SHOCKED! Healthcare Montreal vs Paris I 7 Things that SURPRISED me! I France vs Canada Culture Shock
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- Опубліковано 2 чер 2024
- Salut! I filmed this video over a month ago now, so I had been in Montreal about two months when I was visiting all the doctors. When I moved from France/Paris to Montreal/Canada, I knew that there would be new systems and ways of doing things to figure out. But i was really hoping that the health care system could stay a surprise until we got our insurance cards from the RAMQ. But, my wishes did not come true and by our second month, i had done a couple of different tests and doctors visits and really had to navigate the new health care system here! Boy was I surprised! If you are interested in learning about the differences in healthcare system in France vs Canada, some culture shocks as an american/french in Canada, you are in the right place! Enjoy the video :)
#movingtomontreal #francevscanada #francevscanadahealthcare
I lived 17 years in Canada, now I am happy to be in France🎉
In Canada you have to google your symptoms and create a case before you go to the doctor. The maximum time they are allowed to give you is 15 min. They are paid by the government. If you have more than one issue you have to ask for separate meetings with the physician. The family doctor will send you to a specialist only if you are dying.
Health care in Canada works well for research and when you are dying!
By the way most of the medicines are not cover.
The Best of lucks, at least you are in the Quebec region and not Toronto
The whole situation with family doctors in QC is very frustrating. I've been here for 4.5 years, with RAMQ, and still don't have one. I had to insist with a doctor from a walk-in clinic last year to prescribe me a blood test to check my iron levels, which indeed appeared to be low, and didn't get a follow-up from him. I was able to access the results online with Carnet de Santé after 30 days and went to my local pharmacy to get advice. I find the pharmacists very helpful here and a lot more accessible than doctors.
truth!
We are extremely spoiled with our healthcare system in France. Even now that it's quite chaotic it's still amazing with extremely competent doctors.
The speedy access is something very parisian, you will not be as lucky in provinces as we are here.
When I was living in Denmark, I was flying back home for my medical checkups after experiencing the local healthcare.
Good luck with your health issues.
French doctors and nurse are underpaid
Shouldering the healthcare system
If Quebec doctors and nurses where paid like their French counterparts
They would work at least their 40 hours
And their woud be better access
Quebec has more doctors per capita than Ontario
But they work less then Ontarians
Time is money
When you have money
You can take the rest in time
French doctors are underpaid?? Do you actually know what you’re talking about? Do you know any French doctors ??
same happens to me and i am canadian now but I have my family in new delhi ... its way fast! Quebec & most part of canada is horrible in healthcare unless u are dying probably
I'm American and find the French Healthcare system to be a bit of a joke. Preventative care is not a thing.
@lavinder11 i am curious to know what makes you say that.
You probably didn't live here long enough to be targeted by prevention campaigns.
From a very early age, we get a list of mandatory vaccines, then until the age of 18 we get free yearly dental checkups, in schools we have free vaccination campaigns for key diseases such as hpv or hepatitis b.
Later in life, we get free screenings for the most common cancers.
At school, we even get nutrition awareness during "la semaine du goût ".
Alongside these, we get regular communications from our social security regarding certain diseases, and our doctors encourage us to get regular checkups (fully reimbursed).
Health care in Canada, while partially funded by transfers from the federal government, is managed by each province individually. As a result, experience can vary greatly across the country. In British Columbia, the funding system for general practitioners changed this year and has led to an increase in the number of family doctors. I have one now, for the first time in years. We also have urgent/primary care centres which are kind of like a cross between an ER and a walk-in. Walk-ins are privately run while urgent/primary care centres are run by the local health authority. You normally have to wait a day or two at least for a walk-in appointment but at urgent/primary care you can see them within a few hours and it doesn’t need to be an “emergency” like the ER.
Born and raise here never a doctor ever ask me if i was ok with what he was prescribing ! Also when you get you RAMQ card you will be able to register to your Carnet de Santé online where you can access all you test results l, scan, xR…
In Paris we have never had any difficulties with a Doctor's appointment and being from the US we were still charged the same $25 flat rate. We love our Doctor there. We spend a great deal of time in Ontario and have become very familiar with the system in that Province. If you need a knee or hip replacement, you go on the "list" and then wait a year for the surgery. Cataract surgery is the same. A friend recently moved to Nova Scotia from elsewhere in Canada and was told he had to wait three years to see a specialist. I recently saw a report on CBC that some areas in the Eastern Providences have an 80% shortage of nurses. Lastly, a friend in Ontario began to lose feeling in her feet. She lived outside London and it took two years before she was finally diagnosed with ALS shortly before she passed. Emergency's and Cancer are treated quickly, but good luck with basic care in Canada.
As a binational Can/US citizen who has retired in France, I click on your videos when I see them, out of curiosity. I just wonder how long it will be before you decide life was so much better here and come back to France with your family.
I hope you feel better soon! Thank you for the video😊
thanks!
I hope your health check was all OK in the end. That’s what matters most. Thanks for the insight. Really informative and upbeat tone despite the topic.
