Quebec Medicare won't pay?

Hi - My sister & I were planning to have gastric bypass together.  She, living in Ontario was accepted for procedure in Utica, NY, paid for by OHIP.  I, living in Quebec am not entitled to Medicare coverage in the US. On the other hand, Quebec has extended an invitation to Ontario residents to come and have their surgery done here & OHIP will cover that too.  Have contacted Dr.. Christou's office (Montreal) but he is no longer accepting Quebec Medicare patients.  He has 1,600 patient list and a 5-7 yr. waiting list for those who have private insurance or some other form of finance.  What is going to happen to us people who have to live with the disease of obesity because the Quebec Government won't cover surgeries that can't be performed in Quebec because the waiting lists are too long or they cannot accept more patients.  I'm sure there are people out there who can relate to this situation so.....if anyone can give me any info or help for this, please, please post a message.  Thanks a bunch

It is only with Dr. Christou's clinic that they have stopped taking patients as he will be retiring in a couple of years (don't know exactly how many years) but he didn't want to keep a list where he would be giving false hope to patients. Personally I also think that he wanted to utilise more the private option. That being said the Québec gouvernement invested a few billion dollars last fall to try and reduce wait times on public lists. The biggest centers who got money was Sacré Coeur in Mtl, Hôpital Laval in Québec and another hospital in Mtl. I know the lists have gone down in Québec city. The wait was five years a couple of years ago when I did my research and now it is around 1.5yrs. I also know the hospital in Val D'Or has a wait time about 1-1.5yrs for RNY. They also have an excellent reputation. As for Ontario, well OHIP has overhauled their bariatric admittence program and they no longer send patients automatically to the US. The reason why they used is that they did not have many surgeons specializing in bariatric surgery. In Québec that has never been the problem . Access to operating rooms is our problem. I know this is frustrating when you are waiting for surgery. I was also very frustrated. I think bariatric surgery is still in its infancy and having the governement recognize it as a viable option to the problem of obesity is a beginning. The only I don't like about the governement orientation is that they are favoring LapBand over any other type of procedure. I am not surprized as for them it is the least expensive intervention. So patients who want an alternative to LapBand will still have a waiting game to live with. If you want to read the orientation guidelines their on the MSSS website.

Gosh I'm glad to meet you.  You are a wealth of information!!  I just saw a posting by someone saying that he/she had got their surgery date.  They had been waiting since Feb. 2008 & that was at the Sacre Coeur Hospital.  I've been in touch with them & they said there is a 2 yr. waiting list but if they're getting a bunch of money poured into their hospital maybe the wait time could come down a bit.  My sister was told there was a 2 yr. waiting time (in the USA) and asked to be put on the cancellation list & got a call in a matter of 2 months.  Not sure about the lapband procedure.  It almost seems like a "temporary" thing & having a porthole doesn't really appeal to me. 

Well I am trying to figure out why patients are coming from Florida and  Ontario to Quebec for surgery and that we who live in Quebec cannot go out  of province, Maybe if they kept the spaces for the Quebec patients we would not have to wait so long. It just dosn't seem fair. I am still trying to figure out if there is a faster way of getting through.   lets keep each other posted and see if we can come up with anything.  Doris

My window of opportunity is almost closed as I am 63.  My sister's surgeon in Utica told me to come on down (sure, & pay tons of $;s).  I told him I only had 60 lbs. to lose and he very rudely said "well, look at you, you're so short & it makes you look like you have 100 lbs. to lose).  Too bad Dr. Christou isn't doing Quebec patients unless they can pay cash up front .  I heard its because he is planning on retiring and has enough paying patients to keep him going until he does retire. The Sacre Coeur Hospital has a bariatric wing & is supposed to be good.  As for myself, when I saw what my sister went through and how she eats now, I am backing off.  I don't think I could do that kind of eating regime for the rest of my life.  All that planning even down to not being able to drink water a half hr. before meals and 1-1/2 hrs. after meals & when eating out, just picking through the meal is too much for me.  No alcohol too!! 

Your clock is running out. well I am 72 and I am going for it. My son had it and several of my friends and they look 20 years younger and in much better health.  I know exactly what it is I have researched it all. I am still going for it. I have appt. Aug 30  in Montreal.  I am hoping to get in as soon as possible.   I am 100 % sure. I don't smoke and I don't drink but I do curse. lol   I think I owe it to myself to go through with it.  I live and breath it. 

Is Dr. Christou taking you on as a patient?  I wish you the best of luck &  hope you get an early date for your surgery.  Keep me posted okay?

No Christou is not my Dr.    He is not taking any new patients.   He is retiring and so he is not taking on any one new.  Who are you seeing.

I'm not seeing anyone.  I was told my BMI was not high enough.  I'm hovering at 34-35, have Type 2 Diabetes, a fatty liver.  I need a referral from my doctor but she refuses to write one saying that I am in no way, shape or form a candidate for this surgery.  Trying to find another doctor to support me is really hard.  Do you have a lot of weight to lose?  Not asking for a specific number - a baseball figure. LOL

Hi I am 2 weeks post op , had the surgery with Dr. Christou, I did the Optifast, lost 15 pounds and during the last 2 weeks have lost another 10pounds, I am 56 years old my BMI was at 37, I paid the $19,500.  My sister had it done 6 months ago with Dr. Christou, it has gone really well.  I was back to work in a week, I get my stitches out tomorrow.  I made my first call May 10th, got my appointments,  started my fast 25th of May, Surgery date was July 5th....I have been debating this for a very long time, dieting all my life, high blood pressure, sore hips, knees, etc....