Things that make you think. ummmm (Sudden issues with OOC)

Well, around lunch time I went for a drive rather then watching everyone graze like a heard of politicians at the pension trough- and CBC radio ran a news item I was hoping to find on their website about how the number of people applying for medical treatment out side of Ontario has more then doubled since 2005. 
The Health Minister stated that one of the culprits is.. ready.. yup- WLS.

Anyway- I have to wonder if this had anything to do with the recent sudden change in attitude with our friends at OHIP as it relates to OOC?

I finally found a piece on the CBC website- it doesn't mention WLS, but I am willing to bet it's going to be a topic for discussion over the next week in the media- and at the water cooler.

www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/11/26/south-of-border-healthcar e.html


Edit to add the following:

Here is another article on the same subject- this one from the CTV website-

toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20091126/ohip_oopv_0 91126/20091126

I am just reading my local free paper....Whitby This Week and there is a huge/several page article about the state of the healthcare system in Ontario and the amount of OCC proceedures being done. Whereas Bariatrics was mentioned it was not the forcus. They mentioned the waits for MRI, CTs, Hip and Knee replacements, Genetic testing and Cancer treatments not provided here.
It was an interesting article. I fully expected that it would speak harshly about bariaitric surgery but it didn't.  Yeah to the local paper.
Joy

Hijack - Joy!!  Great new avatar!  I didn't know it was you!


Anyway - our paper had an article about this too - the focus was on a local boy being sent to the US for genetic testing.  It was talk around our "water cooler" too.

Before I looked into having RNY I had no clue that OHIP would pay for a procedure in the states.  LOL Maybe I was sheltered a bit haha.

Elizabeth xoxox's

At a cost of almost $20,000 per procedure going to the US, there's no doubt in my mind that this was a factor in OHIP's decision to change their OOC attitude.
L.

Last night's CTV 6 pm  Toronto newscast  carried a report that the ACTUAL cost to  OHIP to pay a US clinic for EACH  WLS procedure is EIGHTY thousand dollars. on average.  They backed that up with actual patient invoices from Michigan and NY. , on camera.

Remember that the US system is based on PROFIT motives, and they are going to get every penny they can from OHIP.  If I get my WLS in Ontario at TWH, it is not going to cost that huge amount, is it ?          Of course not.

So, all of you who are applying to go to the USA for your WLS, bear that cost factor in mind. You could "self pay in Toronto " and get it for $18,000 Cdn. Imagine having to tell others that your US procedure cost the public of Ontario the cost of a brand new BMW convertible ?  And the results won't be any better than if it was done in Ontario, will they ?

Jim.

Sorry Jim,  but I would like to see those bills.  It doesn't make sense.  When someone is approved for OOC- they are sent a copy of the letter to the out of province facility- which clearly shows the dollar amount on it- that OHIP will pay them.  Unless there was major complications- I don't think I've ever seen or heard of a WLS costing that much.  Mine was around the $24,000. mark.
I guess I'm going to check out the CTV website.

There was a segment on CTV Ottawa last night.
1.  U.S. cost per person is, and was stated as, $20,000.  Far from the cost of a BMW.
2.  They were bragging about the surgery being done at The Ottawa Hospital at a whopping rate of 4 per week.  Now THAT amount is really going to help all the Ontarians who are waiting for their surgery.  The wait list would be incredible.  Therefore, the need for Out of Country to still be available.

If I had had my surgery by OHIP I would have had no problem telling others what my US procedure cost the public of Ontario.  No problem at all.

Depending on the surgeon OHI P dicates you use in Ontario, I would beg to differ that the results would be better if done in Ontario.

Just sayin'....

MY surgery was NOT 80K and even if it was, I"m well worth a "BMW".  Actually I'm probably worth a Porshe.


I call Bull**** on that one.

Bull**** without a doubt.
Give me a break - $80,000?
If that were the case, I would never had been able to pay for my lap DS now would I?
I think a few of the U.S. surgeons would have a chuckle out of that one.