Hi Kate. The Quebec government has officially phased out the family doctor since they finally realized that the current generation of doctors do not work the same number of hours as in the past, and just having more doctors is not sufficient. Before my family doctor retired, he told me that he took care of 1200 patients, but newer doctors would not take on more than 500 patients. This attrition has has been going on for more than 10 years. We are now assigned to a practitioner group. As for not getting your test results, this is a limitation of the private clinic that you went to. If you use the public system, all of your test results will be available in your carnet santé file (through cliqsanté). Also, once you get your RAMQ card, there will be no out of pocket expenses other than the medication. Medication is generally more expensive in Canada than in Europe. Unfortunately, the US supplies much of our medication so prices continuously increase as a result (although costs are generally lower in Canada than the US). Covid has exacerbated the problems in the health care system and there is a huge undertaking to try and rectify all of the problems that were exposed as a result. While you are living in Montreal, you will be exposed to all of the debates, just like you will be exposed to all of the orange construction cones. There are more construction cones in Montreal than there are rats in Paris 😀
What you're saying here about family doctors is your personal opinion, and not something that's official or even close to reality. No, the government is not phasing out family doctor.
And no, most of our drugs does not come to the US. Europe is a major partner, and some very important products such as Advil are made in Canada (advil is made on Guelph, Ontario ... You can look it up).
hahhah "there are more construction cones in Montreal than rats in Paris" I think i prefer the construction cones for now but time will tell :)
@@hdufort Let me clarify what I stated. The government is not actively phasing out the family doctor. Previously, they had set the goal of solving the problem of too many citizens not having access to a family doctor. After adding a better scheduling system and increasing the number of general practitioners, they realized that the shortage was more accurate than initially estimated, since newer doctors work fewer hours (this has been discussed in the many press conferences by the Health Minister). To resolve this continual shortage, the government will find a group of doctors for you once you request it through the Québec Family Doctor Finder (GAMF). You can always attempt to find your own doctor, but you will have great difficulty as most people will attest to. Consequently, the government has abandoned the idea of every citizen having a family doctor and over time, as doctors retire, most citizens will be assigned to a group of doctors.
Secondly, I misspoke about the direct cause of the high cost of medication in Canada. There are multiple reasons such as pricing for non-generics is fixed on a percentage of the cost to the patent owner, and recommended pricing is also based on a group of countries, the most important being the United States. In 2018, Health Canada proposed changing the countries Canada compares prices with, and put forward a list of 11 countries with similar GDP per capita that no longer includes the United States (the highest cost). However, actual pricing is still the jurisdiction of the provincial governments and not the federal government. Bottom line: generally speaking, we pay more than Europe, but less than the US.
I live in Toronto, Ontario. I have always had a family doctor and my grandchildren have pediatrician specialist. The health care system here has served me and my family very well. We are most grateful. I'm so sorry you are not having a good experience. I hope things improve soon.
Happy to see you back 😊
Thanks!
Quebec healthcare system can be hellish, even for QC residents. Here are some of the things I’ve learned over the years.
- Try to go to the same walk-in clinic. The doctors might change but they will have all your medical file and you can have a better follow up.
- For vaccines, once Ele has her RAMQ card, you can book an appointment to your local CLSC for her vaccines. Nurses are allowed to give vaccines without a prescription from a doctor.
- You should have access to a medical insurance that covers your prescription drugs and other services through your or your husband’s employer. It may vary but they usually cover 70-80% of the costs. You need to give your insurance number to your pharmacist.
- On the same subject, pharmacists can prescribe medicine for some common diseases like fungal vaginitis, many children common diseases, etc. It’s always worth to ask them some advices.
Thank you for the tips!!
The period to wait is three months. This even applies when you change provinces. You have to continue using the insurance of your previous province until you get the new card. This same practice also applies to a driver licence and car registration.
My employer offered optional insurance. It covered private blood tests, paramedical treatments like physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic, dental etc. It didn't cover doctor's visit, however over the years, the ability to go next door and take a number for a blood test was worth the premiums. They did give me a copy of results upon request. If you work for a multinational they may offer this as part of a benefits package. It's worth checking into. My family was also covered by my private plan. Those who already are in the system and have a family doctor are blessed. Even though our health care system needs improvement, there is the reassurance that we won't go bankrupt paying for hospital costs if we need surgery. Good luck with getting your card soon.
Wow you're educating me I live in Ontario and I have a family doctor and my son had a pediatrician within 48 hours of birth. I thinks there is a huge backlog for medical procedures because things almost came to a halt with Covid. Hope things improve once you get a card.
I am so sorry you are having medical problems without coverage. I am fortunate here in France to have a lovely Mason de Santé in my village with an English speaking doctor. I was diagnosed with melanoma at the start of February so I’ve been meeting with lots of doctors. My wonderful dermatologist does ask me if the treatment plans are ok and actually booked all my scans and appointments for me. The cost to me is minimal and I had 3 scans and surgery within 6 weeks. I know that would be a different situation in the states.
