Understanding the difference between the government health plan and your Blue Cross
extended health care plan
You wouldn't be the first person to wonder what the difference is between the Extended
Health Care coverage provided by Pacific Blue Cross and the Medical Services Plan
provided by the BC government.
Government or public plans provide coverage of core health care services such as
physician services and hospital acute care. The government health plan is a pre-paid
plan that ensures medical coverage is available to all residents of BC as defined
by Health Insurance BC. All BC residents
are required to enroll with the Medical Services Plan. When a resident enrolls for
government coverage, they are billed a monthly premium and issued a CareCard with
a personal health number.
Supplementary benefit providers like Pacific Blue Cross provide private insurance
for non-core services that are either not covered or only partially covered by the
government health plan. Employers, unions and associations (also known as plan sponsors)
can purchase group coverage or individual consumers can purchase coverage for themselves.
What the government health plan covers
The BC provincial government health plan covers core health services including:
- medically required services provided by a physician
- diagnostic services, (x-rays , laboratory services provided at approved facilities
when ordered by a registered physician, or certain other health care practitioners)
- basic hospital ward accommodation.
In addition to these core services, the government health plan may provide limited
coverage for other services in some cases, however most other health expenses are
not covered.
The following is a summary of the coverage limitations under the BC government health
plan. These expenses may be eligible for coverage under your Blue Cross plan. See
CARESnet for your plan's coverage details.
- Prescription Drugs: For eligible residents born after 1939, PharmaCare
pays 70% of prescription drugs after a deductible based on your income has been
reached. Once a family maximum amount (also based on your income) has been reached,
the program will pay the rest of your eligible drug costs, but only for the balance
of the year. For more information about government drug coverage see How BC PharmaCare
Works.
- Dental: Not covered except for dental and oral surgery when medically
required to be performed in hospital. The government covers surgical removal of
a wisdom tooth only when hospitalization is medically required. The removal of healthy
wisdom teeth, even if impacted, is not covered. Orthodontic services related to
several congenital facial abnormalities may also be covered.
- Registered Therapists and Health Practitioners: Paramedical services
are not covered unless the resident and dependents have premium assistance status.
This includes chiropractic, massage therapy, naturopathy, physical therapy and non-surgical
podiatry services. Surgical podiatry is covered for all BC residents.
- Vision Care: Eye glasses, contact lenses and Lasik eye surgery
is not covered by the government health plan, nor are routine eye exams for residents
19 to 64 years old. Routine eye exams are only covered for residents 18 and younger
and 65 or older and for all residents only when medically required for example,
in the case of eye disease, trauma or injury, or health conditions associated with
significant risk to the eyes, such as diabetes.
- Hospital Accommodation: Only standard ward rooms are covered. Semi-private
and private acute care accommodation is not covered by the government health plan.
- Local Ambulance: Ambulance fees are not covered by the government
health plan. Residents are required to pay a variable flat fee when service is requested
regardless if transport is required or refused.
- Private Duty Care Nursing: Not covered in most cases. A daily fee
is charged based on your income as reported on your most recent income tax form.
- Medical Equipment and Supplies: Items like casts, crutches, oxygen
and oxygen supplies, wheelchairs, hearing aids, blood pressure monitors and more
are not covered by the government health plan.
- Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment and Disability Insurance:
None of these are covered by the government health plan.
- Emergency medical Insurance for travel outside of BC or Canada:
Government coverage does not pay for all the health care costs incurred outside
the province, and the difference can be substantial. For example, BC pays $75 CDN/day
for emergency in-patient hospital care, while the average cost in the USA often
exceeds $1000 US/day, and can be as high as $10,000 US/day for intensive care.
As well, most physicians in other Canadian provinces and territories (except Quebec)
will bill their own provincial health plan for services if you present your valid
BC CareCard. The provinces recover the funding between each other. When travelling
in Quebec you will likely be required to pay for your medical services and seek
reimbursement later from the government health plan.
The government strongly advises BC residents to purchase travel insurance when travelling outside of Canada and to other Canadian
provinces to cover the cost of services not included in the reciprocal agreement
between provinces.
This summary of government health coverage is based on information provided by Health
Insurance BC. It is intended as a general reference only and may not be up-to-date
when changes to public health coverage are made by the BC government. Other government
programs and services may be available. Always refer to Health Insurance BC for
the most up-to-date information about the government health plan.