Today, we’ll be taking a high level look at the Ontario health care system. With a bit of guidance from your friends at Novus, you’ll have no problem finding the right type of healthcare for you and your family in Canada’s most populous province. Let’s get started!
Administration
Healthcare in Ontario is administered by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (www.health.gov.on.ca). The ministry’s responsibilities include providing services to the province of Ontario, regulating hospitals and nursing homes, and coordinating emergency services.
The Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP)
The Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) provides provincial health insurance for medically required services administered within Ontario. In order to be eligible for OHIP, you must be a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant and live in Ontario for 153 days out of any 12-month period, and obtain an Ontario health card.
OHIP premiums are drawn from your Ontario income taxes and range from nothing for people making under $20,000 to about $900 for households making $200,000 or more.
Some notable exclusions from what OHIP covers includes procedures that are not medically required (cosmetic surgery), dental services (unless provided in a hospital), eye examinations for those between the ages of 20 and 65, and prescription drugs.
Your OHIP coverage extends beyond Ontario! As long as you show your Ontario health card in another province, your eligible medical costs will be billed to OHIP. Out of Canada, OHIP will only cover emergency services, and then only to the amount that it would pay for the same services in Ontario, which can lead to large foreign medical bills. When travelling abroad, keep medical travel insurance in mind!
The Ontario Public Drug Programs (OPDP)
The Ontario Public Drug Programs (OPDP) are six publicly funded drug programs offered by the Ministry of Health to qualified residents of Ontario.
These programs are:
- Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) Program
- New Drugs Funding Program (NDFP) for Cancer Care
- Special Drugs Program
- Inherited Metabolic Diseases (IMD) Program
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Program for High-Risk Infants
- Visudyne Program
The Ontario Drug Benefit Program will cover the cost of prescription medication if you are over the age of 65, on social assistance (Ontario Disability Support Program and/or Ontario Works), a resident of homes for special care and long-term care homes, receive people receiving professional home care services or are registered in the Trillium Drug Program.
Health Advice Hotline: 24/7!
Telehealth Ontario is a nurse telephone advice and health information service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To access Telehealth, dial toll-free 1-866-797-0000, or visit www.ontario.ca/page/get-medical-advice-telehealth-ontario. Healthy Ontario (www.healthyontario.com) is another great online resource for high quality health information and services available to Ontario residents.
Other Services
In addition to what is offered by OHIP and Ontario’s various drug plans, the province also offers various other healthcare services and assistance plans. These include specialized cancer programs, workplace insurance coverage, eldercare and disability support, financial and living assistance for those with disabilities, and many more.
To learn more, you could speak to a healthcare practitioner or consult the Ministry of Health. Novus is also an excellent resource for you—we provide a complete database of healthcare options available in Ontario. We wish you the best of health!
For more health information, visit the health section of our blog!
