OHIP and Supplemental Health Insurance

Hi, I will be moving to the US in December to begin school in January. I understand that I will be able to retain my OHIP coverage as an international full time student by submitting certain forms to the Ministry of Health. I also understand that OHIP will only cover for the equivalent cost of the coverage in Ontario, which could be substantially less.

Fortunately, my University provides health insurance for full time students, which covers 80% of the cost of the care. My question is, do you know if I will be eligible for OHIP coverage on top of this supplemental coverage? i.e. if my plan pays for 80% of the cost, could I submit a claim for the remaining 20% of the cost to OHIP?

Also, does anybody have information on what standard costs for medical care might be in a US hospital? As a resident of Canada for my entire life, I really have no idea what it usually costs to go see the doctor. If I was in a car accident and was in the hospital for a month, would I be looking at cost of care in the thousands of dollars, tens of thousands of dollars, or more? I really don't want to be on the hook for 20% of a $50,000 hospital bill!

Any tips you have would be appreciated

If you have 80% coverage from a US insurer, it can't hurt to submitt a reimbursement form to OHIP for the remaining 20%. All they're going to do is either say no, or pay it. Which you won't know until you submitt the claim.

As for hospital costs, it depends on where you are. But yeah, if you get into a horrible accident and require constant hospital care for a month, the bill will be in the several thousands, if not several hundreds of thousands of dollars. And yes, you will have to pay for it. My husband a few years ago had to sell his house to pay hospital bills when he had cancer (before we were married). A co-worker whose child has cancer is constantly being harrassed by bill collectors. This is one of the things that annoys me no end here in the US. The "richest country" on the planet, and people go bankrupt to have hospital care, even when they do have insurance.

It takes getting used to.