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The Great-West Life Assurance Company, London Life Insurance Company and The Canada Life Assurance Company have become one company – The Canada Life Assurance Company. Discover the new Canada Life

The Great-West Life Assurance Company, London Life Insurance Company and The Canada Life Assurance Company have become one company – The Canada Life Assurance Company. Discover the new Canada Life

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Freedom 55 Financial is a division of The Canada Life Assurance Company and the information you requested can be found here.

Does MSP cover ambulances?

Key takeaways

  • Provincial health coverage in British Columbia doesn’t include ambulances.
  • If you’re covered by MSP, the cost is heavily subsidized. For example, a ground ambulance that comes when you call 9-1-1 to take you to the hospital costs an $80 flat fee.
  • Private insurance like Freedom to Choose™ health and dental insurance. can help cover this out-of-pocket cost.

When you require medical attention, an ambulance can be a crucial part of accessing the healthcare you urgently need.

But who pays for an ambulance if you live in British Columbia? Let’s explore.

Does MSP cover ambulances? 

No. The Medical Services Plan (MSP) does not cover an ambulance.

That said, the province says it “heavily subsidizes” the cost for people who have provincial health coverage.

This means that if you are eligible for MSP and have a BC Care Card, the provincial health card, you pay a $80 flat fee if you call 9-1-1 and an ambulance takes you to hospital. If you call 9-1-1 and they send an ambulance, but you don’t end up needing to be taken to hospital, that costs a flat $50.

If you need an ambulance to be transferred between hospitals, that costs you nothing if you’re eligible for MSP. 

If you don’t have MSP coverage, you pay the full unsubsidized cost, which is :

  • $848 flat fee for ground service 
  • $4,394 per hour for a helicopter 
  • $6.94 per kilometre in an airplane

Who is eligible for ambulance coverage with MSP?

Everyone who is eligible for provincial healthcare in British Columbia gets the subsidized rates. This means that rather than pay $848 for a ground ambulance, you pay $80 instead.

According to the government, the only British Columbians who get full coverage are people who receive income assistance or disability insurance and are eligible for general health supplements or have a “life-threatening health need.”

What isn’t included in MSP ambulance coverage? 

Unless you’re eligible for full coverage, MSP doesn’t cover the whole amount for your ambulance. This means that you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket.

Private insurance like Freedom to Choose™ health and dental insurance can help cover that cost. All of our plans include ambulance coverage, usually 100 percent of the “reasonable and customary fees” that would be charged. This means that instead of you can claim your ambulance cost to your insurance, and you will likely have it covered in full.

If you have workplace benefits, you may have similar coverage.

What’s next?

The information provided is accurate to the best of our knowledge as of the date of publication, but rules and interpretations may change. This information is general in nature, and is intended for informational purposes only. For specific situations you should consult the appropriate legal, accounting or tax advisor.

If you’d like to explore plans and see how much they could cost you, get a quote.