Sports Injury Coverage:
You can submit invoices for physiotherapy treatment to your extended health plan for reimbursement in the vast majority of cases. Always check your individual plan to be sure. However, if you have used up your coverage, or if you don’t have an extended plan, then there is another option you should be aware of.
When a parent or guardian pays for league fees for their child to play minor sports, part of that fee goes to insurance. It is generally known that this insurance covers catastrophic incidents like death and very serious injury, but what is less well known is that it also covers physiotherapy fees for most major sports. If the injury occurs in a sanctioned practice or game, the injury is eligible for physiotherapy coverage by the insurer. Some sport associations require that you use your private extended health plan coverage first but for those parents without a private health plan through work, this sport insurance will begin right away. You will need to pay for sessions over the counter and submit receipts to the sport insurance company. Coverage extends to referees and officials as well as athletes.
The parent must notify the insurance company within 30 days of the injury and must bring the child in to see the doctor within 90 days of the injury and have the requisite forms completed by the family doctor and sent to the insurer in order to claim fee reimbursement. See instructions below regarding viewing and printing claims forms.
Physician’s forms for most sports injuries are located here and here for hockey players.
Provincial and nationally carded athletes (Bronze, Silver and Gold level) can be covered through The Canadian Athlete Insurance Program (CAIP). CAIP is available to all Canadian athletes, coaches, managers and officials who are members in good standing of a sport governing body, such as a National Sport Organization, Provincial Sport Organization, Canadian Sport Centre, established Sport Teams, Leagues or Clubs.