Does the Quebec provincial health insurance plan or my insurer reimburse the cost of renting cold caps?
The use of cold caps is not covered by the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) in Quebec. However, many private insurance companies are beginning to reimburse a significant proportion of the cost of renting these caps. Patients can then choose between a hair prosthesis or the use of cold caps. If you have a discretionary medical expense account, the use of cooling helmets may also be eligible for coverage. To obtain reimbursement, the provider must have a prescription from his or her oncologist for the use of the cold caps, accompanied by the associated diagnosis and confirmation that the chemotherapy prescribed is causing the alopecia. So it's essential to ask for this prescription. For reference, *Penguin Cold Caps* are registered as Class 1 medical devices with Health Canada under reference number 17656. Details of the establishment license can be found at [https://health-products.canada.ca/mdel-leim/index-eng.jsp](this link). It's also a good idea to consult an accountant, as cold caps are recognized as medical equipment eligible for tax deduction.