Super visa insurance covers follow-up care and prescriptions only as part of an emergency, and only within limits. TuGo pays up to 5 follow-up visits within 14 days of the initial treatment and a 30-day supply of prescription drugs. GMS requires follow-up within 14 days and caps prescriptions at 30 days. Manulife covers follow-up visits until its medical advisors declare the emergency over. Allianz requires advance approval. The parent’s routine prescriptions are never covered.
The policies are emergency medical plans. They pay to stabilize a sudden illness or injury and to get the parent home. What happens after discharge is covered only as far as the wording says, and the wordings are specific. The claims hub covers the admission; this page covers the weeks after it.
What counts as follow-up care?
Treatment that the attending physician orders as a direct result of the emergency, after the initial visit or discharge: a wound check, a cast removal, a repeat ECG, a post-operative appointment, the drugs prescribed on discharge. It does not include the parent’s usual medications, routine monitoring of a chronic condition, or treatment of a new problem.
| Covered as follow-up, within the limits | Not follow-up |
|---|---|
| Post-discharge appointment ordered by the treating physician | Annual check-up |
| Removal of stitches or a cast | Physiotherapy course after the emergency ends, unless the wording includes it |
| Repeat test to confirm recovery, within the window | Ongoing monitoring of a chronic condition |
| Drugs prescribed on discharge, up to the day limit | Refills of the parent’s regular medication |
| Second visit for the same acute infection, within the window | Treatment of an unrelated new complaint; that is a new claim |
Every follow-up should be reported to the assistance centre before it happens, with the open file number. See direct billing for how the clinic gets paid.
What does each insurer allow?
Limits differ in the number of visits, the number of days, and the quantity of drugs. Terms seen October 2026 in the policy wordings — verify in the document.
| Insurer (underwriter) | Follow-up visits | Window | Prescription drugs | Pre-approval |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TuGo (iA Financial Group) | Up to 5 | Within 14 days of the initial emergency treatment | Up to a 30-day supply, prescribed by a physician | Notify the assistance centre |
| GMS (Group Medical Services) | As required by the physician | Must occur no later than 14 days after the emergency | Up to a 30-day prescription; refills and the visits to obtain them excluded | Notify GMS |
| Manulife CoverMe (Manufacturers Life) | Covered | Until the attending physician or Manulife’s medical advisors declare the end of the emergency | Drugs available only by prescription from a physician or dentist; no day limit stated | Notify the Assistance Centre |
| 21st Century Enhanced and Standard (Manulife) | “No specific limit” per the brochure’s Continuing Treatment provision | Until the emergency ends | Per wording; confirm at quote time | Notify |
| 21st Century Basic (Manulife) | “Maximum one follow-up treatment per event” | Per wording | Per wording | Notify |
| Allianz Global Assistance (CUMIS General Insurance) | Ongoing treatment excluded “unless approved in advance” | Per approval | Per wording; confirm | Required |
| Secure Travel/RIMI, Destination, Travelance | Per policy wording; confirm at quote time | Per wording | Per wording | Notify |
Sources: TuGo wording, GMS wording, Manulife policy, 21st Century brochure, Allianz summary. The how to read your policy page shows where the follow-up clause sits in each wording.
When does the emergency end?
When the insurer’s medical advisors, or the attending physician, decide that the parent no longer needs emergency treatment or is fit to travel home. Manulife’s wording covers follow-ups “until the attending physician or our medical advisors declare the end of the medical emergency,” and states that an emergency no longer exists when the Assistance Centre indicates the person is able to return home. GMS’s wording says the emergency ends “when the medical evidence indicates” it.
After that point, three things follow. Further treatment in Canada for the same condition is a new episode and usually excluded. The insurer may arrange the return home under the repatriation benefit; see repatriation explained. And at Manulife, refusing a recommended return home excludes later emergencies; at Allianz, coverage expires once the parent is returned home.
What about the parent’s regular medications?
