4 Services that OHIP Covers For Seniors
By Krista DeKuyper | September 17, 2021 |
Senior citizens make up a surprisingly large percentage of the population in Canada. In fact, seniors made up about 18.83% of the population in 2022, a rapid increase from previous years! This percentage is projected to increase as time goes on, and one can only assume the senior population has grown even larger now in 2025.
As a health insurance brokerage in Ontario, HealthQuotes understands the unique health challenges faced by Canada’s senior population. It’s because of these age-specific needs that older Canadians require more medical care than their younger counterparts. Furthermore, it is essential that seniors stay healthy and fit to enjoy their golden years. Luckily, OHIP offers a growing variety of services for Canadians over 65 years old. OHIP coverage for seniors has improved steadily over the last decade, so today we’re uncovering 4 valuable services that OHIP covers for seniors in 2025.
Physiotherapy
If you are 65 and over and have been referred by a physician, OHIP will cover your physiotherapy costs. Mobility and flexibility are negatively affected as we age, which is why this coverage is so important. Keeping active with regular exercise helps us maintain our fitness levels in later years.
Additionally, the Ontario government has government-funded physiotherapy clinics that provide assessment and treatment services. This also includes rehabilitation following an injury or hospital stay.
If you are eligible, a registered physiotherapist will meet with you one-on-one to determine the best treatment plan and supervise the physiotherapy process.
To find out if you’re eligible, follow this link:
Prescription Drugs
When you reach the age of retirement and lose your employee benefits, your prescription drug coverage is a important consideration. Prescription drugs are another service that is covered by OHIP for seniors. Seniors are entitled to the Ontario drug benefits (ODB) program. It covers the majority of the cost for about 5000 prescription drugs. Furthermore, it helps cover allergy shots and diabetic supplies like needles, alcohol swabs, and glucose test strips.
To learn more, follow this link to the Ontario webpage:
Vision Care
Does OHIP cover the cost of glasses for seniors?
As of 2025, everyone over the age of 65 and under the age of 20 have some vision care covered by OHIP. For seniors 65 years and older, OHIP will cover a visit every 12 months to an optometrist plus any follow-ups. This is great news for seniors as regular vision care helps prevent eyesight deterioration over time.
As you would for a doctor’s appointment, show your optometrist your health card and your expenses will be covered.
Moreover, if you are 20 to 64 years old and have a specific medical condition affecting your eyes OHIP will cover a major eye exam for you once ever 12 months and any follow-up appointments. Covered conditions are:
- diabetes mellitus
- glaucoma
- cataract
- retinal disease
- amblyopia
- visual field defects
- corneal disease
- strabismus
- recurrent uveitis
- optic pathway disease
For full details on OHIP’s eyecare coverage for seniors, read our blog: Does Ontario Offer Free Eyeglasses for Seniors?
Home Care Services
Finally, home care services are covered by OHIP as of 2025. This is a pivotal source of care for seniors in Ontario, as their ability to walk and take care of their home is impacted with age. Homecare workers assist older adults from the comfort of their own home with activities such as meal preparation or bathing.
This fantastic service allows retirement communities to maintain residents’ independence longer while still receiving adequate medical attention from experts! Seniors who live at home live more independently for longer than they do in a retirement community.
You can learn how to access home care services by talking with your local Community Care Access Centre or CCAC. This organization coordinates the delivery of home care and long-term care services across Ontario.
To see if you qualify and to learn more, follow this link:
Best Health Insurance Plan for Seniors
As of 2025, the best health insurance plan for seniors is the Manulife CoverMe Guaranteed Issue Enhanced Health and Dental Plan. This plan is ideal for those who have pre-existing health conditions and require regular or more costly prescription drugs. It provides the best prescription drug coverage without having to answer any medical questions at the time of application. Available to Canadians aged 18+ with a provincial or territorial government health care plan. Coverage includes:
- prescription drugs: 80% coverage of $3,125 for drug care + $500 for lifestyle drugs
- dental care: 80% coverage of $564 for dental care
- extended health care: comprehensive coverage for mental health and therapy services, medical equipment, prosthetics and medical supplies and much more
- vision care: $200 paid ever 2 benefit years for prescription glasses, contact lenses adn more
- hospital care
- emergency medical travel coverage
To get an instant quote for the best health insurance plan for seniors, use our instant quoting tool:
Want Extra Protection?
Seniors need insurance to protect themselves and their assets. Without insurance, Ontario seniors risk getting hit with high out-of-pocket costs for medical care and their individual home needs.
If you have a pre-existing condition, then guaranteed issue coverage is your best friend. These plans have no medical questions, so you’re guaranteed acceptance. However, there are also individual health insurance plans that might cover what you need. You can use our instant quoting tools to find the plan that is right for you:
