Out of Province Coverage
Hi Frank,
Do you know which hospital and Dr. who did the surgery I am looking for a surgeon in Ontario, I had been looking in Montreal but given the reciprocal billing issue with Quebec, Ontario maybe where I should looking at least to avoid this one curve in the road.
My family Dr. has made a referral for our clinic in Halifax, but it is a ten year wait.
I am hoping that I will be able to get this done within the year.
If you can send me any information I would be very grateful.
Heather
Hi Heather,
Google "Ontario Bariatric Centers of Excellence"...They have a series of hospitals (4 or 5) and doctors that specifically do bariatric surgeries...As for MSI"s approval....You have to show that you have a need for this surgery to be preformed now, and that you can not wait...In some cases it is a known fact that Dr Ellsmere refuses to do revisions. So these people do have the option to go out of province...If you want to get MSI to approve you....you have to give them a valid reason to do so....co-morbidities, extenuating cir****tances, diabeties, etc..... At MSI, contact Dr: Watson in the medical assessment dept. Find a doctor in the Ontario Bariatric Network and contact him/her first ....Then contact MSI...you will need a referral from a Dr in NS for all this to work...a family Dr. is OK....but having a referral from a specialist will help make the approval easier....Any questions just ask....Frank
Hi,
Wow that is great news, I had to cancel my consult in July (dumb move) I think I was scared, I am still in touch, no appointments in August I have to wait until September for openings, I am going to grab the chance. I hope they call me back.
MSI indictaed that the surgeon needs to send in the paper work and it is case my case, given consult was approved that is great news, and postive.
I have been resaerching a lot, I am so ready to have the sleeve done. I have have been working on a letter as well to go in with the surgeons assessment.
How was Dr. Gagner? Do you have a surgery date? Do you have to pay up front then invoice MSI or will they accept invoice diurectly from Dr. Gagner?
So many questions! Please keep me posted on this wonderful journey, from all my reasrach you are in such great hands.
Heather
Becky
How did your appointment go with Dr. Gagner? were you approved for your procedure? I am waiting for my consult in September and hoping surgery will not be too many months after that.
Is there any tests he wants done ahead of time?
Hope all is well and you are moving right along! Keep me posted I am anxious to know.
Heather
Hi Heather ,
I spoke with Veronique his assistant and she told me that he is out of the country for a month , but he has started all the paperwork that is needed, and yes MSI said it was a case by case , and a referral to the doctor is needed , it cannot be a self referral and your family Dr has to be on board for any additional paper work , Quebec does not have direct billing , but I was told by Veronique that they will send everything in for a pre approval type of invoice and it will go from there , she did however think it was going to take a couple months , so she said she would stay in touch and keep me informed as a surgery date becomes available and I have MSI all geared up :)
I did have to have a Barium GI , where you drink the chalk ,and you might have to have a scope if the GI is not clear enough I had that done in Yarmouth as well as I have to have a ekg , blood work and chest xray , but she is sending me all the reqs for those when my surgery gets closer
Hi,
It sounds like you are on a roll! Great news, I do not have a consult date but I was told September. It is a case by case for sure and maybe we can start and plow a path for others and enlighten the NS government. 10 years is just way to long.
My family Dr. is wonderful, does the family Dr. need to send referral to Dr. Gagner or MSI directly?
Dr. Gagner as a website, go under patient information and it will give you what is needed pre-op it may give you a start.
If they send MSI an invoice that may help and Dr. Gagner may wait until we get reimbursed then send him the money.
Keep posted on your journey, I am interested in how you do, and hope all goes well.
my personal e-mail is [email protected] if you would like to correspond. It is nice to have someone else in the province. All my research indicates Dr. Gagner is a great surgeon.
Wishing you the very best and thank you so much for sharing I really appreciate that!
Heather
Becky,
I go my date for the consultation I am so excited!!!!!!!!!!! September 18, 2013. The person making the appointment is Xavaier, not Veronique, did you go through him first? Then Veronique, I believe she is his nurse.
Please keep in touch, I bet you will get your surgery date now, it looks like Dr. Gagner gave then his fall schedule. Let me know!
Heather
Hope all goes well with you. It is a bugger sometimes trying to get MSI to cover anything out of province... hell even in province lol. I do know there is a Dr MacDonald in Amherst that does revisions but you need your family doctor to do a referral. n Yeah.. Dr Ellsmere will not touch anyone who has had WLS before. Also remember... if any surgery is done outside NS it is a bugger to find a doc/surgeon to do follow up care after the fact.
