Snow and more snow! I don't know about your area but we have certainly had lots of snow since the thaw.

Did you know…. that after age 65, you have 50% chance of having a hearing loss? ….exposure of a minute or more to a snowmobile or power saw risks hearing loss?....listening to headphones at high volume setting (8-9) for just 30 minutes can damage your hearing?....hearing loss caused by noise is permanent and irreversible?

Your resolutions this year are due April 11th. Our Field Reps and your presidents have received forms for you to fill in. If you don't have a form, write one and the Resolution Committee will put your resolution into the correct wording. We need to know the issues you have in your area so we can work on them together.

Set aside our convention date: August 18th to 20th in Burlington at the Holiday Inn. Let's have a great turn-out for our 50th anniversary. This is a real milestone in the USCO history. Be there to celebrate with everyone.

Have you had any events where you used the USCO colours and celebrated our 50th? We need pictures for the album. If all our clubs get behind our celebration it will be a fantastic success, but we need you to help us.

Here are a few things you may need to know when traveling outside Canada:

Will OHIP pay the same medical expenses that are covered in Ontario?

No! If you are a resident of Ontario and you are insured under OHIP, you are entitled to very limited funding for a limited range of medical services when you are traveling outside of Canada. For this reason you are strongly advised to purchase additional health insurance every time you leave Canada.

What does OHIP cover while outside of the country?

OHIP will pay very limited amounts for the services of a physician and hospital/health facility service if certain conditions are satisfied. OHIP will pay only for insured, emergency out of country health services that are rendered to an insured person. To qualify as an emergency there are a number of criteria that must be satisfied. These criteria are set by regulations and all conditions listed below must be met: treatment must be medically necessary and the treatment must be performed at a licensed hospital or licensed heart facility, and the treatment must be rendered in relation to an illness, disease, condition or injury that is acute and unexpected and arose outside of Canada and requires immediate treatment.

These conditions are intended and designed to provide very limited amounts of funding for the medical treatment of insured residents of Ontario if they incur an injury or develop a disease while they are outside of Canada. If the illness, disease, condition or injury arises before you leave Canada or if it is not acute or unexpected, no payment can be made.

What is not covered by OHIP?

Treatment that is not medically necessary; health services that are rendered at a facility that is not licensed hospital or licensed facility and treatment rendered for an illness, disease condition or injury that arose inside Canada; treatment that is generally accepted in Ontario as being experimental or for research or for part of a study; ambulance services or transportation costs; and other services specifically set out in the regulation and uninsured or otherwise not listed as insured.

How much will OHIP pay?

The amount that OHIP pays is set by regulation. The amount paid for out-of-country health services is very limited and usually will not be sufficient to cover the full cost of the service rendered. OHIP covers only very limited amounts for both health facility and physicians services. You are strongly advised to purchase additional health insurance.

OHIP will not pay more than the services would have cost in Ontario. Please note that out-of-country health facilities and physicians usually bill on an individual basis. OHIP does not pay for out-of-hospital food/accommodations/drugs or prescriptions. You may be outside of Canada for a period of 212 days in any 12 month period and still maintain your OHIP coverage.

To be eligible for continuous OHIP eligibility during one extended absence (e.g. study outside Canada), you must first have been physically present in Ontario for at least 153 days in the 12 month period for two consecutive years before the absence. The length of extended absences varies depending on the reason for absence.

If you have moved to Ontario from outside Canada or if you have moved from another Canadian province or territory and were not insured by that province or territory's health plan, you must be present 153 days in the first 183 days immediately following the date you established residency in Ontario (e.g. you cannot be absent for more than 30 days during the first six months of residency in Ontario.) For more information call the ministry Infoline at 1.800.664.8988 or TTY (toll free in Ontario only) 1.800.387.5559. The hours of operation are between 8:30am to 5:00pm.

Did you know that anyone who has Johnson Medoc Insurance is covered for trip cancellation insurance and so you need not take out cancellation insurance with your travel company?

Wishing each of you "The Top of the Morn" and a Happy St. Patrick's Day. Spring is just around the corner.