Proton therapy funding in New Brunswick

If you live in New Brunswick, NB Medicare may pay for proton therapy outside Canada. The treatment must be medically necessary and only available outside Canada. This page explains how that works. Medicare, not this site, decides your case.

What this page covers

Your plan and who applies for you.
What is covered, and what is not.
The steps, and how to ask about a review if you are declined.

Your plan at a glance

Plan: New Brunswick Medicare.
Who applies: a New Brunswick specialist submits the prior-approval application to Medicare. You cannot apply for yourself.
Approval before travel: required. Non-emergency care abroad is not paid without written prior approval.
Claim window: approved claims must be submitted within 12 months of the care.

How out-of-country funding works in New Brunswick

New Brunswick can pay for services outside Canada where Medicare considers it reasonable and appropriate. A New Brunswick specialist must submit the application, stating that the medically necessary service is only available outside Canada. You should also notify Medicare before you leave, through Service New Brunswick.

Outside Canada, Medicare covers emergency hospital services, emergency physician services at New Brunswick rates, and services that have been pre-approved. Travel and accommodation are not covered. Without prior approval, Medicare is legally unable to pay for non-emergency care abroad.

Step by step

Speak with your specialist about whether proton therapy may suit your case.
Your specialist submits the prior-approval application to NB Medicare before any treatment is booked, and you notify Medicare before departure.
Wait for the decision.
If approved, arrange treatment, and submit the claim within 12 months of care.
If declined, contact NB Medicare about next steps.

Important: who decides

NB Medicare decides whether your treatment abroad is funded. Do not book or start non-emergency treatment before you have written prior approval, or Medicare cannot pay for it.

If you are declined

New Brunswick does not publish a formal appeal route for out-of-country decisions. If you are declined, contact NB Medicare about your options. Approval on review is very rare, however. The effort is better spent on a complete, well-documented first application prepared with your physician.

Proton therapy referral in New Brunswick

New Brunswick does not publish a proton-specific rule. Proton therapy is handled under the general pathway. A New Brunswick specialist must certify that the service is not available in Canada, and prior approval is required. Your own plan handles the application and payment. A published Canadian study notes that proton referrals from this province are supported through Nova Scotia’s program. Whether a proton-specific review is used is not published. Verify this directly with NB Medicare.

Frequently asked questions

Does NB Medicare cover proton therapy?

It may. Canada has no operating proton therapy centre today. So a medically necessary case can meet the test that the treatment is not available here. A New Brunswick specialist applies on your behalf, and NB Medicare decides.

How long does an NB Medicare decision take?

NB Medicare does not publish a decision time for out-of-country requests. Your specialist can ask NB Medicare for current timing when applying.

Sources for this page (5)

Leaving New Brunswick, notify before departure, coverage outside Canada, and travel exclusion: Government of New Brunswick, NB Medicare. www2.gnb.ca (checked 2026-07-06)
Submitting a claim for out-of-country services, specialist submission, and 12-month window: Government of New Brunswick. www2.gnb.ca (checked 2026-07-06)
Legal basis: Medical Services Payment Act, RSNB 1973, c. M-7, and General Regulation 84-20. laws.gnb.ca ; canlii.org (checked 2026-07-06)
Proton referrals from New Brunswick are supported through Nova Scotia’s program: Tsang et al., Proton Therapy in Canada, Red Journal, 2022, S0360-3016(22)03642-2. redjournal.org (checked 2026-07-06)
Note: the exact prior-approval form number and a formal appeal route are not published online. Verify with Service New Brunswick, 1-888-762-8600, and at www2.gnb.ca

Every statement on this page is drawn from the sources listed below. Last updated: 15 July 2026.

This page is for general education only. It is not medical advice and it is not a decision about your care or your funding. Only your treating physician can advise you on treatment. Only your provincial or territorial health plan can decide whether it will fund treatment outside the country. protontherapy.ca is an information resource by Maple Med Global (MMG Medical Tourism Inc.), Toronto, Canada. We are not a hospital, a clinic, or a government body, and we do not provide medical care.