It’s that time of year again. Listening to the jazz classic Autumn Leaves by Nat King Cole and watching those autumn leaves of red and gold drift by my window, I’m thinking about the thousands of Canadian snowbirds finalizing their travel plans. If you have older people in your family who like to winter in sunnier climates, have a conversation about some of the key items they should have in place for a smart travel plan. The single biggest risk factor is underestimating the availability and cost of health care coverage should it become necessary.
If you plan to spend a considerable amount of time outside Canada this winter, it is wise to consider an international lifestyle plan which logs your health, well-being, care, and medical needs, and plans for those needs when you are overseas. For more detail on how to develop a lifestyle plan refer to the previous blog Why Snowbirds Need an International Lifestyle and Care Plan.
Canadian snowbirds are continuing to travel in record numbers and they are going further afield. Since the 2024 US administration change, there has been a significant decline in Canadian snowbirds spending time in US locations such as Arizona or Florida. That decline accelerated in 2025 with Statistics Canada reporting that Canadian residents made 7.1 million fewer visits to the US than in 2024. In the same period, domestic travel increased by 5 million visits and overseas travel rose by 1.3 million, with Canadians choosing to redirect their travel to other countries. Mexico and the Caribbean are attractive alternatives, and Canadians are also exploring Spain and Portugal as well as Costa Rica and Central America. [1]
With so many different alternatives, it’s important to check the availability and cost of health care coverage in your destination. Many Canadians sorely underestimate the cost of health coverage and mistakenly think their provincial health plan will pay for out of country medical costs. However, each province and territory provides different coverage. For example, Ontario’s Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) has eliminated all general travelling coverage and now urges people travelling outside the country to get private travel medical insurance.[2]
The only two exceptions with OHIP are for pre-approved medical services before you leave the country, or a medical emergency that requires emergency treatment and is not a pre-existing condition. Overseas medical providers require payment upfront. And even for a medical emergency, the guidelines for reimbursement may be a fraction of the cost you pay in another country. OHIP reimbursements are often a fraction of the actual medical costs:
- Inpatient hospital stay: Ontario may cover from $200 to $400 per day. A US hospital stay may be thousands per day depending on the situation.
- Emergency Room visit: Ontario may cover up to $50 per day, and
- Doctor Services: Coverage may be equivalent to OHIP fee schedule for doctors.
And many people are surprised to find that OHIP never covers the following:
- Air or ground ambulances.
- Medical evacuation or coordination back to Canada, and
- Pre-existing medical conditions that flare up during travel.
Before the snowbirds in your family migrate to sunnier climates, make sure you have a conversation about smart travel plans including private travel medical insurance. Check the small print and make sure the coverage is robust enough to cover potential health care needs. And if the person does become ill while travelling, what is the plan to get them back to Canada?
[1] https://www.vbce.ca/marketwatch/beyond-florida-where-canadian-snowbirds-are-heading-this-winter
[2] https://www.ontario.ca/page/ohip-coverage-while-outside-canada#section-5
