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Insured hospital services provided to beneficiaries of the Newfoundland Hospital Insurance Plan, who are temporarily absent from the province, or who are medically referred outside the province for insured treatment, are eligible for coverage under the Provincial Plan. Coverage within Canada is in accordance with the terms and conditions that apply to residents who receive insured services within Newfoundland and Labrador. All residents are required to present a valid Medical Care Plan (MCP) card when accessing insured hospital services in other jurisdictions. Uninsured services, as outlined under the Plan, are not funded outside the province. Patients and/or private insurance companies are responsible for payment of non-insured hospital services.
Insured in-patient hospital services are payable based on the standard ward rate for the facility providing the service. Provincial/Territorial Ministries of Health establish standard ward in-patient rates for insured facilities within their province/territory. Hospitals providing insured in-patient services to residents of other jurisdictions require completion of a Declaration of Hospital Insurance Coverage Form by the patient or next-of-kin.
Specialized in-patient services, such as transplantations, are payable based on National High Cost Rates established by a National Committee, the Coordinating Committee on Reciprocal Billings (CCRB). Out-patient services are payable based on National Out-patient Rates also established by the CCRB.
The Provincial/Territorial Ministry of Health, on behalf of the hospital where services are received, invoices and recovers insured hospital costs from the Newfoundland Hospital Insurance Plan, Department of Health and Community Services.
Under the Newfoundland Hospital Insurance Plan, residents who are temporarily absent from the country for vacation, temporary employment and/or educational leave are eligible for insured hospital services in accordance with the following rates established by the Plan. Hospital services are considered under the Plan when the insured services are provided by a recognized facility (licensed or approved by the appropriate authority within the state or country in which the facility is located) outside Canada. Patients seeking coverage under the Newfoundland Hospital Insurance Plan are required to complete an Application for Out-of-Country Benefits which must be supported by a detailed itemized statement of account from the out-of-country hospital where services were obtained. Some foreign hospitals may agree to submit claims directly to the Newfoundland Hospital Insurance Plan, while some facilities may require patients pay the account when the services are rendered.
The Newfoundland Hospital Insurance Plan pay the following:
Inpatient | a maximum of $350 per day in a community or regional hospital |
Outpatient | a maximum of $62 per day |
Haemodialysis | a maximum of $220 per day |
All payments are made in Canadian Currency and are subject to change. After payment by the provincial health plan, the remaining account balance is the responsibility of the patient and/or private insurance.
It is strongly recommended that residents traveling outside Canada ensure that they have adequate private health insurance to supplement their provincial health plan.
If you are planning to have insured medical/hospital treatment which you think may not be available in Canada, and are seeking funding under the Newfoundland Hospital Insurance Plan and/or the Medical Care Plan, you must ask your physician to request prior approval from the Medical Care Plan (MCP) before obtaining such treatment in another country. By doing so you will be made aware in advance of the rate at which your hospital bills will be reimbursed.
If a patient opts to travel outside the country for medical service/treatment and prior approval has not been granted, payment will be in accordance with those established rates and any balance remaining is the responsibility of the patient and/or private insurance.
If prior approval is applied for and granted based on the unavailability of the services in Canada, the Newfoundland Hospital Insurance Plan will provide coverage for medically necessary hospital services. Payment (provided the rates are deemed to be fair and reasonable as determined by the Department of Health and Community Service) will be in Canadian dollars.
If prior approval is applied for and not granted based on the availability of the services in Newfoundland and Labrador, the Newfoundland Hospital Insurance Plan will make payments in accordance with the established rates cited in the table above. Any balance remaining will be the responsibility of the patient and/or private insurance.
If prior approval is applied for and not granted because the services are available within Canada, but not in Newfoundland and Labrador, the Newfoundland Hospital Insurance Plan will pay for these services up to the Reciprocal Billing rates charged by the Canadian jurisdiction where the service is available. Any balance remaining will be the responsibility of the patient and/or private insurance.
Upon receipt of all the required documentation to support a claim for insured hospital services, the Newfoundland Hospital Insurance Plan will make the eligible payments to the appropriate party. If the patient has paid the claim and provides proof of payment, reimbursement will be payable to the claimant. If private insurance has paid the hospital directly, reimbursement will be payable to the Insurance Company. If the account has not been paid, payment will be made directly to the hospital.