Expatriate Insurance Canada for Americans

American expatriates in particular don't think about international health insurance and expatriate issues when they take an expatriate assignment in Canada.  However, they really should take the same steps planning here as they would for an expatriate assigment to China.

First, you cannot keep your U.S. domestic health insurance carrier if you are residing full time in Canada.  By residing full time, in most cases we mean three months or more.  If you have permanently relocated and moved your family to Canada for an expat assignment you should very quickly secure an expatriate health insurance program and drop the U.S. coverage before it drops you. 

The problems with relying on a U.S. medical program while working in Canada are numerous and proper expatriate insuance in Canada means avoiding these U.S. plan problems:

1. Coverage can simply be denied because the U.S. insurer is unable to provide coverage for permanent residents of Canada.
2. Canadian hospitals may not use U.S. FDA approved drugs and these would be denied by a U.S. health plan.
3. Even if coverage continues coverage under a U.S. PPO or HMO plan for an expat in Canada, it may only pay for healthcare that is emergency in nature.  An American cannot choose elective care in Canada and may only find out after it's too late and the medical claim in Canada is denied.

An American should obtain the proper expatraite insurance in Canada for other reasons beyond the medical plan.  There can be similar problems with the U.S. life insurance plan for expatriates, and the U.S. long term disability plan for expatriates.  Dental and vision will have the same problems as the medical plan.  It's not like Iraq, obtaining the proper expatriate insurance plan in Canada is easy, and should be done the week before the assignment.