Page 24 - CSA Travellers' Report Card

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24
The Canadian Travellers’ Report Card
PRESERVATION OF HEALTH COVERAGE FOR FREQUENT TRAVELLERS
C
(2006: C)
Permanent New Brunswick residents who plan to be
temporarily absent from New Brunswick for a vacation, visit
or business trip, remain insured during their absence, provided they live in New Brunswick for at least six months
(183 days - consecutive or not) during a 12 month period.
You may be temporarily absent from New Brunswick for up to 182 days (consecutive or not) in a 12 month period
without it afecting your coverage, provided your intention is to resume permanent residence in New Brunswick.
If you need to be absent for more than 182 days, you must submit a written request to New Brunswick Medicare
asking that your eligibility be maintained during your absence. Eligibility can be extended for up to 12 months
beyond the original 182 days once every three years.
Change since last report:
None.
Recommendations:
While permitting six months of travel is a good step, the regulations should be amended
to extend this period to eight months. In addition, New Brunswickers should be permitted to make an unlimited
number of short-term trips anywhere in the world without afecting eligibility; this could be accomplished by pro-
viding that a trip of less than one month is not counted as time absent from the province. Finally, the restriction on
applying for extended coverage (one request every three years) should be lifted.
ACCESS TO EMERGENCY HEALTH COVERAGE WHEN TRAVELLING
D-
(2006: D-)
New Brunswick does not reimburse its residents for out-of-country emergency health services at the same rate
as in-province services; this contravenes sub-paragraph 11(1)(b)(ii) of the Canada Health Act. The maximum rate
paid for out-of-country hospital in-patient services is $100 per day. While New Brunswick would not disclose its
per-day rate provided for emergency services within New Brunswick, $100 is well below the average rates paid for
in-province services elsewhere in Canada. New Brunswick reimburses emergency out-patient hospital services re-
quired by travellers at a rate of $50 per day. This is also below the average rate per day paid for in-province services
in other jurisdictions. Out-of-country emergency physicians’ fees are paid at a rate equal to what New Brunswick
physicians would receive for a similar service.
Change since last report:
None.
Recommendations:
Reimburse emergency in-patient and out-patient services required by travellers at the same
rate per day as that paid for similar services within the province and continue to update these rates to match
changes in real costs.
ACCESS TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS FOR USE DURING TRAVEL
C-
(2006: C-)
The New Brunswick Provincial Drug Program only directly covers the cost of up to a 100-day supply of drugs. A
100-day supply is insufcient for the six-month trip that a New Brunswicker may take while still maintaining health
coverage. A traveller requiring more than a 100-day supply has two options: pay for an additional supply and sub-
mit the receipt for reimbursement or make arrangements with the pharmacy to have an additional supply sent
abroad. These options create a burden that many other Canadian travellers are not required to bear. Further, New
Brunswick will not reimburse the cost of drugs purchased outside the province.
Change since last report:
None.
Recommendations:
Amend the drug program to cover a supply of medication equal to the length of the maxi-
mum permitted absence from the province. Reimburse the cost of medication prescribed by appropriately accred-
ited physicians and dispensed outside New Brunswick.
New Brunswick