Wow very interesting. I would love to see a follow up video for how your experience with the healthcare system changes once you get your insurance card. I had a similar experience while in Montreal as a long-term tourist where we were running around from clinic to clinic, unable to get anyone to take us to examine my baby's very concerning spider bite and ended up having to go to the E/R, where we were asked to pay $800.
ekkk, thats so stressful when you're worried about your child and also worried about how expensive the visit is actually going to cost. I'll do a follow up video because we just got our RAMQ cards! Now i just need to be sick again so that I can use it :)
@@UnintentionallyFrenchified please don't wait until you're sick. I suggest going to a walk-in and asking for a referral to a pediatrician. It may or may not work. If it does, at least your daughter will have access to pediatric 'clinics' every six months or so...
Overall I'm not thrilled with the system in Montreal either. I find it pretty inconvenient. But don't totally give up on getting a family doctor. Everyone told us that we'd never get one when we moved to Montreal, but we registered for one anyway. After many months, we did get assigned to one and found a second family doctor through a walk-in clinic. (A new doctor I saw at the clinic mentioned that she was taking new patients.) So, if it's important to you, put your names in for a family doctor and it might happen, despite what everyone says. But it's unfortunate that it takes forever and it's such a crap shoot. At the same time, I do find the doctors to be accommodating, even when you're in the public system. But it sounds like the situation in Paris is enviable in many ways.
Me, my wife and now my young one all have the same family doctor and I was pleasantly surprised that we were able to get him within a year or two of moving here. There are different ideocyncracies with the healthcare systems of the different provinces in Canada and for me I have witnessed those differences between AB, QC and ON. As a far as the specialist doctors go in Quebec public health care system, I find them to be very communicative and patient, willing to go the extra mile to answer questions on behalf of the patient.
Hello Kate!! I haven't commented for a while! Very interesting video, thank you for sharing this with us! I thought the system in Canada was much closer to the European system in terms of healthcare but I can see that I was totally wrong! Thank you for letting us know!
My first impression is that it's not as good/easy to navigate as France, but better than the US? When i say better, i mean better in terms of what is available through government funding. But i've only been here a couple months so it's really a first impression!
@@UnintentionallyFrenchified I've lived and worked in Canada, the USA, France (and other European countries). The Canadian healthcare system (I have firsthand experience in QC, Ontario, Manitoba and BC) may appear 'cheaper/better' (???) than in the USA but you get what you pay for...
IN BC, lab work or blood draw can be done as a walk-in any time, almost anywhere, without any issue. There are three blood labs within walking a few blocks in my City. Never waited more than 30 minutes to get done. The tested results are, as you described, ready in 24 hours online to view and compare details. The same applies to a Doctor at most walk in clinics, where waiting may involve more than an hour or two to fit in the schedule, depending how much population density is nearby. Considering the difference in USD and CAD dollars, your expense was far cheaper than USA medical services for test labs, or Doctors or X-rays etc. Quebec is a bit of an anomaly for the many ways that citizens receive government funded services, or private car insurance etc. Your issues or delays may have entirely different (better) results in other Provinces.
Where I live in Ontario, it's the same as BC, but there are some labs that charge a fee to the patient to give them online access to their results (other labs give access for free and charge the doctor instead of the patient). The fee to patients is $25 for a year of access. You can also book lab appointments online for a specific time, so that you can just walk in and get it done with no waiting.
It appears that the lack of family doctors is a Canada wide issue. However, you should be able to sign up to retrieve your test results online. This is available in other provinces, so I'm sure Quebec would have their own version as well. Test results are usually uploaded online within a day or two but the doctor likely won't get to reviewing those results for awhile, and perhaps that's why he told you 2 weeks. Lastly, I wouldn't get your hopes up about reviewing your ultrasound result on the day of. Usually, we have to make a separate appointment to see the doctor again to review those results.
Hello Kate. I hope things will improve for you when you get your number. I also hope your health problem improves soon.
Yes, it seems that way and we just got them last week!
Hi Kate. Great video. The doctor visit, blood test, and ultrasound will all be free once you have your health card. Unfortunately for the medications (unless Quebec is difference than BC) those would be covered through a private insurance (like a mutale in France) through your work or your husband's work. Universal public medication coverage has been promised by the government and I hope that comes soon. Pediatricians are type of specialty in Canada, and your family doctor (once you have one) would refer you and your child to them when and if needed. You can't see them directly on your own. I hope your health card arrives quickly.
For your number one point, I will just say this is also applied to anyone who moves province to province..... we agree its annoying. If you move provinces you lose healthcare essentially for 3 months and lose provincial residency.
For the family doctor situation, this is a nation-wide problem, and we just dont have enough doctors and its gotten worse after covid. For vaccinations you can just ask the walk-in clinic on what their procedure is but for checkups.... if you dont have a known problem (which you may not know without a checkup) you dont get one in the walk-in system
ahh i didn't realize when you move from one province to another that you would lose health care. It's not just a "foreigner" in canada problem, but a challenge for anyone moving
You don’t loose your healthcare from province to province. When I moved from Ontario to BC I was allowed to use my Ontario Number for up to 3 months until I had my BC number. I agree with you that the family doctor situation is a real problem across Canada and needs to be fixed.
