Quebec Six Months or Seven?
Posted date : Nov 7, 2017.
In a previous bird talk forum, it was mentioned that P.E.I. is the only province that doesn’t allow seven months’ absence to retain their health plan. In checking online with the Quebec Health Plan, I see nothing that says that and it appears they are saying six months. I know this seems true as I was recently asked to provide proof that I was in Quebec for at least six months. I had to provide six months of credit card statements proving I spent money in Quebec – we spend six months less about 10 days every year in Phoenix, Arizona. Can you confirm what the rule really is?
Richard Lefebvre
Longueuil, QC
Response:
ED: Currently, Québec has one of the most travel-friendly policies on health coverage for absent residents. In order to maintain coverage under the Québec Health Insurance Plan, residents must be present in Québec for more than half of the year. Specifically, the total number of days of absence in a given calendar year must be fewer than 183. What differentiates Québec is that, in addition, an unlimited number of short-term trips, each no longer than 21 consecutive days, can be taken without counting toward the total number of days of absence. CSA is working to amend that to 23 days, which would be even more convenient for members.
