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Canada Relocation with Humira Insurance Coverage for Son with Crohn?

Hi: I have a job offer in Canada but my 11 year old son suffers from Crohn and is administered Humira on a regular basis. Does someone have a good experience in relocating to Canada while at the same time maintaining some kind of insurance coverage either through private or public institutions? Or would insurance completely deny my son coverage since he has preexistence?

Since my job is mostly home-based I can select the province to relocate. Any recommendation for provinces with better coverage for expat kids?

Thank you for your advice.
 

my little penguin

Moderator
Staff member
Check with your new jobs hr in terms of generic things like what insurance coverage there is ?
Cost?
Pre existing conditions?
Will you still be citizens of the US ? How does that affect insurance?
If your changing citizenship that can affect it as well
Tagging @Pilgrim
@Tesscorm
 

my little penguin

Moderator
Staff member

If your expat then your insurance isn’t through Canada
But through the US as an international insurance which is very expensive and tends to cover little
If I remember other previous posters correctly
 

Tesscorm

Moderator
Staff member
As can be seen by the links MLP provided, there are LOTS of details! :oops:

I'd start as Pilgrim suggested... speak to a Humira rep or, if your GI's office provides one, your nurse/liaison between GI and drug companies. I would imagine they'd be a solid starting point.

As far as private insurance offered by employers... my son recently started working and his company's insurance immediately covered his remicade knowing he already had crohns. I've been told (not sure if it was through insurance company or GI's liaison) that the group insurance provided by employers does not require info re pre existing conditions. All employees, new and old, are automatically covered.

Having said this, I'm not sure how citizenship or residency affects this.
 

Tesscorm

Moderator
Staff member
Just to clarify one point...

When I said my son was automatically covered, regardless that his crohns was pre-existing, this did not eliminate the need for the 'usual' approval of the treatment plan which, in my son's case, was remicade. We still needed to send in the forms, documentation for pre-approval of remicade treatment.
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
At one point my husband was going to be relocated to Canada from the U.S. and we looked at a lot of the same issues. However, we were not going to become citizens of Canada and would relocate as expats and he would remain working for a U.S. company with the same insurance as he had in the U.S. so there were no changes for us what so ever other than a new residence, docs, etc.
 
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