Bonjour! Je crois que, tout ce que tu paies au privé pour les frais médicaux, tu pourras le déduire quand tu feras tes impôts de 2023. (C’est à confirmer avec un comptable par exemple!) Pour un médecin de famille, il faut quand même te mettre sur la liste même si c’est long. Si vous êtes ici dans 3 ans, vous devriez avoir un médecin de famille d’ici là. Je sais, c’est long…
Oui, on a quand même mis notre nom sur une liste d'attente, car on sait jamais... ..trois ans, ca nous pareil long mais on verra!
Thanks for your interesting videos! Just a constructive comment - I find your background music distracting
Doctolib is hte best investion ever! Glad to hear that for once, it seems that France does things more efficiently. I think we are pirvileged in Paris though, it may not be tha same outside, as you said.
Very surprised about the lack of family doctors/pediatricians in Quebec...
And I agree, in France doctors definitely don't ask you if you agree with what they're prescribing, LOL
Thanks for the feedback about the music. And i figured i wasn't the only one who was not being asked what I felt about the french doctor's diagnosis ;) hahah
It makes me sad to see what has happened to the health care system in my home country of Canada. The lack of family doctors is a real problem, especially in my home province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It was not like that when I last lived in Canada. I have lived in south western France for 7 years now. I have always been very happy with the health care system here.
I feel you about struggling with the way things change negatively for your home country. I've struggled A LOT with the US recently and it's always hard to watch.
The thing I miss most about Belgium is the healthcare system. Getting our RAMQ cards in Quebec was a huge source of stress for us late 2021-early 2022. We did have some kind of temporary private insurance in the meantime but fortunately outside of covid vaccines (also tricky without RAMQ) we didn't need to see a doctor during that time. Honestly, besides financially, things don't get much more accessible with RAMQ. Last fall my daughter had pneumonia and we spent 7 hours waiting at a minor emergency clinic. Once we finally got seen we were well taken care of and they sent her for a chest xray down the hall immediately, then got her prescriptions after the results. I had packed snacks but didn't realize we would need to pack lunches for the waiting room. My poor husband had to leave work to bring us sandwiches. The wait list for family doctors is insane. I doubt we'll ever get a family doctor. Last month we got a letter from RAMQ that we've been assigned to a group of doctors at a clinic nearby. We still have to call the 811 hotline if we need to see a doctor. However, if the 811 nurse decides we need medical attention we have priority at this clinic 5 minutes away and don't get sent somewhere randomly anymore at least. It's a huge adjustment from what we were used to in Europe and we kind of have to accept that any kind of preventative care is very difficult to access in Quebec.
Thanks for sharing your experience Laura! It really seems like we were spoiled in France and I'm going to just need to get used to the new reality here. I've heard that if we had a real emergency, the doctors are amazing here and we would be well taken care of, but when it comes to anything that isn't really an emergency, set very low expectations.
Yeah, you're exactly right. In emergencies or if people have chronic conditions they're well taken care of, but for routine stuff it's a real pain. Looking forward to your future posts since we've had very similar experiences recently moving from French-speaking Europe to Quebec.
With the crazy out of pocket prices, you have highlighted a huge problem - while there is technically universal health care in Quebec, its quality is not comparable to the systems in Europe. I'm not an expert on this and only lived there for a few years, but I remember being disappointed with what the RAMQ did / did not cover (I was a student and spent my summers back in France - I'm pretty sure it was mandatory for my student visa to swap my Carte Vitale for RAMQ, but I wish I could have kept the Carte Vitale and just saved my doctors appointments for my trips home). I've heard / read that one barrier to the improvement of health care coverage in Canada is actually the constant comparison with the US. The "oh, at least there is some degree of universal healthcare coverage, unlike in the US" seems to be an argument preventing progress. Also, looks like they haven't managed to negotiate prices in the same way Europe has. The fact that the total cost pre-insurance to see a doctor is $200+ instead of 25€, and that the same box of medication, manufactured by the same company, can cost hundreds of dollars in North America and less than 20 euros in France, is absurd.
On the topic of doctors asking you for your opinion, I can't really remember what it was like when I was in Canada, but I'm now living in the US and it drives me NUTS (that's the French side of me, I guess). Doctors here will give you treatment options, they'll explain a bit but you usually have to ask a million follow-up questions to get the full picture, and then YOU will have to make the final decision on the spot and sign a million release forms, like you're signing your life away. Every time I'm like "I'm not the one who went to med school, just tell me what to do already!!" Sometimes even if I beg them to, they won't even tell me which option they recommend. I hate how consdescending most doctors are in France (although I've also met my fair share of condescendign doctors in NYC), but at least they're decisive. Part of why they ask for your opinion in the US is because different options have different out of pocket costs, even with insurance, and unfortunately so many people make medical decisions based on finances. The other reason is because doctors can get sued here. Which is a viscious cycle because that is in part why they charge so much (to pay for medical malpractice insurance).
