Cost of Wintering in Florida

One of the big topics of conversation in Florida is the cost of out-ot-country health insurance for Canadians. Each year it becomes increasing more costly for a Canadian to leave the country and it is this high cost that eventually makes it impossible for us to spend a comfortable winter in Florida.

My cost, at age 66, was just under $600 for 5 1/2 months. This is peanuts compared to one of the men here who, at age 85, had to pay out $5,700 for 4 months coverage. Fortunately, he can afford it but I'll have to stop coming here long before my cost is that high. The sad thing is that it's better for our health to be out of the cold and icy conditions back home.

A few years back my husband had an emergency procedure here in Florida that included receiving heart artery stents. The total cost of the procedure and 3 days hospitalization was $40,000 U.S. Because we didn't immediately contact our insurance provider and ask permission for the procedure (remember, it was an emergency) they refused to pay the bill. We went through 9 months of appeals with them until they finally agreed to pay. We presented them with hospital records which described every procedure as an "emergency" but they wouldn't back down until they discovered we also had x-rays of the arteries showing the blockages. Our Ontario Health Insurance Plan only contributed slightly over $1,000 Cdn to the $40,000 U.S. bill.

What I learned from this is that you have to contact the insurance provider before any procedure, even an emergency. They can insist that you fly home for treatment which costs them only the flight home. I know of one man here who broke his hip and his insurance provider made that poor man endure a flight home instead of allowing him to be treated here in Florida. In my husband's case, if they had told us to fly home I would have refused because it would have endangered his life. We have to know when to stand firm and demand what we paid for.