Not covered, at any insurer we compare. Emergency medical insurance excludes routine care, and a repeat prescription for a chronic condition is routine. The doctor visits, dental and prescriptions page covers the full list of routine exclusions.
| Plan ahead | Why |
|---|---|
| Bring a supply for the stay, in original packaging | Canadian pharmacies generally will not dispense on a foreign prescription; a Canadian prescriber is usually needed, at the family’s cost |
| Carry the home-country prescription and a doctor’s letter listing each drug, dose and reason | Needed for customs and for any Canadian doctor who takes over |
| Price a walk-in clinic visit and the drug privately before travel | A Canadian prescription for a routine drug is a private cost; Queensway Carleton billed non-residents $1,242 per outpatient visit in April 2026 |
| Do not change the dose to stretch the supply | A dose change breaks stability for the next policy and may be an undisclosed change on this one |
A parent who runs out mid-stay and visits a walk-in clinic pays for the visit and the drug. That visit is also a medical event that the next insurer may ask about; keep the receipt and the prescription.
How do you make sure follow-up is paid?
Tell the assistance centre before every visit, keep every receipt, and stay inside the window. Most refused follow-up claims fail on one of those three.
- Note the file number and the name of the assistance coordinator from the first call; see emergency: what to do first.
- Before each follow-up, call or email the assistance centre with the date, the clinic and the reason, and ask whether it will be billed directly.
- Count the days from the initial treatment; at TuGo and GMS the fourteenth day is the last.
- Fill discharge prescriptions once, for the supply the wording allows; a second fill is likely refused.
- If the physician orders treatment beyond the window, ask the assistance centre in writing whether it will be covered, before the appointment.
- Keep itemized receipts and submit them with the claim form within the policy’s time limit.
If a follow-up is refused, the denied claim page sets out the appeal. Super Visa Direct Insurance Services helps clients read the clause and draft the appeal, by email at [email protected] or callback, Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 6:00pm Eastern Time.
Questions people ask
Are my parent's regular prescriptions covered?
No. Super visa insurance is emergency medical insurance. The parent's usual blood pressure, diabetes or thyroid medication is a routine expense, not an emergency, and is excluded at every insurer we compare. Bring a supply from home for the length of the stay and ask the home-country doctor for a prescription that a Canadian pharmacist can read.
How many follow-up visits does super visa insurance pay for?
TuGo pays up to 5 within 14 days of the initial emergency treatment. GMS requires any follow-up to occur no later than 14 days after the emergency. 21st Century's Enhanced and Standard plans state no specific limit; Basic allows one follow-up per event. Manulife covers follow-ups until the emergency is declared over. Allianz needs advance approval.
How much prescription medication is covered after an emergency?
A 30-day supply at TuGo and GMS, prescribed by a physician as part of the emergency treatment. Refills beyond that are excluded at GMS, along with the physician visits to obtain them. Manulife covers drugs available only by prescription from a physician or dentist, without stating a day limit. Confirm the limit at quote time.
When does the emergency end?
When the insurer's medical advisors or the attending physician say the parent is stable enough to return home or to continue without further emergency treatment. After that point, further treatment in Canada is a new episode and usually excluded. Manulife's wording covers follow-ups until its medical advisors declare the end of the medical emergency.
Can my parent choose to stay in Canada for ongoing treatment?
Not at the insurer's expense. Once the parent is fit to travel, most wordings pay for the return home and exclude continued treatment in Canada. Manulife excludes later emergencies if a recommended return home is refused. Allianz ends coverage once the parent is returned home under the emergency return benefit.
Does a follow-up visit need pre-approval?
At Allianz, yes: ongoing treatment is excluded unless approved in advance. At the others, the assistance centre should be told before each follow-up so that it is logged as part of the open claim and, where possible, billed directly. A follow-up booked without telling the insurer is the most common reason it is refused.
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Sources
- TuGo — Visitors to Canada policy wording (5 follow-up visits in 14 days; 30-day prescriptions)
- GMS — Immigrants and Visitors to Canada policy wording (follow-up within 14 days; 30-day prescriptions)
- Manulife CoverMe — Visitors to Canada policy (follow-up until end of emergency; return home)
- 21st Century — Visitors to Canada brochure (continuing treatment by plan)
- Allianz Global Assistance / CUMIS — Visitors to Canada summary (ongoing treatment needs approval)