Bref.
Hi Kate, thanks for the video. I believe the difference is that in France the law says that the medical results belong to the patient. So the lab or the doctor do not own the results, you do. And for some blood tests, you can even (in France) walk-in a lab to have your blood drawn without a prescription from the doctor. But you then have to pay the full price out of your own pocket.
It must be very frustrating to try to navigate such a difficult system with so many obstacles. Being an American with Medicare and private health insurance, I have no idea how difficult it would be for a foreigner to access medical care here in the US. But a few years ago I was traveling with friends in Paris. One member of our party got sick and we were pleasantly shocked at how easy it was for her to walk down the street to a clinic, get treated, walk over to a pharmacy and get a prescription all for less than $25. Hope you get connected soon with the services you need and hope you feel better soon!
Thanks so much! I'm already feeling way better since i filmed the video awhile ago and completely agree with your experience as a tourist in france. It's always been easy to find medical care when i've had people visiting me in france and have gotten ill!
I had no problem in the US, no insucrance, I just paid upfront a minimum fee, and sometimes they would send the bill home without me paying upfront. They inflate numbers a lot, so I would pay what I could and never heard from the clinic again. As long as yu pay a percentage they'd rather have some money than none.
Hope that you do not have to go at the emergency at the hospital. You can wait for hours!! Bienvenue au Québec 😊💕
In Ontario you have to wait 3 months for your OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan). You have to pay for all medication until you turn 65 and then it is all paid for (yahoo).
Healthcare in Quebec, Canada in general has unfortunately really gone downhill in recent years. 20 years ago you could still find a family doctor, but all that’s changed. The governments of many provinces are trying to privatize healthcare and Canadians are not used to fighting for their rights like the French are.
In Nova Scotia you can wait for months for some tests. Blood work can be weeks to get in.
Problem is every province is different For example Quebec is the only province with privately funded healthcare legally allowed. In Canada the best thing you can do is to manage your own health make sure you make appointments and get checkups because very rarely with others have time to watch everything for you make sure you tell your family doctor everything keep your records
Finding a family doctor can be hard, but I feel like most people who found one (myself included) were seeing a doctor in a walk-in clinic who happened to be taking new patients, so ask when you see one, you never know. Also very young fresh out of training usually take new patients.
Health care in Canada is managed provincially, so the experience in Quebec is not necessarily the same as in Ontario or other provinces. In Ontario, where I live, I ALWAYS access my blood work results online. The only time I can’t get them online is when I go through my naturopath and have some self-paid tests done. So, I’m wondering if you not being able to access results is simply because you don’t have a health card # yet. There is a shortage of family doctors all over Canada, sadly. Keep trying to find one, though. Call the Health Ministry and sometimes they have a list of doctors who are accepting patients.
The thing about asking the patient has to do with the anglo culture. I am from Spain and is more like in France, a more direct and less defensive style. But when I was in the UK it was similar to what you describe in Canada.
Don't worry. In a remarkably short time you and your family will be in the system & you will be able to help others who are going through difficult times navigating health care in Quebec. Too bad someone at the Canadian consulate in France didn't tell you of the reciprocal agreement between Quebec (Canada?) and France.
I just had a baby in Montreal, with the RAMQ I never had to pay anything and had a good follow up with my doctor and everything, but I was also very surprised with the blood drawn results, I never got them, only the doctor and she would just tell me: yes everything is good, but I never saw the actual numbers... So weird compared to France where you get all the results!
I live in Ontario, but have also lived in France. We were VERY impressed with French health care (and veterinary care!) while we lived there. I’m lucky- I have a family doc and am part of a family health team connected to a large hospital network in Toronto. Usually that means I get excellent, timely care, with speedy access to specialists. Recently, however, I needed a doctor’s appointment and my family doc was not working that day, so I saw a resident. In the past, I’ve always had great care in similar circumstances. This time, the poor dear was clearly in over her head and she was, as in your experience, consulting ME, rather than taking the lead. Very odd, I thought. I wonder if that approach is because she didn’t know me- as was your case at the walk-in. I know my own doc would have been much more proactive and, likely, would have provided care that would have prevented me needing to seek follow-up care for the stuff the first doc missed. The trope of wonderful Canadian health care is really showing cracks…. 😔
The College of Physicians limited the admission of applicants. In France, they prescribe from on high and who are you to question him/her. What was the rush in getting all those tests?
The health insurance card doesn't cover medication costs. This is covered by other types of insurance or not! If you're employed it is likely covered with your employer; otherwise, you need to sign up for the government plan. You're pharmacist may be able to help with this if you can't find the answers on the internet. It should be noted that their are clinics that draw blood or take your stool. Usually these services cost about $50 with your health card. They normally have periods of the day where they take walk-ins and the rest is for those with reservations.
