The historical opening of Cuba to American tourists is prompting urgings from the
Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) that Canadian travellers planning vacations to the Caribbean nation check and, if necessary, update their travel coverage in light of possible competition for emergency health care with a flood of incoming US holidaymakers.
With the possible influx of American tourists to the Caribbean nation likely to drive up the price of care in hospitals, PHAC’s advice to all Cuba-bound travellers is to purchase travel insurance from Canadian companies before they leave the Great White North.
Since 2010 all visitors to the island nation must offer proof of health insurance that will cover them for their time in Cuba; visitors lacking such proof are obliged to purchase coverage from local insurance companies at, or close to, the various points of entry.
Canadians have long enjoyed the option of clearing this hurdle by providing proof of Canadian provincial health insurance, despite the fact that such insurance would not cover items such as air ambulance repatriation or in-country emergency health care services, and the visitor would be required to pay all such charges in full before being able to leave Cuba.
Further, the PHAC warns, most Cuban hospitals require payment in cash or a guarantee of payment be made in advance. The agency also advises travellers to check with their insurance company for payment/reimbursement procedures.
