you have a family, it’s important to know what’s covered by the government along with how workplace coverage works to see if you need any additional coverage.
The public health care system is designed to ensure all Canadian residents have reasonable access to health care. Canada doesn’t have a single national plan, but 13 separate provincial and territorial health care insurance plans.
These plans pay for your basic healthcare services and needs, and what’s covered will vary depending on where you live.
Generally speaking, these plans will cover things such as visits to the hospital or doctor, but may not cover other healthcare or paramedical services such as acupuncture, physiotherapy, and chiropractic services.
If you have a family, you may find that without additional coverage, you must pay out-of-pocket for medical care that’s not covered by your province or territory. Depending on how many children you have along with how much you spend on your own health care needs, this could potentially mean paying thousands of dollars in health care each year.
To bridge the gap between your provincial or territorial coverage and what you pay for your family’s prescription drugs, dental and vision care, you typically have 2 options – workplace benefits (if your employer provides a plan), or personal health and dental insurance.
Many employers in Canada offer workplace benefits that can be extended to cover your spouse and dependants.
The coverage available will vary depending on employer or workplace, but most plans will cover costs such as:
Many workplace benefit plans allow you to customize your coverage to your needs, and so your spouse/partner and children up to the age of 18 may also be eligible for coverage under your policy. Adult children aged between 19-25 who are still in school or are disabled may be eligible for coverage under your plan, too.
There are a couple of ways you can protect your family with health coverage beyond what’s offered by the government:
When it comes to buying personal insurance, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach as the needs of each family are different. If you have a family for example, you should consider:
Some plans also give you the option to add some coverage that could help provide:
If you’re unsure about which plan might be best for your family, you can compare health care plans that might be right for you.
Insurance is paid for through monthly payments known as premiums. How much you’ll pay in premiums will depend on your specific circumstances. With Freedom to Choose, plans start at just a few dollars a day. You can get a quote online in minutes to see how much you’d pay for a plan that covers you and your family.
Although you’ll pay a premium for the health coverage you choose, it’s important to remember it might be less than you’d pay out-of-pocket for medical bills.
You could also be eligible to claim eligible medical expenses Opens a new website in a new window on your tax return, which could reduce your overall tax bill.
The information provided is accurate to the best of our knowledge as of the date of publication. This information is general in nature, and is intended for educational purposes only.
If you’d like to explore plans and see how much they could cost you, get a quote.
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