About Out-of-Province and Out-of-Country Coverage
Before you leave the province, it’s important that you understand what is covered
under your health plan and the impact a large claim could have.
If you have an individual plan, please consult your benefits booklet
or
contact us
. Individual health plans typically do not provide emergency out
of country coverage.
If you have a group plan, please consult your benefits booklet,
contact your plan administrator, or
contact us
. Generally, group health plans provide coverage for emergency
medical expenses incurred for you and your dependents while traveling outside of
Canada, but there may be limitations such as the number of days outside the province.
Unlike many other insurers, and with the exception of some retiree plans, most of
our group plans provide coverage for pre-existing health conditions.
Do you need additional travel coverage?
Individual plan members are always advised to purchase travel coverage, and those with a group plan also
benefit from purchasing additional travel coverage to ensure they’re fully protected.
Here are some examples of expenses not generally reimbursed by the out of country
coverage in a group plan:
- Diagnostic procedures
- Elective treatments
- Follow-up visits or routine care
- Baggage insurance
- Trip cancellation
- Repatriation of deceased
- Subsistence allowance (child care if parent is hospitalized etc)
To better understand the limits of your group plan coverage, we have put together
this comparison to illustrate the
differences between out-of-country coverage in your group health
plan vs. additional travel coverage
available from Pacific Blue Cross.
You can purchase travel insurance any time of day or night online at www.pac.bluecross.ca/travel/ or by calling 1 800 873-2583
during normal business hours. Please note travel insurance must be purchased prior
to departure from your province of residence.
You can also download our mobile app available for iPhone and Android. In addition
to enabling you to purchase coverage on your phone, it also gives you access to
your policy while you travel in case something unexpected happens.
How to Claim Out-Of-Province/Out of Country Medical Expenses
The following instructions relate to claims for out-of-province and out-of-country
expenses, for our Travel Plan holders, or for Group or Individual Plan members with coverage for out-of-province or out-of-country emergency medical expenses.
If you live in BC and experience a medical expense in any other province or territory, other than Quebec, please download,
fill-in, and submit the Pacific Blue Cross Out of Province claim form from Step 1 below.
If you live in BC and experience a medical emergency in Quebec or outside of
Canada,
please submit the following documentation to Pacific Blue Cross:
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Step 1
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-
Download and Print our Pacific Blue Cross
Out of Province Claim Form Package
.
- Complete the Pacific Blue Cross Out of Province Claim Form.
- You must indicate the nature of illness for each medical expense.
- The member (policy holder) must sign the claim form.
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Step 2
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- Complete a Medical Service Plan of BC (MSP) Out of Country Claims Form included in the Out of Province Claim Form Package (available above).
- The patient or legal guardian must sign this form.
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Step 3
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Complete a "Schedule A" form included in the Out of Province Claim Form
Package (available above).
NOTE: When filling in the form, Assignment means the dates of your travel. These dates must match your Health Insurance BC Out-of-Country Claim Form under Section A – Date of Departure from BC and Date of Return to BC.
- The patient or legal guardian must sign this form. Any corrections made to the forms must be initialed.
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Step 4
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Attach all the paid in full original receipts or invoices that you received for
the services/items rendered. If receipts/invoices are in another language
it is the member's responsibility to translate these documents.
-
Ensure you take copies of your receipts/invoices, prior to submission, for your
records.
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Signatures must not be digital. Please print and sign these forms, and submit along with originals of all receipts to PBC Out of Country Claims, PO Box 7000, Vancouver BC V6B 4E1. You are also welcome to drop your forms and receipts to our office at 4250 Canada Way, Burnaby BC, between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:30pm, Monday to Friday (excluding statutory holidays).
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If you live outside of BC and experience a medical emergency in another province,
territory or in another country:
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Step 1
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Contact your local Provincial/Territorial medical plan to obtain their claim forms.
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Step 2
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Submit the original receipts along with their completed claim form to your provincial/territorial
plan office for consideration.
-
Ensure you take copies of your receipts/invoices, prior to submission, for your
records.
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Step 3
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- Await the reply from your provincial/territorial plan.
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Step 4
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Upon receipt of the statement of payment or denial from your Provincial/Territorial
medical plan please complete a Pacific Blue Cross
Out of Province claim form
. You must indicate the nature of illness for
each medical expense. The member (policy holder) must sign the claim form.
-
Attach all the paid in full original receipts or invoices that you received for
the services/items rendered. If receipts/invoices are in another language it is
the member's responsibility to translate these documents.
-
Ensure you take copies of your receipts/invoices, prior to submission, for your
records.
-
Submit the statement of payment or denial, the claim form and original receipts
to our office for review.
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