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Health Care in New Brunswick
Medical Services Insurance
Like all other provinces in Canada, New Brunswick -- with the assistance of the federal government -- provides a publicly-funded health services program. the new Brunswick plan, called MSI (Medical Services Insurance; otherwise known as Medicare) insures eligible residents of New Brunswick for all medically required physicians' services provided in the doctor's office, at home or in hospital. All necessary surgical services are insured, including the services of anaesthetists and surgical assistants where necessary, as well as obstetrical care, the treatment of fractures and dislocations, referred specialist services and all diagnostic services. MSI also insures certain dental-surgical procedures performed in a hospital.
Primary Care
The Primary care sector operates very similarly to the UK.A patient registers with a family doctor/general practitioner and any referrals to a specialist are directly arranged by the GP. The same applies for outpatient appointments, blood tests etc.
Secondary Care
The hospitals are operated very similarly again to the UK although New Brunswick boasts quite a few state of the art hospitals and medical centres.
Dental
Dental care is very high on the healthcare list of priorities. Dental Hygiene appears much more thorough and twice yearly visits to the hygienist [at least] are common practice. Fees vary from practitioner to practitioner and children under the age of 10 years receive free dental exams and hygiene [conditions may apply].
Drugs
There is a wide selection of pharmacies in New Brunswick; most large supermarkets will have a pharmacy; Over the Counter medicines are available to consumers; similar to the UK really.
Prescription drugs are charged to the patient. In other words, you pay for the actual price of the drug; a private health plan will help to subsidize these costs as bills can soon mount up!
[NB; Paracetemol is known as Acetaminophen in Canada]
Seniors
There is a comprehensive pharmaceutical scheme for all ages.
Is there a Private Healthcare System?
There is, in essence, no private sector medicine available; there is really no comparable system to say, for example, BUPA; there are however, private medical plans which are helpful in supplementing the provincial plan for drugs, hospital and extended health services, such as physiotherapy etc.
These will also help supplement the cost towards dental treatment.
When gaining employment, it is certainly worth ascertaining the health and dental benefits on offer as this can help tremendously when budgeting your average monthly outgoings!
What happens when you are new?
If you have moved to New Brunswick, you may be eligible for New Brunswick Medicare coverage on the first day of the third month following the month you have established permanent residence in New Brunswick. For example, if you moved to New Brunswick on July 20, the month of July will count as the first month, with August and September as the following two. In this case, coverage would begin October 1. The three month waiting period is legislated under New Brunswick's Medical Services Payment Act and no exemptions can be made.
Your New Brunswick Medicare card has an expiry date. Three months before this date, you will receive a "Notice of Expiry" form which you must complete, sign and return to New Brunswick Medicare. Once the form is received and no additional information is required, coverage will be renewed and a new card sent out with a new expiry date. Please note that New Brunswick Medicare has the right to terminate your coverage or adjust your card's expiry date at any time.
Various government and non-government agencies use the New Brunswick Medicare number for identification purposes or will request it for proof of identification. If you have any question about the use of your New Brunswick Medicare number, please contact New Brunswick Medicare.
Since changes are made from time to time to the acts and regulations of the New Brunswick health plan, please contact New Brunswick Medicare for the most current information.
Extras
For more extensive information on the healthcare system , please read more....