OMG my insurance in Canada could possibly cover this

I was just talking to my medical insurance in Canada, as you know most of our services here in Canada are covered, just the wait time for this surgery is unreal.  So I just thought I would contact my insurance company to see if they would cover this.  I explained to them the wait time in our province is over 10 yrs, there is a clinic in Quebec that does this surgery for 19000 (can someone please give me the information on this clinic please, website etc...) and I also mentioned that I can have it done in Mexico anywhere from 5500 to 10000.  I told them that I was thinking about self paying when someone mentioned to me just to check with my private medical insurance.
The only issue was that VSG was not on their list but everything else was, of course after reading so much information from people on here and their insurances were the same way and would say they would cover such and such surgery and not the VSG yet the person was able to get the surgeon to help with the appeal.

Can any of you that had to bring this up to your insurance and have a copy of the appeal letter please send it to me just I can start writing up information on this, I will get a call back within the next 48 hrs and want to be prepared.  I so wasn't expecting this

Hello!

I am in the same boat!  I have surgery scheduled for July 29th and am self paying if you have any advice that could help me here in Alberta I would truly appreciate it! 

My fingers are crossed for you and I hope it all goes well!!!

I would be very interested in knowing this as well!  I am in Nova Scotia too and can't believe the wait is 10 years!  I have 120 pounds to lose and have been on the list for a year now myself...

It is MSI or your private medical insurance (i.e. blue cross)

Hoping you hear soon! 

Shirley

NS as well and it is my private medical insurance and will let everyone know when I find out.  If you have blue cross definitely call them and find out if they cover it outside your province, or outside your country!!! Let them know it is cheaper in Mexico and hopefully they will all start to cover.  I found the Quebec clinic info http://www.weightlosssurgery.ca/en/about . Sounds like it is done through McGill university.  Still if there are any other self paying clinics in Canada I need to know about them.

Jackie:

You may want to post on the Canadian forum, because there are people there that can give you very specific advice for YOUR PROVINCE.

They tend to be a very helpful group, and they know about the Canadian Medicare system, which most Americans don't.  As you are aware, each Province has different rules about things like weight loss surgery, but there ARE ways you can work around a lot of the restrictions, etc.

There is also the possibility that you can be sent to another Province for surgery (several people on this forum have been able to do exactly that).

Thanks medic but through my readings they will not take out of province people unless it is not offered in their province.  It was suggested to me to relocate for quicker service instead of paying for it but I don't think I should have to move my children in order for me to get this surgery any quicker in Canada.  I know NY was helping ON with their surgeries but that is not the case here.

I live in BC, and i ended u0p doing a self pay in mexico....( i am actually still down here my surgery was on canada day...) I had chatted with my doctor before hand because the amount of time it would have taken me for appeals, etc...it would have been years...and the waitlist is so long...I was ready for a change now...so i took this decision into my own hands...

I went with Dr. Joya in Peurto vallarta, it was 10,000 usd, that included, airfare, hotel, hospital, transport...everything and he is an amazing surgeon with a great team.  I also brought my husband with me for an additional 900.00... so i got out of hospital yesterday and i am recovering on the beach and the doctors come to the resort daily to check on us....

If you want anymore information let me know....,

I will be self paying if my insurance doesn`t step in, I just wanted to see what they offer anyways.  I would not go to Mexico this time of year and cook.  I think I will wait until the fall or winter.  I am worried about getting dehydrated in the summer with difficulties at first with getting your fliuids in.  I am still trying to come up with the money and waiting on a friend to see if he will loan it to me.  I think medicard is double the amount to pay them back and I don`t want to look at 20,000.  I think if I arrange something in the winter it would be nice to go there a week in advance and have a mini vacation prior to the surgery lol.  Will see though.  I am putting a lot at stake here to be able to self pay if I do.  

Its been great the weather has not been to hot at all....the first week is liquid diet ...and on the resort they have the sugar free popcycles, the broth they want us to eat....and all else you need is the protein water and it is down the road in the mall(i would suggest getting it before surgery when you get here....

I would do it here in a heart beat again, if you have any questions let me know...

I was self pay due to the wait times in atlantic Canada. My supporters were not keen on the Mexico option, so I chose to go with Dr Christou in Montreal.  He was easy to talk to, staff were very friendly and helpful and my experience in the private hospital was very good!  I had VSG on 17 May, I've lost around 37 lbs and not having any problems with either hydration or foods...just following the plan as best I can.  Good luck with your insurance coverage...unfortunately mine didn't cover anything for bariatric surgery!!