I wonder if you can pay for concierge doctors in Canada - like in the US there's One Medical. That might be a more stream-lined process.
I’ve never actually known anyone where I live in here Alberta who had a pediatrician for their kids. I think that would be considered a specialty that you would need a referral for if your child had a more complex problem. Kids here are seen by the family doctor. Of course though, getting one of those is practically impossible now too.
I’m sorry the system has been so difficult to navigate. It can be difficult to find a family doctor in Canada, but with a young family, I don’t think it’s quite as hopeless as it seems you are being advised.
Well we put our name on a list for a doctor and we'll see! Maybe it will be quicker than we think!
Hope you’re doing ok! Health issues are never fun, especially with the added stress of wait times and big bills
Really like the candle! May I know where did you get it ? Thks
yes! from The Hay. It was a birthday gift from my sister in law :)
Those that advised you to go without the benefit of the cooperative VITAL/RAMQ coverage upon arrival, with your pre-existing issues
and a child, should have really emphasized the potential costs involved. Better, constant coverage than being saddled with medical bills, needlessly!
Finding a healthcare provider can be an issue (GP/Fam. Pract., Pediatrician, etc.), best bring it up with friends and colleagues and try through
referrals, while on waiting list. Comparing is always a tricky thing, the vagaries of a particular system v/s another can be shocking!
Best to just get all the info on local/current SOPs (Std Operating Procedures)similarities
I don't know whether it's because you don't have healthcare yet, or that Quebec does things differently than in my home province (Alberta), but the tests and visit you described would have been covered by our provincial healthcare (with doctor's orders). Also, it would have been possible to walk into a provincially run clinic (not the actual doctor's office) to get blood taken the same day ...as long as you were prepared to wait. That said, I prefer to book an appointment to reduce wait time in the clinic. Results would still have been sent to the doctor who ordered the tests rather than to the patient, but we also have an online system (by healthcare number) that allows us to login to access results. This system also includes vaccination records. Finding family doctors is indeed a problem across the country. Our provincial government is looking to make changes to improve access. That each province handles healthcare differently may also be a contrast vs France???
She already said that she's in the waiting period before getting the health card so it's out of pocket. I'm actually surprised that she can get (apply) for the card that fast. I vaguely remember in the past normally you need to live in the province for 3 or 6 months before you can even qualify, and it's not even just for new comer but Canadians too -- just because you move across provinces doesn't allow you to switch the health card right away.
We did end up getting our card exactly after three months! we had coverage starting from beginning of April!
Yes i don't have my RAMQ card yet so it did affect a lot of the prices and challenges that I went through. Really happy to hear that once i can go to a public place, i'll be able to see my own results!
@@UnintentionallyFrenchified Hello! Once you have your RAMQ you will be able to access your carnet santé, where you can see the results, but it takes something like a month for them to be visible to you, all doctors you will visit in Quebec have access to your file and your results, that is practical. The doctor usually calls as soon as they get the results if there are problems, some call to give you the results also if there are no problems.
If you do something like an ultrasound, you might find some doctors who are kind enough to tell you "there is nothing to worry about". For blood tests etc, as someone has said in other comments in other provinces like BC (where I lived before moving to Montreal), you can just walk-in and have your tests done, here after Covid you need to take an appointment through the Clicsanté portal. Usually is not too difficult to find an appointment somewhere in the city, on Clicsanté you can also select if you want to find a place where they do it for free (like CLSC), or where you have to pay, like a pharmacy.
I've been living here for 4 years and still waiting for a family doctor unfortunately... if you have a private insurance is worth checking if they offer a service of online consulting with a doctor who can prescribe tests and drugs, for minor issues it's way easier than finding an appointment for a walking clinic, unfortunately it got very difficult and stressful to find an appointment... because you can't literally walk-in and wait anymore after the pandemic, you have to take an appointment on line for "walk-ins". In 2020 - 2021 it was still easy to find one, lately it's very very difficult.
Sorry, for the long comment... but as an Italian (Italy has a very similar system to France), I find the health system here quite stressful to navigate and not really reassuring.
Sucks that you had to pay..I never realized that was a thing for foreigners new to Quebec. Keep those receipts and declare them on your taxes under medical expenses. Although, it depends on your income..the amount you can claim is a percentage of your income so it depends on how much it costs you but things like medication and private clinic fees and procedures count. basically anything you pay out of pocket. It's also a 12 month span that doesn't have to start in January so if you can't claim them this year you might be able to claim them next year with additional expenses you might have incurred. If you get an accountant to do your taxes then they will know or if you use turbo tax it will prompt you under medical expense. Hope you can get some of that money back.
This may not be an option, and it may end up costing more, but have you looked at doctors south of the border? You are very close to the States. Just a thought. I'm also surprised that your company doesn't provide health insurance. I live in New York and was privileged to work in higher education for nearly forty years, so my health care was and is comprehensive and affordable, but this is an exception in the U.S. As always, I love your posts.
