Mercia,
I hope you didn't miss understand me, but you'll have to get a prescription from your doctor first, I got mine from my cardiologist. You might be able to claim maybe 80% of the purchase of the monitor through medical insurance, but most Canadian companies don't recognize the unit or the strips. On the West Coast/Vancouver & Victoria, London Drugs carries the CoaguChekXS monitor......$500.00 plus the strips, which is around $150.00 +/-.
As for the INRatio, my understanding is that it is becoming very difficult to buy strips for that unit in the U.S.A., not sure if Canada has the same problems. Maybe GerryChuck from MooseJaw, Sk. will comment on that - I believe he has a INRatio monitor.
Good Luck and you will totally enjoy the 'user friendly' Coaguchek XS monitor.