Ontario has been described to be one of the largest provinces in Canada. The government of Ontario has initiated a health insurance plan which is popularly known as Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). This health insurance plan is also known as Assurance-Santé de l’Ontario. This scheme is run by the government and is basically for the health insurance plan for Ontario.
Since its a program run by the government, this insurance scheme is mostly funded from taxpayers’ money. It comes from the payroll of tax deducted from gainfully employed residents in Canada and also from businesses operating in the province as well as payments sent across from the Canadian government.
This program allows for every citizen living in Ontario to have access to healthcare facilities free of charge, with no cost attached. Through this program, every citizen which includes both those who are primarily or permanently resident in Ontario, are entitled to have access to emergency and preventive treatment which is totally free of charge.
This program is also for healthcare workers who may be practicing doctors or any medical personnel. These medical personnel residents in Ontario are entitled to receive treatment free of charge.
The government has also enabled every practicing medical personnel and health care facility in the province to be a part of this program, this means the residents can need and engage their services at any time. The OHIP will take care of the bills through the government.
Actually, drug prescription has to come from hospitals or dental care centers. This is because the OHIP does not cover prescriptions outside these hospitals or dental care. However, a program has been established for this course, and it’s known as the Ontario Drug Benefit Program.
The program takes care of the payment or finding of drugs for seniors who are beneficiaries of the OHIP. Another program has been established to pay for Trillium Drugs for households with very high drugs prescription costs. Any prescription drugs that have been prescribed for younger adults and also persons under 25 years, the drugs have been covered by OHIP through another program called the OHIP.
In as much as everyone is liable and eligible to be covered by this insurance program, it is pertinent to note that there are criteria that will enable a resident to enjoy these benefits.
Requirements for OHIP Program
- Being a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident is the first requirement to be eligible for the OHIP program. An individual who is a holder of a work permit can also qualify for OHIP.
- Ontario should be the individual’s permanent or principal home. This is a very important requirement to make the individual eligible for OHIP.
- Being physically present in Ontario for 153days within the 12 months in a year, is another advantage to be eligible.
- Any individual who has not stayed in Ontario for three months is not eligible and cannot be covered by the OHIP. It doesn’t matter if they are Canadian citizens or permanent residents, as long as they have not been residents in Ontario for three months, then they are not eligible.
How to apply for OHIP
As an applicant, you must apply for OHIP in person at the Ontario service center. In applying, certain documents showed be submitted. They are:
- An Ontario Health Insurance Coverage form that is filled with the necessary details.
- Original documents that show proof of identification. Three of these documents are needed and they should be original not photocopies or electronic printouts.
- A document that shows proof of your Canadian citizenship which will depict that you’re eligible for the OHIP program. This document can be a Canadian birth certificate or permanent resident card.
- A document that shows proof that you live in Ontario. This document can be an Ontario driver’s license or an income tax assessment.
- A document that supports your identity, that also shows you must have carried out transactions in Ontario. It can be a credit card.
What health services does the OHIP cover?
The health services OHIP covers include;
- A visit to the family doctor.
- An appointment to a clinic around the neighborhood, a visit to a walk-in clinic, or any other healthcare facilities around.
- Medical checkups and tests
- Medical surgeries
- Emergency health-related issues that cause a visit to an emergency room.
Note that cosmetic surgeries are not covered by the OHIP. The issues covered are health-related issues.
How to know who is eligible for OHIP
- An individual who is either a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident and must have lived in the province of Ontario for 3months.
- Those who are married to a military officer or a crown servant.
- Individuals who have applied for a permanent resident card but live I’m Canada.
- Those who applied for permanent residence cards from outside Canada, which means from other countries.
- Individuals who are holders of the work permit
- Individuals who has applied for permanent residence, Canadian citizenship, immigration or Refugees and have confirmed that they meet all the requirements to apply for the above listed and they have not been denied, these individuals are eligible for OHIP.
Is there a service charge for OHIP?
As long as you are an Ontario resident or a citizen, you have automatically been covered by the OHIP program as this program helps to take care of health emergencies that you must have had. Through this program, you can have access to health care facilities and take preventive health care measures free of charge.
Guidelines on how to write the OHIP Open Work Permit letter of Employment
- The letter must be written on a letterhead indicating your employer’s company.
- The employer will have to sign the letter and also write down the date using a pen. Signing with a pen is a strict instruction that must be followed and must be enforced. Only such signature is acceptable.
On the letter, it should state:
- That the employee is a full-time staff
- The position the worker occupies in his occupation.
- Where the employee will be working, the location of the company which should be within Ontario, although it does not have to be located in Ontario itself.
- On the letter, the address or city where the worker will be working will be fully stated.
- The first day the worker started working.
- That the worker has worked and is employed within a minimum of 6 months.
When submitting the letter, it should not be:
- A letter of acceptance of an employment offer or an employment offer letter.
- The letter should not be a photocopy or scan but an original letter
