# Questions about OHIP eligibility



## Despair (Feb 3, 2015)

I hold a OHIP card due to expire in 2 years time
Is it still valid bearing in mind that ....
1) Held residency visa for Ontario for 9 years
2) Satisfied rule of 3 consecutive years of 153+ days in Ontario (indeed, hardly ever left Canada!) 
3) Gained citizenship in late 2014
4) During 2014 worked abroad for over 212 days before returning to Ontario to permanent address
5) Did not notify OHIP in advance of being absent from Canada for more than 212 days (as requested in their regulations) because I didn't know how long the job would last (rolling contract project consultancy)
6) Did not keep a permanent address in Ontario when going abroad to work (lost my job in Ontario, couldn't find a new one and obviously, in grabbing a job abroad I couldn't afford to pay rent for an unoccupied residence and landlord would not permit subletting - I cannot believe the permanent residence rule applies in such a circumstance - it is ambiguous in the OHIP regulations and lacks common sense or at least lacks reasonable-ness)
7) Are points 5 & 6 above big enough transgressions for me to lose by OHIP status now that I am able at long last to re-settle permanently in Ontario? Do I have to (a) re-apply for OHIP status or (b) can I just continue with my OHIP card and notify them of my new permanent residence in Ontario?


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

From their website:


> Am I still eligible for OHIP if I temporarily leave Ontario?
> You may be out of the province for up to 212 days in any 12-month period and still maintain your Ontario health insurance coverage provided that you continue to make Ontario your primary place of residence.
> 
> To maintain eligibility for OHIP coverage you must be an eligible resident of Ontario. This means that you must :
> ...


=> you are not eligible based on this information
So that brings us to the next part:


> Longer Absences from Ontario
> 
> Will OHIP cover me during a longer absence?
> 
> In some circumstances (described below), your eligibility for Ontario health insurance coverage (OHIP) may continue while you are absent from Ontario for more than 212 days in a 12-month period in certain limited circumstances, as long as you maintain your primary place of residence in Ontario.


=> no again, since you didn't maintain your primary place of residence in Ontario.

You will have to re-apply. And wait 3 months for coverage. You can always buy private insurance to cover these 3 months.


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## Despair (Feb 3, 2015)

Thought I was covered. Nerver occured ot me that I was expected to maintain an EMPTY rented primary residence in Canada for longer than 212 days while abroad. Who can possibly afford that???

So I mistakenly saw a doctor in Ontario for a brief consultation thinking I was covered - never occurred to me I was expected to maintain my primary address in Canada . No medical treatment was involved in that doctor visit.

Do you think OHIP throw the book at me?


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

Pay a visit to your local Service Ontario location.


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## Despair (Feb 3, 2015)

EVHB said:


> Pay a visit to your local Service Ontario location.


My $64,000 question was "Do you think OHIP will throw the book at me?"

and your answer is "visit my local service Ontario location". 

I don't want to seem ungrateful but if you can't or won't answer the question, ie venture an opinion, I would have preferred either no answer at all or "don't know"


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

Go and talk to the people at your local Service Ontario location and see what they have to say about your situation.


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

Despair said:


> My $64,000 question was "Do you think OHIP will throw the book at me?"
> 
> and your answer is "visit my local service Ontario location".
> 
> I don't want to seem ungrateful but if you can't or won't answer the question, ie venture an opinion, I would have preferred either no answer at all or "don't know"


:clap2: :clap2: :clap2:


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## GWH64 (Nov 22, 2014)

Despair said:


> My $64,000 question was "Do you think OHIP will throw the book at me?"
> 
> and your answer is "visit my local service Ontario location".
> 
> I don't want to seem ungrateful but if you can't or won't answer the question, ie venture an opinion, I would have preferred either no answer at all or "don't know"


Which particular book did you have in mind?

Just get health insurance for the 3 months after you return to Ontario (or take the risk of being uncovered if you wish). 

The worst case (and it's quite unlikely) is that you get billed for the doctor's visit you apparently had.


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## Despair (Feb 3, 2015)

GWH64 said:


> Which particular book did you have in mind?
> 
> Just get health insurance for the 3 months after you return to Ontario (or take the risk of being uncovered if you wish).
> 
> The worst case (and it's quite unlikely) is that you get billed for the doctor's visit you apparently had.


***

Thank you for that opinion. I'm trying to reassure a friend who is making a mountain out of this molehill and driving me me nuts. Your opinion coincides with mine and maybe I can get my friend to stop fretting over what has become a quite un-magnificent obsession


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

I hope your friend was so smart to re-apply for OHIP meanwhile?
Or is he so obsessed that he doesn't dare to do that, because they may charge the one doctor's visit on his account? It's not that expensive. If I remember well, they charged us $70 or $90 for such a visit, in 2010.


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## Despair (Feb 3, 2015)

EVHB said:


> I hope your friend was so smart to re-apply for OHIP meanwhile?
> Or is he so obsessed that he doesn't dare to do that, because they may charge the one doctor's visit on his account? It's not that expensive. If I remember well, they charged us $70 or $90 for such a visit, in 2010.


I'll give my friend a tranquilliser and maybe have him accompanied by a ventriloquist to speak on his behalf!

Meanwhile thanks for this calming info


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