Vancouver - Post Report Question and Answers
Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
None. We go to the walk-in clinic here for small things and go down to Bellingham, WA for everything else. - May 2017
Medical care is awesome; the socialized health care is amazing, though you might need to wait for an MRI or Ultrasound. I delivered via Cesarean in Vancouver over Seattle and had the best obstetrician ever. - Aug 2015
Some people switched to Canadian health care but most people I knew kept their U.S. coverage and either used providers in Vancouver and/or traveled to Washington and elsewhere. - Jun 2014
Doctors are very good, but they sometimes tend to be overwhelmed by the number of patients. Do not expect anything thorough or complete. A cursory visit is the best you can get. - Mar 2012
If you are here with diplomatic status and have a family, I strongly suggest that you invest in the local MSP CARE card system. Otherwise, you have to pay up front and file for reimbursement. If you have special-needs kids it is a great system because there are a lot of great community health programs for behavioral therapy, speech therapy, and other needs. If you have a medical emergency, you won't have to pay thousands up front and wait to get paid back. There is no MED unit here, so you have to use the local system or drive over the border, which can be time-consuming and not practical in a real emergency. Local insurance for a family of 3 is CAD 114 month. Dental is not covered, but annual eye exams for kids under 19 are covered by the CARE card. - Jun 2010
You qualify for Canadian health insurance if you live more than 6 months, it's very cheap (~US$1,000 per annum for family of two) but you have to deal with socialised healthcare. - Oct 2008
