Cujo

i've signed up for the 'Learn to Run' program at the local Running Room store. I hope to be able to run 20 - 30 minutes without a break by the end of the 10 week course. Any one else?

foreign medical still qualifies for the medical tax credit.

The clinic and hotel are in the best area of TJ and should be safe. I was told the violence is more in the south end of the city. Like Calgary, there are parts of the city you should not walk alone at night in, but, like any city, there are 'good' parts where its reasonably safe. I would stay close to the clinic and hotel if I was going down now and skip the revolution avenue tourist area. I would take the clinic's transport only and not a taxi. Stuff like that. Good luck with the surgery.

Cost was around $8,000 US plus airfare. Most TJ clinics include transportation to/from the airport and the hotel room for two nights. You would overnight at the clinic but your companion (if you bring one) would stay at the hotel. You would stay the second night at the hotel. When are you thinking of going? We are going down for our fills in March, maybe we'll see you there. Cujo

Hi Dannylu My wife and I were banded at the OCC last year. Their facility looked like a complete OR. I imagine they can handle most situations on the table then get you stable for transport. One of the positive about banding in general, is that the surgery is alot less invasive than other wls. I'm not sure what the complication rate is but I doubt many patients die on the table. But definately check with the OCC, you need to be very comfortable with the decision. Good luck.

I got something back from AHC from my procedure. The out of country claim form is AHC 934. You should be able to find it on their website. The key piece of information is an itemized statement from the clinic. Refunds range from $1,200 to $1,800 based on other threads in this section. Cujo ps Where did you decide to go?

If only alberta could get a private clinic, but thats not going to happen anytime soon. I had not thought about those extras $$ before. My clinic in TJ included the pick up at the airport and the hotel. Now that there are direct flights to San Diego, I think the travel time will be less too.

Its a "p" name paul or phil and he is at the peter lougheed. Dr Decatou (sp) is also there and will do fills.

Hi there, I just saw this video on the tube and wondered if one of you are the interviewee? [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SZzXV85dyw]YouTube - Dr. Ortiz - Interview Canadian Patient 10 weeks after surger[/ame] Dr Ortiz has some excellent videos posted with testimonials and some generic information. I am six months post-op and heading back down to OCC for a fill in March. Hopefully, that will restart my weight loss that has stalled for a few months. cujo

We booked at the OCC and did not use a coordinator. I don't know if it would have been any easier with one. I thought it was a pretty straight forward process.

someone posted awhile back that they were covered by their husbands employer plan. You should check some previous threads. AHC will pick up a little bit ($1,500 - $1,800 range). If you have a health spending account type plan, that should cover it as well. If you are self employed, that may be the route to go.

depending on how late you arrive, consider going to the clinic hotel Camino that night, they probably have a good rate for a second night there. Of course, you should consider your own comfort level of traveling to and in TJ at night. You could probably see the hotel from the border but...

Check with your clinic, if they have transportaion doing pick-ups at the airport, you may just want to get back to the airport the following morning and use their transporation. Keeps it simple. A cab to the border might cost you $20 or so. Otherwise, san diego has a light rail system I think they call the blueline trolley. Get on the train for San Ysidro/Tijuana and take it to the border station. Walk across the border and catch a taxi on the otherside. Have the clinic name and address on a piece of paper to give the driver and have $5.00US ready. Taxi's in TJ travel to everywhere seem to cost $5. If you hand him a $10, the trip will cost $10. You won't get change. lol I was told that doing it your self would take about two hours to get to the clinic. The clinic transport would be around a half hour from pick-up. The border crossing going into Mx will be quick, nobody cares about people going into Mexico. Coming back will take much longer. good luck

AHC covers about $1,600 complications - they do banding at the Peter Lougheed so there is someone available for emergencies, but expect them to just remove(whether its a MX band or Toronto) Alternatively, be prepared to jump on the next plane south and have your original surgeon make the repairs. Fills - You will have trouble finding a Cdn Dr to fill a Mx band, they have been told there is a lot of extra liability attached so they are currently reluctant. Someone is arranging for a fill nurse to travel to do fills in Alberta. Thats been posted on here somewhere. Worse case, it will cost about a grand per fill to travel down to Mx, stay over, have a fill and return. As it was probably 8,000 cheaper in MX than toronto, you have lots of funds left over to get fills. Good luck

Most clinics do not have a payment plan but they usually have a link to a finance company that you make arrangements with. I looked at it briefly, but the interest rate was worse than a credit card. I used my Visa card. Love them points! :thumbup: I suspect the weight will be gone long before the card balance is cleared.

funny, there is a computer at the nurses station at OCC. If multiple lapbandtalkers log in, the forum merges their accounts as only one user per computer is allowed. I suspect our friend from kentucky used the same computer as vangirl That why I had to start over too.

Thats sad news for sure. Looks like the TO and Mx doc's will be seeing more Albertans for the forseeable future.

There are no private clinics in Alberta unlike TBLC etc in Toronto. The wait list is due to the limit on the number of procedures AHC will allow in the public system. This should change soon. There is talk of a private clinic being set up in Calgary. That should allow more bands being performed without the travel hassles.

Here is a link: http://www.health.alberta.ca/ahcip/AHCIP_form-AHC0693.pdf

There are a couple forms on the AHC website you can print off. They are pretty easy to complete. You will need a detailed invoice from the Dr. as they only reimburse certain types of costs. Ideally, the invoice should have the billing codes. Out of province - complete form AHC0693 Out of Country - complete from AHC0694 (type the form code into google and it will pop up) Expect to receive $1,200 - $1,600 back. The balance you are out of pocket can be claimed as a medical expense on your income tax. I hope that helps.