The Canadian Snowbird will need travel health insurance as typically, the rates for a hospital stay out of country are much, much higher than a similar stay in a hospital in Canada.
The provincial health insurance plan that you fall under will NOT typically reimburse you for the full amount of a hospital stay outside of Canada, and the difference can number in the tens of thousands of dollars.
Here are some daily hospital rates in the U.S., provided by http://www.beckershospitalreview.com. The rates shown reflect the costs in 2010. They will have gone up appreciably since then.
Alabama
• State/local government hospitals — $1,377
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,479
• For-profit hospitals — $1,239
Alaska
• State/local government hospitals — $1,163
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,092
• For-profit hospitals — $3,170
Arizona
• State/local government hospitals — $1,163
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,092
• For-profit hospitals — $3,170
Arkansas
• State/local government hospitals — $1,275
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,560
• For-profit hospitals — $1,373
California
• State/local government hospitals — $2,590
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,676
• For-profit hospitals — $1,975
Colorado
• State/local government hospitals — $1,855
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,329
• For-profit hospitals — $2,283
Connecticut
• State/local government hospitals — $1,942
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,156
• For-profit hospitals — $2,516
Delaware
• State/local government hospitals — NA
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,233
• For-profit hospitals — $1,752
District of Columbia
• State/local government hospitals — $1,109
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,674
• For-profit hospitals — $1,594
Florida
• State/local government hospitals — $1,708
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,092
• For-profit hospitals — $1,492
Georgia
• State/local government hospitals — $840
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,602
• For-profit hospitals — $1,139
Hawaii
• State/local government hospitals — $929
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,073
• For-profit hospitals — NA
Idaho
• State/local government hospitals — $889
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,317
• For-profit hospitals — $1,969
Illinois
• State/local government hospitals — $1,581
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,049
• For-profit hospitals — $1,576
Indiana
• State/local government hospitals — $1,504
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,132
• For-profit hospitals — $1,843
Iowa
• State/local government hospitals — $1,190
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,344
• For-profit hospitals — $1,222
Kansas
• State/local government hospitals — $901
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,555
• For-profit hospitals — $1,755
Kentucky
• State/local government hospitals — $1,492
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,575
• For-profit hospitals — $1,352
Louisiana
• State/local government hospitals — $1,590
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,519
• For-profit hospitals — $1,618
Maine
• State/local government hospitals — $1,361
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,117
• For-profit hospitals — $764
Maryland
• State/local government hospitals — NA
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,348
• For-profit hospitals — $1,903
Massachusetts
• State/local government hospitals — $2,341
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,470
• For-profit hospitals — $1,701
Michigan
• State/local government hospitals — $1,228
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,020
• For-profit hospitals — $1,250
Minnesota
• State/local government hospitals — $936
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,929
• For-profit hospitals — $1,378
Mississippi
• State/local government hospitals — $988
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,292
• For-profit hospitals — $1,372
Missouri
• State/local government hospitals — $1,420
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,124
• For-profit hospitals — $1,938
Montana
• State/local government hospitals — $404
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,253
• For-profit hospitals — $2,543
Nebraska
• State/local government hospitals — $556
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,886
• For-profit hospitals — $1,755
Nevada
• State/local government hospitals — $2,281
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,198
• For-profit hospitals — $1,548
New Hampshire
• State/local government hospitals — NA
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,171
• For-profit hospitals — $2,090
New Jersey
• State/local government hospitals — $2,398
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,212
• For-profit hospitals — $1,193
New Mexico
• State/local government hospitals — $2,041
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,175
• For-profit hospitals — $1,895
New York
• State/local government hospitals — $1,780
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,906
• For-profit hospitals — NA
North Carolina
• State/local government hospitals — $1,677
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,616
• For-profit hospitals — $1,552
North Dakota
• State/local government hospitals — NA
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,341
• For-profit hospitals — $1,440
Ohio
• State/local government hospitals — $1,943
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,173
• For-profit hospitals — $1,972
Oklahoma
• State/local government hospitals — $1,204
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,597
• For-profit hospitals — $1,580
Oregon
• State/local government hospitals — $2,508
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,896
• For-profit hospitals — $2,533
Pennsylvania
• State/local government hospitals — $649
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,921
• For-profit hospitals — $1,776
Rhode Island
• State/local government hospitals — NA
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,325
• For-profit hospitals — NA
South Carolina
• State/local government hospitals — $1,778
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,961
• For-profit hospitals — $1,463
South Dakota
• State/local government hospitals — $379
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,113
• For-profit hospitals — $3,573
Tennessee
• State/local government hospitals — $939
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,710
• For-profit hospitals — $1,414
Texas
• State/local government hospitals — $2,126
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,062
• For-profit hospitals — $1,650
Utah
• State/local government hospitals — $2,625
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,219
• For-profit hospitals — $1,990
Vermont
• State/local government hospitals — NA
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,656
• For-profit hospitals — NA
Virginia
• State/local government hospitals — $2,584
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,630
• For-profit hospitals — $1,734
Washington
• State/local government hospitals — $2,429
• Non-profit hospitals — $2,972
• For-profit hospitals — $2,588
West Virginia
• State/local government hospitals — $622
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,444
• For-profit hospitals — $1,170
Wisconsin
• State/local government hospitals — $360
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,963
• For-profit hospitals — $2,389
Wyoming
• State/local government hospitals — $1,003
• Non-profit hospitals — $1,350
• For-profit hospitals — $1,697
Original Source: Kaiser State Health Facts
The current average daily rate for hospital stay in the U.S. can be found here.
What has been your actual daily rate experience for a stay in a U.S. hospital? Care to share details? Please let visitors know by adding a comment below. Thanks,