Each year, optometric services are among the most significant health insurance expense items in Quebec. And with the increasing number of hours spent in front of the computer by a large majority of Quebecers, the trend is not about to be reversed. Hence the need to take out insurance covering vision care.
You do not have coverage for optical care, and you wonder what is the best insurance for vision care in Quebec?
In this guide, we offer you to compare the best vision care insurance plans in Quebec, and we provide you with all the information you need.
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Complementary health insurance
Basic Plan 1
- $50 per 24 months
- Covers the cost of an eye exam by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist
- Not available: corrective lenses and spectacle frames or contact lenses
- No deductible applicable
Basic insurance offering good protection, but with limited coverage for optical costs. No medical exam required. Plan available up to age 99
Deluxe Plan 2 Supplemental Health Insurance
- $50 per 24 months
- Covers the cost of an eye exam by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist
- Corrective lenses and spectacle frames or contact lenses: 100% reimbursed up to $150 per 24-month period
- No deductible applicable
Optical coverage that remains limited, although more complete than the basic plan. Insurance offering good protection in general. No medical exam required. Plan available up to age 99.
Plan 3 Optimum supplementary health insurance
- $75 per 24 months
- Covers the cost of an eye exam by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist
- Corrective lenses and spectacle frames or contact lenses: 100% reimbursed up to $200 per 24-month period
Odyssée’s most complete offer, the Optimum plan will offer you the most extensive optical coverage, in addition to providing you with very comprehensive health coverage. No medical exam required. Plan available up to age 99.
Health insurance and eye exams: what coverage?
As the organization in charge of the public health insurance system in Quebec, the RAMQ partially or totally pays for a range of care – including certain eye exams and other optometric services. However, to benefit from RAMQ optometric services free of charge, you must fall into one of the following 4 categories:
- Be under 18 or 65 or older
- Be between the ages of 18 and 64 and have been receiving last-resort financial assistance for at least 12 months in a row
- Be between the ages of 60 and 64, and have received a spouse’s allowance under the Old Age Security Act for at least 12 consecutive months and have a valid claim slip
- Have a visual impairment (associated condition: you must register in a recognized rehabilitation establishment).
If you don’t fit into one of these categories, you will have to turn to private insurance to pay for your eye exams. In particular, we offer you the possibility of comparing the best private health insurance offers in Quebec , via our comparator accessible through the button below:
Which private insurance solution for vision care in Quebec?
If you are not eligible for reimbursement for optometric care by the RAMQ, it will be up to you to take out private health insurance to cover the vision care you may need. Typically, health insurance companies offer package deals, in which vision care coverage is offered as an option – for an additional premium.
What optical care is covered by private health insurance plans?
In general, health insurance companies offer “à la carte” vision care coverage plans. You can therefore add more or fewer options to your health insurance contract, depending on the needs that you consider to be a priority. Vision care that may be covered under a private health insurance plan in Quebec includes:
- Examinations to detect vision problems, and general follow-up of the condition of the eyes
- Examinations related to the detection of a particular condition, such as strabismus or aniseiconia
- Eye exams as part of obtaining a driving license
- Exercise prescription to improve vision
- The prescription of glasses or contact lenses (contact lenses) follows a vision test
- Reimbursement for the purchase of glasses or contact lenses.
You are bound to have eye exams at some point in your life. This is why being covered by health insurance that covers vision care is essential.
Combining vision care and dental insurance: a good plan?
Often, in Quebec, health insurance companies offer their affiliates the option of subscribing to a plan that includes vision care and dental care. Subscribing to a health insurance plan that includes vision and dental care can be a good solution to get a bundled discount on both products , and save a lot of money on your premiums. However, it is still possible to subscribe to these two products separately.
If you are looking for the best dental insurance plan in Quebec, consult our dental insurance comparator via the button below:
What is the average cost of vision care insurance in Quebec?
As mentioned above, guarantees covering vision care are often part of a more comprehensive health insurance. So, setting an average price for vision care insurance can be tricky. However, be aware that taking out additional optical care coverage added to a health insurance plan will cost you on average between $15 and $30 in additional premium per month .
Even if this additional cost related to the coverage of eye care may seem significant, it is to be highlighted with the cost of eye exams – sometimes several hundred euros for specialized consultations . This is why having insurance that reimburses vision care is essential.
How to find cheap health insurance covering vision care?
It’s up to you to find affordable health insurance covering vision care, by shopping around for all the health insurance offers available on the Quebec market. For this, we provide you with a comparator of the best health insurance in Quebec , which you can consult by clicking on the following button: