If you are a visitor to Canada or an IEC visa applicant, you might be unsure which policy will best suit your needs. 

Not to worry! We will cover one of the most unique visitor to Canada policies with policy benefits not available anywhere else - the MedEC policy. 

This article will cover who can purchase a MedEC policy, information about the MedEC policy, and some of MedEC’s unique policy benefits. 

Who can purchase the MedEC policy?

The MedEC policy is suitable for all visitors to Canada. The policy is available on BestQuote Travel Insurance for visitors to Canada on quotes above 300 days long. This includes: 

• International Experience Canada (IEC) visa applicants (Working Holiday, Young Professionals, and International Co-op (Internship)
• Super Visa applicants 
• Other visitors to Canada

The MedEC policy 

The MedEC policy is a travel insurance policy intended for medical emergencies. 

There are two MedEC policies: 

• MedEC Visitors Emergency Health & Repatriation Insurance - with Maple Healthcare Access - This policy provides standard coverage for visitors to Canada. All policy benefits are included except the Winter Sports addition.
• MedEC Visitors Emergency Health & Repatriation with Winter Sports and Maple - This policy provides standard coverage for visitors to Canada. All policy benefits are available, including the Winter Sports addition.

The MedEC policy does not provide coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. However, there are policies at BestQuote that cover stable medical conditions. You can browse pre-existing medical condition policy options by generating a quote. 

Are the IEC visa insurance requirements covered on a MedEC policy? 

The MedEC policy covers the three IEC visa insurance requirements listed on the Canadian government website: 

• medical care
• hospitalization
• Repatriation

What are MedEC’s unique benefits?

MedEC has a list of great benefits, including the ability to apply for an early return refund if you return home early from Canada (as long as no claim is submitted). You can take side trips of up to 35 days outside of Canada!

MedEC also has two unique benefits not found anywhere else:

• GHIP refund
• Maple telehealth

GHIP refund

The BestQuote MedEC policy is the only coverage in the world providing a partial refund when you enrol on a provincial government health insurance plan (GHIP). With the GHIP refund, you get 25% of the remaining premium on your policy minus a $25 administrative fee. 

The GHIP refund makes MedEC lower cost than most popular international policies if you enrol in GHIP. Plus, you can also submit an early return refund if you return from Canada early, making the MedEC policy great value!

What is GHIP?

GHIP is a term used to explain government health insurance plans across Canada. If you enrol in GHIP you get access to the same medical services as a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

Each Canadian province and territory has a version of GHIP with different coverage and eligibility criteria, so it’s important to check your intended province to see if you meet their GHIP eligibility criteria. Some visitors to Canada can enrol in provincial GHIP, including all IEC visa holders who meet the provincial health plan eligibility criteria. 

Here are the health insurance plans across each province and territory in Canada: 

• British Columbia = Medical Services Plan (MSP)
• Alberta = Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP)
• Ontario = Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP)
• Québec = Québec Health Insurance Plan
• Nova Scotia = Nova Scotia Health Card (MSI)
• New Brunswick = New Brunswick Medicare
• Manitoba = Manitoba Health
• Saskatchewan = Saskatchewan Health Benefits Coverage
• Yukon = Yukon Health Care Insurance Plan (YHCIP)
• Prince Edward Island = Health PEI
• Nunavut = Nunavut Health Care Plan
• Newfoundland & Labrador = The Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Care Plan (MCP)
  

Provincial GHIP is free, and you are entitled to enrol when you have a valid work permit and letter of employment (typically 20+ hours/week, 6 months or more eligibility requirement). It normally takes up to 3 months to enrol in GHIP, depending on your province.

Please note: if you have an IEC visa, you need to keep your insurance policy even if you are enrolled in a Canadian government health plan, as GHIP does not provide the repatriation requirement.

Maple telehealth

From policies starting November 01, 2024, the BestQuote MedEC policy now provides access to a virtual healthcare clinic called Maple. 

MedEC policyholders get three prepaid doctor’s appointments per year for free! 

If you’d like to know more about using health services in Canada and Maple, check out our article on how to access medical services in Canada.

How to purchase the MedEC policy for your trip

To purchase the MedEC policy for your visit to Canada, generate a quote on our website to see all the policy options for your trip. 

If MedEC is available to you, it will appear on your quote. You can see the summary of benefits, eligibility details, and the price of the policy and compare MedEC to other policies all on your quote!