“I’m covered by RAMQ. Why pay for travel insurance?” It’s probably the question we hear most before a trip to the United States. The short answer: because RAMQ reimburses care received abroad at Quebec rates, a fraction of American prices.
What RAMQ covers outside Quebec
The public plan keeps covering you outside the province, but reimbursement is capped at the amounts set in Quebec. For care received in the U.S.:
- Hospital care: reimbursed at a fixed daily rate, far below the real cost of an American hospital stay.
- Physician fees: reimbursed at the Quebec rate for the procedure, not the billed rate.
- Ambulance, medication, repatriation: essentially at your expense.
The gap, in real numbers
In the U.S., an emergency-room visit routinely bills in the thousands of dollars; a hospital stay of a few days can reach tens of thousands, and an intensive-care stay far more. After RAMQ’s reimbursement, the gap, sometimes more than 90% of the bill, is yours to pay.
That is exactly what travel insurance is for: it covers the difference, 24/7 assistance, and medical repatriation if needed.
“I’m only going for the weekend”
The length of the stay doesn’t change the price of an emergency. A skiing fracture in Vermont or chest pain in Plattsburgh costs the same on a weekend as in high season. Travel insurance is priced by the day, on your age, your health and the destination, so a short trip is priced accordingly. See your price in a few minutes.
What about credit card insurance?
Some cards include travel coverage. Check three things before relying on it: the maximum trip length covered, age-related exclusions, and how pre-existing medical conditions are treated. Card coverage is often limited on at least one of those three. If in doubt, our guide private health insurance vs. RAMQ untangles what the public plan covers and what private insurance adds.
The simple rule
The moment you cross the border, even for a day of shopping, travel insured. The risk is small, but the potential bill is out of all proportion to the premium. Get a price in minutes on our travel insurance for Canadians page.