Prior Approved Services : (services that are provided outside Canada under special arrangements made prior to the medical services being received). The requested OOC services may be OHIP insured, if the “Prior Approval Application for Full Payment of Insured Out of Country Health Services” established that the services and treatment being requested are :
Performed at a hospital or licensed health facility; and
Not experimental or for research or for a survey; and
Generally accepted in Ontario as appropriate for a person in the same medical circumstances as the insured person; and
Either not performed in Ontario by an identical or equivalent procedure; or
Performed in Ontario but the insured person must receive the services outside Canada to avoid a delay that would result in death or medically significant irreversible tissue damage.
The last one’s the problem, of course. But the question is: is the covid delay justification for making people suffer the pain they are going through for years?
I have spoken to some people about this and it is very difficult to get this funding. A neurosurgeon in NY state said he has had many Canadian patients try this route and the government says “no” in almost every case. So we are left paying out of pocket for a procedure and taking on risk of complications in another healthcare system OR waiting for years in our own country while they feed us pain meds and refer us to pain clinics… and maybe get a partial procedure if you wait long enough.
Yes, this seems to be a longstanding problem. It makes me really angry: like yours, our system is supposed to look after people with medical problems. This is not an imaginary ailment! Why should they have to wait and wait for years while suffering those symptoms? It’s terrible.
Jules, what is the situation in the UK for foreigners who wish to be treated by a specialist? They would go private, right? Do you know anyone who has gone to the UK instead of to the US?
We had one member in Italy who ModSupport referred to us several years ago. He needed emergency ES surgery, & Jules referred him to Mr. Axon in England. We never received any follow-up information from him.
It’s just not taken seriously, but as in rare cases of vascular ES it can cause strokes or heart problems, so that should be a priority, & for IH cases too…
Yes, they would have to pay privately- here lots of the consultants do private work alongside their NHS work (like Mr Axon), so with Covid there longer waiting times even if you’re paying! I think if people can they are getting desperate & going privately so increasing the wait…
I can’t think of anyone who has done this though it would be possible. Although from what we’ve heard from members recently, Mr Axon seems to have to do a new protocol, & is having to send patients for vascular testing too before agreeing to surgery, his private patients too, so that’s extra cost & time.
WOO HOO! We’ve arrived!! I just admitted a new member who was referred to Living with Eagle, by the National Institute of Health. I guess word is getting around, OR did Seenie & TJ have something to do w/ them knowing about the Ben’s Friends Forums?!
I just admitted a new member who was referred to Living with Eagle, by the National Institute of Health. I guess word is getting around, OR did Seenie & TJ have something to do w/ them knowing about the Ben’s Friends Forums?! 