How reimbursement works
For emergency care received outside Quebec, the public plan reimburses at the tariffs applicable in Quebec, not at the amounts billed where you are treated. The gap is yours.
The scale of it
A hospital stay in the United States can be billed at a considerable multiple of the Quebec tariff. Public reimbursement then covers a fraction of the bill; the balance is a personal debt that is due.
Elsewhere in Canada
Interprovincial reciprocal billing agreements cover much of the medical and hospital services in other provinces. Some services are excluded, and Quebec does not participate in every component of those agreements.
Transport is not covered
Medical repatriation, air ambulance transport, and an escort are not reimbursed by the public plan. Those are precisely the costliest items in a serious loss abroad.
Extended absence
A stay outside Quebec beyond a set number of days per calendar year can cost you eligibility for the public plan, with exceptions set by regulation. Retirees who winter south should verify that threshold.
What travel insurance adds
It covers the gap between the actual bill and the public reimbursement, repatriation, and on-site assistance. Many credit cards and group plans include some: check the days covered and the age limit before buying another.
No rate, price, or recommendation on this page. Amounts and limits change: verify them with official sources before deciding.