I think that people can get different experience. I had my blood test results the same day i did the blood sample and the doctor called me to give me the results. But sure for the rest the system i Sh**. Also you won't get the same service from province to province.
Tu peux réclamer une partie de tes dépenses de consultations, traitements, chirurgies et tests en cliniques privées mais tu devras attendre ton rapport d'impôt de 2023.
There was a public health study conducted a few years ago by a number of universities that concluded that the French system was the best in the world. That puts you in a position where you will be disappointed wherever you go. Regarding the Canadian system specifically you will find it patchy. Some areas are world class while others are pathetic. Many Canadians believe that we have a health care crisis in this country, yet some experiences are great. That's why the debate rages and no one agrees on what to fix.
So sorry. Wish your employer might have helped with that- maybe they could or French consulate? Just guessing. Bon courage and this will all pass! 🇺🇸🇫🇷🇨🇦
I don't even bother going to the doctor the wait is too long, I have to wait 6 months to have an appointement to see my family doctor... 20-30 years ago the system was not the best but is was way much better then what we have now. You still had to wait 14 hours in the hospital back then too but at least you could go to walk in clinics now it is nearly impossible. I have been on a waiting list for 4 year now to see a "physiatre", I don't know if it will happen someday we'll see... and yeah for the blood results you won't see the shadow of it, they call you only if there is something wrong with you, so if you don't hear from them in 6 months maybe you are ok... maybe 🤣
oh yeah and for the costs anything private prepare to pay $$$, RAMQ don't cover prescriptions, you better take a private insurance to have all your medication, dentist and vision covered (even private insurance won't cover 100% you still have to pay some fees from your own pockets) Bienvenue au Québec
Isn't it La semaine prochaine? Not le
yes! my mistake :)
LOL! Welcome to Canada. Healthcare in Canada may (eventually) be "free" but it sucks. It doesn't matter how long you live in Canada (unless it is an EMERGENCY/CRISIS) it is always, 'hurry up and wait'.
The system in France is better.
Granted I’m in Toronto and not Montreal but I lived in Paris for 2 years so I got the reverse experience. In France we were on a private insuarance sothat was the only annoying thing that I had to pay out of pocket and then submit paperwork and wait to be reimbursed. Otherwise, French healthcare system wayyy better than the Canadian one. To your pounts: it wasnt unique to you to be asked if you are ok with the various medications. It is common practice. My thinking is - yes, I want my doctor to listen to me if I dont want to take a certain medication but otherwise I am no doctor so I just want a professional to tell me what to do. The lab results, you can read them yourself. Most have a site. You create your account and you can read them there. Waiting time…. Welcome to Canada😢
400$ to have your blood drawn? You must be kidding... I've had mine drawn last me at my local pharmacy and it cost me... 25$ Something really wrong here... Let's hope you get your heajth insurance card real soon!
Did you have your RAMQ card? I didn't have mine yet so this is what i had to pay out of pocket at a private clinic as i couldn't go to the pharmacy....
@@UnintentionallyFrenchified The nurse who drew blood out of my arm never asked for anything besides what my physician asked for: une prise de sang... Tell you what, Kate, tomorrow I'll go to my pharmacy and tell them how much it has cost you. And I'll be back with their reaction the very same day, that is tomorrow. Promise. Bisou!
after six months living in Quebec...ypu qont be able to receive healthcare in English.
there is a shortage of doctors in some cities in France. So it's not that great either here
The system in Canada is not set up to accommodate non insured users.
The wait times are not okay and Canadians are not happy with it. Lack of family medicine practitioners is not okay.
Yes it really seems not to be set up for non insured users!
Clic Sante was one of the worst things created and even residents of Quebec have been on lists for family doctors. It’s a shitshow. Welcome to Quebec Healthcare. The emergency expect to wait 13+ hours if you are lucky. Even listening to my uncle in England - healthcare in Quebec is so expensive.
maybe i have a different experience with family doctors in the usa, but they don't remember who you are. I don't understand the point of a family doctor... every time I go in to see my ''family doctor'' she doesn't even bother to read the chart that she created for me and she keeps reintroducing herself... for the first time. I just so sick of healthcare in the usa because it's literally nonsense.
It must be so frustrating! I'm French and it's not like that normally in France but we've been in a healthcare crisis since the covid pandemic and we're lacking doctors now (especially in small towns) and it can be like that sometimes. I know my new family doctor (my old one retired last year) is like that and I really don't like that!
I think the USA is similar to Canada in which you don't see your family doctor that often. As soon as you have an emergency in the US, you tend to go to a walk in clinic/prompt care. You only see your family doctor for yearly appts or problems that you can wait for. In france, I could see my family doctor the same day or the following day so i would go there for everything!
I had heard it was getting harder to see a doctor in smaller towns in France and that they were incentivizing doctors to move to more rural places. I'm not sure if it's 100% the truth, but you seem to have some similar feedback!
Even in the states I get my blood test results from Quest. I get an email and can go on the site and get them with explanations. My doctor also receives them. Hope all goes well with your health.
thanks! I haven't been able to access any results here but my doctor did call me back from the walk in clinic quickly and it wasn't an emergency. So that's good!
Until you have a health card, things are intentionally expensive and difficult because Canada shares a long border with a country without universal health care. This is to prevent US citizens from doing “travel health care” at the expense of the Canadian tax payer.
Interesting to understand the reasons why!
Salut Kate, de retour de ma pharmacie... La somme astronomique que tu as déboursée provient de ce que tu te trouvais dans le secteur privé et non dans le public. Avec ta carte d'assurance-maladie la même prise de sang t'aurait coûté 25 $ dans une pharmacie et rien du tout dans un CLSC ou un hôpital... Si j'étais toi je ferais l'impossible pour éviter de consulter un médecin tant que tu n'auras pas reçu ta carte d'assurance-maladie! Ce qui ne devrait pas tarder, me dit-on. Enfin, garde le reçu de ta mésaventure et joins-le à ta déclaration de revenus 2023 sous la rubrique "frais médicaux", il semble que tu pourrais alors récupérer une partie de cette somme... Bref, évite le privé à tout prix! Bisou!
Le problème d'accessibilité tend à se résorber, s'inscrire et toujours demander à chaque médecin qu'on voit en clinique si il prend de nouveau patient.
Les résultats sont supposéxêtre accessible sur le web.
J'ai une merveilleuse médecin de famille et tout va bien.
This was really misleading. The Canadian healthcare system is FREE. Your issues are due to the fact that you did not purchase medical insurance before your arrived which would’ve covered you and your family while your provincial healthcare was being processed . Sorry you’re out of pocket in the short term (btw you should be able to claim it on your tax return) but once you have your health card the only thing you will pay for are prescriptions.
Okay but in France it's free too and when it's not, it's still way cheaper (e.g only 25 euros if you have to pay the whole bill at the appointment). That was her point
@@thelittlemoonpie8934 France is surrounded by countries with their own universal health care. Canada sits beside a huge population without universal health care. If we offered free or cheap health care to anyone, Americans would bankrupt us.
I don't agree that my video is misleading. I'm very upfront that i don't have my insurance card yet and that my experience is what its like to arrive in quebec during the period when you don't have an insurance card. This is just the reality of what people go through moving here and I was really surprised since this three month wait doesn't exist in france. In hindsight, maybe i would have taken private insurance if i had known, but if I claim it off my taxes (thanks i had no idea!) maybe it doesn't matter in the long run?
Hi Kate! As a French guy living in Montreal for the past 12 years I can relate to your experience. The system in Quebec definitely sucks in many ways compared to France. A point of information about taxes: « Vous pouvez demander un crédit d'impôt non remboursable si vous avez payé des frais médicaux qui dépassent 3 % de votre revenu net (ligne 275 de votre déclaration). » So depending on how much you make and the total of your medical expenses it may not be useful to claim it off your taxes (let’s say if you make 50K and spend less than $1500 then there’s no point!).
Go back to France that country is doing GREAT
Je me demande pourquoi Montréal. Je ne suis pas un expert du Canada, mais j'ai entendu dire que la vie à Toronto ou au Québec était bien meilleure que dans les autres villes. Bonjour de l'Allemagne - Thomas.
Quebec likes to march to a different drum so to speak...actually all Provinces have slightly different proceedures and sytems when it comes to health care and government things. One would think that those types of things would be streamlined across the country at the federal level but hey...that would make too much sense. As for Lab results I know that here in British Columbia we have a app and are results are viewable online. It's sad that quebec doesn't have a similar system by now. I feel like you have a right to keep records and copies of those results...it might just mean asking for copies to be sent to you via email evertime. I would call the clinic that issued them and ask. Good Luck.
Nothing in Quebec is easy to understand...
You are comparing the best health system in the world to others you are going to be disappointed necesseraly.
If you're going to stay in Canada for 2 to 5 years your channel name doesn't make much sense anymore 🤔
Yea, it's a good point. I'm not quite sure what i'm going to do about that yet. Any suggestions for a new name?
I had to do a blood test last week, here is my experience in Marseille, France:
Went to the doctor on Wednesday, got the document to do the blood test. Paid 25 euros.
I had to be on an empty stomach so I waited until the day after, Thursday morning, to do the blood test. I didn't pay anything.
On Friday morning I received the results by email, at 2 p.m. the doctor called me to tell me to come back to see him.
Went back to see him on Monday morning. He gave me more blood tests to do and the tell me to go see another type of doctor with the results. Paid 25 euros.
Still on an empty stomach, I returned to another laboratory closer to my home on Tuesday morning. I didn't pay anything. Received the results on Wednesday afternoon.
On Thursday I went to the other doctor with the results. Paid 55 euros. She gave me more documents to do x-rays and scans of liver, kidneys and thyroid.
On my bank account I see that I have been reimbursed for 24.50 + 24.50 + 16.50 + 38.50 euros.
With a health card in Canada, that would all be free. Is that as a foreigner or visitor in France?