Long Term Travel/Working Holiday & Disability Benefits?

[wheelchairbarbie]

I have been searching everywhere to try and get an answer to my questions, so I figured I'd try here!

I've been thinking a lot lately about doing a long-term trip abroad--it wouldn't be until a couple years time, though. Canada has a Working Holiday Programme for people aged 18-35 and they have a number of different countries you can pick from, and your visa is good for up to two years!

I've always dreamed of travelling to England or Ireland and staying there a while, but never really knew if it was possible.

My one big concern is my disability benefits. My support program says if I'm out of the province for more than 3 months my benefits are subject to change/be discontinued. I honestly think that's a huge discrimination because no matter where I am I'll still need my disability supports, and I'm still a Canadian citizen. It's not as if I would be moving out of the country for good--I would understand in that situation that they would stop paying.

I just know I've had so many friends go on extended travels or a year-long exchange etc., and I just think that such amazing life experience shouldn't be out of my reach because of my disability!

So, I'm just curious is there anyone on here who has ever gone out of their country for an extended period and still kept their disability benefits?

Any info or advice would be great!

[air ohs]

um just a thought but...... how would they know

[wheelchairbarbie]

um just a thought but...... how would they know

Well, usually they do a "yearly review", but I've not seen them for 3 years. So, I mean, I see your point, but if they ever found out and suddenly stopped my payments, I'd kind of be up shit creek without a paddle! haha

[SCI-Nurse]

Not familiar with the Canadian system, but another consideration would be health care. Does your Canadian health care insurance cover you in other countries?

(KLD)

[wheelchairbarbie]

Not familiar with the Canadian system, but another consideration would be health care. Does your Canadian health care insurance cover you in other countries?

(KLD)

I would have to get travel insurance while away, it’s requirement on the application for the work abroad program.

[lynnifer]

Most insurance won't treat pre-existing conditions overseas and you know they'd blame paralysis on anything. So lucky I was able to work because the government makes one feel trapped on assistance.

I think we're lucky in Canada to have great diversity in our landscapes right here .. though I do understand the want of going overseas, especially to Europe.

Some of the constraints they have in place need to change for younger people that are injured.

[wheelchairbarbie]

Most insurance won't treat pre-existing conditions overseas and you know they'd blame paralysis on anything. So lucky I was able to work because the government makes one feel trapped on assistance.

I think we're lucky in Canada to have great diversity in our landscapes right here .. though I do understand the want of going overseas, especially to Europe.

Some of the constraints they have in place need to change for younger people that are injured.

I’m not 100% sure what you mean in your first paragraph? So I couldn’t get insurance because I have paralysis? We still get sick for reason that have nothing to do with our injuries!? I mean, I’m lucky that I barely ever need to see a doctor, but I don’t quite understand how I could be denied insurance for medical things if I were going to another country that I’m not covered in. Being in Canada the concept of insurance is sort of mind boggling anyway.

I understand and what you mean by the diversity of landscapes in Canada, but I’m not so much interested in the view as I am just interested to experience the culture and history of over there. I mean, even if I wanted to travel to BC and stay for a year I would still have the issues of keeping my disability support in place. I wouldn’t have to worry about the insurance part, but that’s not the thing that’s holding me back.

And, perhaps I’m being selfish or over the top, thinking that I should be able to keep my disability support while out of the province/Canada for more than 3 months, but it doesn’t make me not disabled anymore just because I’m away. And just because I’m travelling doesn’t mean I’m rich—lots of modest incomed people travel. I dunno. I just feel like it’s more disabling than enabling to have such constraints put on people with disabilities—who have so many constraints on where we can go and what we can do already.

[SCI-Nurse]

What this means is that most insurance policies that you purchase on your own have a pre-existing condition clause that excludes coverage of any care/hospitalization, etc. that is at all related to the pre-existing condition. For example, say you are in the USA and have a bad UTI. You go to the emergency room, and get admitted for a course of IV antibiotics. The insurance company determines that you got the UTI because you had a SCI, and refuses to pay. You would then have to private pay $$$$ for that hospitalization, meds, physician's fees, etc. This is one thing that in the USA was eliminated with the Affordable Care Act (Obama Care) but the current administration in Washington DC is trying to eliminate that, and allow insurances to no longer pay for "pre-existing conditions".

In some European countries that have universal health care you are eligible for healthcare coverage as a resident, even if not a citizen, so that may need to be one of the factors you consider when picking a location for this.

Again, I don't know the Canadian system, but in the USA, if you are required to be a resident for benefits, and don't tell the insurer that you are out of the country, it is considered fraud, and you could be both fined and prosecuted for fraud, even imprisoned. Be careful.

I am aware that Bente, one of our other members, spends about half the year in Spain, but returns to her native Norway periodically to meet qualifications for residency periodically. You might have to return to Canada every 3 months if you decide to live out of the country and want to continue your disability income coverage.


(KLD)

[wheelchairbarbie]

What this means is that most insurance policies that you purchase on your own have a pre-existing condition clause that excludes coverage of any care/hospitalization, etc. that is at all related to the pre-existing condition. For example, say you are in the USA and have a bad UTI. You go to the emergency room, and get admitted for a course of IV antibiotics. The insurance company determines that you got the UTI because you had a SCI, and refuses to pay. You would then have to private pay $$$$ for that hospitalization, meds, physician's fees, etc. This is one thing that in the USA was eliminated with the Affordable Care Act (Obama Care) but the current administration in Washington DC is trying to eliminate that, and allow insurances to no longer pay for "pre-existing conditions".

In some European countries that have universal health care you are eligible for healthcare coverage as a resident, even if not a citizen, so that may need to be one of the factors you consider when picking a location for this.

Again, I don't know the Canadian system, but in the USA, if you are required to be a resident for benefits, and don't tell the insurer that you are out of the country, it is considered fraud, and you could be both fined and prosecuted for fraud, even imprisoned. Be careful.

(KLD)

Okay yes, I understand what you mean now and yeah, it is harder to know from my perspective because I am Canadian and we don’t need to buy insurance anyway.

Also, yes, I would never leave the country and just assume my disablily supports will still be there—again it’s not through an insurer it’s a government funded program, but I still wouldn’t do that because the risk of losing it is too important.