Coverage explained
OHIP vs UHIP vs GuardMe: what is the difference?
Three different kinds of coverage, three different cards. Here is what each one is, what Ontario says about the OHIP waiting period, and what it means for a visit at 750 Dundas St W.
Last updated
The short answer
OHIP is Ontario's provincial health plan. UHIP is a university plan for international students, employees and visitors. GuardMe is a private insurance plan that some international students hold. They are separate plans with separate cards or policy numbers. All three are accepted at 750 Dundas St W, Toronto.
This page is not medical advice or coverage advice. What your plan pays for is set by the plan itself. For anything life- or limb-threatening, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. Toronto Western Hospital is directly across the street.
OHIP: the provincial plan
OHIP is the Ontario Health Insurance Plan. To apply, Ontario lists minimum qualifications that must all be met: being physically in Ontario for 153 days in any 12-month period, being in Ontario for 153 of the first 183 days after you began living here, and making Ontario your primary residence, with some exceptions. On top of that you must meet at least one additional requirement, such as being a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or in one of several other listed categories, including certain work permit holders.
The full rules and the application are on Ontario's page, Apply for OHIP and get a health card. What OHIP does and does not pay for is on What OHIP covers.
Is there an OHIP waiting period?
No. Ontario's page Apply for OHIP and get a health card says: "There is no longer a waiting period for OHIP coverage." It adds that if you are eligible, you will have immediate health insurance coverage, and that you can apply as soon as you arrive in Ontario. We checked that page on 2026-10-24.
The 153-day presence rules above are eligibility conditions, not a waiting period, according to the same page. If you are unsure how they apply to you, ask ServiceOntario or check the page directly, because it can change.
UHIP: the university plan
The UHIP website describes UHIP as a primary healthcare plan for those studying and working at universities in Ontario, created in 1994 by the universities, with benefits similar to OHIP. It calls the coverage compulsory and says it is health insurance for international students, employees and visitors. Family members can be added; the UHIP site has the details.
The UHIP site also says that providers in Cowan's Preferred Provider Network bill Cowan directly for medical services at UHIP rates, and advises checking which providers accept UHIP. For what UHIP covers and how claims work, use uhip.ca.
GuardMe: a private plan
GuardMe is a private health insurance plan used by some international students and some schools and colleges. It is not a government plan and is separate from both OHIP and UHIP. What a GuardMe policy pays for, and any steps for claiming, depend on your policy, so check your policy documents or GuardMe's website.
What this means for a visit here
Appletree Medical Centre accepts OHIP, UHIP and GuardMe at 750 Dundas St W #11, Toronto. Bring your card or policy number and photo ID. Walk-in visits need no appointment; the 505 Dundas streetcar stops at the door.
The clinic bills UHIP, GuardMe and other private insurance directly where it can. If it can't bill your plan, you're told before the visit.
If you hold UHIP or GuardMe, the UHIP and GuardMe clinic page has what to bring and how to be seen. If you have no health card or no coverage yet, see walk-in care without a health card; self-pay applies, so call (416) 681-0444 for the current fee. Once you are in Ontario for the longer term, a family doctor can follow your care over time.
Common questions
OHIP is Ontario's provincial health insurance plan for residents who meet the eligibility rules. UHIP, the University Health Insurance Plan, is described on its own site as coverage for international students, employees and visitors at Ontario universities, with benefits similar to OHIP. UHIP is a separate plan with its own card or policy number.
Ontario's page on applying for OHIP states: There is no longer a waiting period for OHIP coverage. It also says that if you are eligible you will have immediate health insurance coverage. Eligibility rules still apply, including time spent physically in Ontario. Check the page or ServiceOntario for your situation.
What GuardMe covers is set by your own plan, so check your policy or ask GuardMe. Appletree Medical Centre at 750 Dundas St W, Toronto accepts GuardMe, so you can walk in during walk-in hours with your policy details and photo ID.
Yes. All three are accepted at 750 Dundas St W, Toronto. Bring your card or policy number and photo ID.
Yes. No health card or OHIP is needed to be seen. If you do not have coverage that the clinic accepts, self-pay applies. Call (416) 681-0444 for the current fee.
Sources
Eligibility and funding rules change. The guidance this page draws on is published by:
See a doctor at 750 Dundas St W #11.
Book online through the Appletree patient portal, or call the clinic.