Medical services Access to medical services is universal in Québec, which means that these services are offered to anyone insured by the Health Insurance Plan. To benefit from this program, just present your valid Health Insurance Card. Covered services The medical services covered by the Health Insurance Plan are those that are medically necessary. They are rendered by medical specialists or general practitioners (also called "family doctors"). These physicians must participate in the public plan for their services to be covered. Examples of covered medical services: Diagnostic or therapeutic proceduresAnesthesiaCertain radiology services provided by a physicianSurgeriesConsultations, medical visits and examinationsMedically assisted procreationTreatments Barring rare exceptions, the above services are covered regardless of where they are rendered, for instance in: Rehabilitation centresHospitalsResidential and longterm care centres (CHSLDs)Local community service centres (CLSCs)Specialized medical centresMedical clinicsPatient’s home About the fees that are billed to you You can no longer be billed for a covered service, nor for anything relating to that service. For details, refer to the Obtain information on covered services and Reimbursement for covered services webpages. Other covered services Plastic surgery services covered under special authorization Services rendered only for esthetic purposes are not covered by the Health Insurance Plan. However, physicians may ask us to cover a plastic surgery service if it is medically necessary. They must participatein the public plan and have the skills required to perform the surgery. we will then determine whether the service can be covered. Here are examples of services that require authorization: Blepharoplasty (excision of any excess eyelid tissue)Correction of a scar elsewhere than on the face or neckGynecomastia treatments (removal of excess glandular tissue in men)Lipectomy (surgery to remove fatty tissue and surplus skin)Funnel chest treatment (pectus excavatum) You must obtain authorization before undergoing the procedure for the services to be covered. Consult your physician to find out more. Medical services during the waiting period eligibility after registration If you register for the Québec Health Insurance Plan upon arrival from another country, your coverage will start after a waiting period of up to 3 months following your registration. This period applies even if you are a Canadian citizen but does not apply to children under age 18. Since we do not reimburse health care and services received during this the period prior to your eligibility start date, we strongly recommend that you take out private insurance as soon as you arrive in Québec. To find out more about insurance, consult the Ombudsman for Life and Health Insurance. Pending receipt of your Health Insurance Card, be sure to keep the letter indicating that you are subject to a waiting period, because some healthcare services are available free of charge to persons waiting for their coverage to take effect, such as services: Until you receive your Health Insurance Card, you must keep the letter stating your waiting period. Upon presentation of this letter, certain healthcare services may be provided free of charge during the waiting period. Free services apply to necessary services, such as those: Needed by victims of conjugal or domestic violence or of sexual assaultRelated to pregnancy, child birth or termination of pregnancyNeeded by people suffering from infectious diseases that have an impact on public health Physicians who participate in the public plan For services to be covered, they must be provided by a physician who participates in the public plan. Other professionals practise outside the scope of the public plan and offer services that are not covered. To find out more, refer to the Professionals offering covered services webpage. Non-covered services Several services are not covered by the Québec Health Insurance Plan. You cannot use your Health Insurance Card to receive them. Therefore, you must pay for these services. Examples of non-covered services: Acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy, osteopathy, naturopathyCorrective laser surgery or other eye surgery aimed at doing away with eyeglasses or contact lenses. Surgery is exceptionally covered if there is documented failure to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses and anisometropia of more than 5 diopters or astigmatism of more than 3 dioptersConsultation with a physician and examinations in order to obtain a certificate relating to your health conditionMagnetic resonance imaging, CT scan (except in a hospital)Psychoanalysis (except when rendered in a facility authorized for this purpose by the Ministère de la Santé)Renewal of a prescription, without any other reason for consultationServices rendered for esthetic purposesTreatment of varicose veins by injection and the examination made at that time, in a private medical office Frequently asked questions Are ophthalmic services covered? The following products and services are free of charge if they are provided by a participating physician as part of a covered service:Optical biometry or ultrasonographyEye dropsRetinophotographyCataract extractionSoft contact lenses used to treat cataractsOptical coherence tomography to treat certain pathologies (age-related macular degeneration, macular edema cauwed by vein occlusion, diabetic macular edema, retinopathy of prematurity, malignant myopia, neovascular glaucoma, neovascular diabetic retinopathy, for example)The following costs may be billed to you, as they are carried out as part of a non-covered service:Toric contact lenses or speciality lensesRefractive surgery Are diagnostic tests covered? Certain diagnostic tests are covered if they are performed by a participating physician who practices in a medical clinic or a hospital. Here are some examples:Simple tests (group A strep test, screening tests for sexually transmitted or blood-borne infections, urine test strip, pregnancy test, blood glucose test, for example)ElectrocardiogramDiagnostic mammogramScreening mammogram if conducted:on a woman age 35 or olderone year after the last mammogramat a screening centre designated by the Québec Breast Cancer Screening ProgramTest for sleep apneaRadiography requested by a specialized nurse practitioner, a physician, a dentist or a physical therapistEchography (ultrasound)Exception: echography may be billed to you if it is interpreted by a physician other than a radiologist. Can I be billed for intrauterine devices? Hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs) cannot be billed to you by a physician participating in the public plan. However, the physician may ask you to procure the hormonal IUD at your expense at a pharmacy.Copper intrauterine devices are supplied by the health care network when their placement is made immediately after a voluntary interruption of pregnancy (VIP), carried out in certain private clinics and certain women’s health centres. If the copper intrauterine device is not related to a VIP, you must procure it at your expense at a pharmacy. Can I be billed for supplies or medications used during a covered service? Supplies and medications needed for treatment are covered only if they are used during a covered service, since they are included in the service. This includes the plaster of Paris, the basic splint, liquid nitrogen and viscosupplements.If a physician participating in the public plan provides you with a service (such as an injection), they are entitled to ask you to obtain from a pharmacy the medications necessary for the injection. However, the physician cannot ask you to procure the products needed for the service (such as an injection kit), since it is included in the service. If you wish to have a fibreglass cast or a premium splint, you will need to pay the difference between its cost and that of their basic model.Medications used during a non-covered service, such as an aesthetic service, may be billed to you. Is transport by ambulance a covered service? No. We do not cover the cost of transport by ambulance. For more information on the cost of ambulance transport as well as the government exceptional assistance measures, please consult the webpage Cost of ambulance transportation on the Québec.ca website. See also Obtain information on covered servicesDental servicesOptometric servicesProfessionals offering covered services
