Obamacare may deny WLS?

[Chris51 16]

You make socialized medicine sound terrible !!

I had a choice when it came to wls surgery within Alta Canada. Have Alberta health care pay for it or pay myself. A few years ago I was inline for wls surgery and the only people who could deny it or approve it were my dr. And the surgeon. Yes it was a process but at the time it was covered and still is to my knowledge. I backed out because at the time I was afraid of the potential complications and my wife was dead set against it. Biggest mistake of my life was backing out as I was only a couple of weeks out from surgery. When I made the decision to get it done this summer I opted for self pay and had it done in Ontario. Fortunately I am in the situation where I can afford it and did not want to wait. Not everyone has the financial resources I do but are still able to access the operation if required. I know of two surgeons in a local city in Alberta who do this surgery almost exclusively.

[lisacaron 5,075]

However, he was re-elected into office for a second term. Makes the mind wander.......

All I can say is sometimes the evil that you know is better then the evil that you don't know. They have yet to put a viable candidate on the block IMO

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

You make socialized medicine sound terrible !!

I had a choice when it came to wls surgery within Alta Canada. Have Alberta health care pay for it or pay myself. A few years ago I was inline for wls surgery and the only people who could deny it or approve it were my dr. And the surgeon. Yes it was a process but at the time it was covered and still is to my knowledge. I backed out because at the time I was afraid of the potential complications and my wife was dead set against it. Biggest mistake of my life was backing out as I was only a couple of weeks out from surgery. When I made the decision to get it done this summer I opted for self pay and had it done in Ontario. Fortunately I am in the situation where I can afford it and did not want to wait. Not everyone has the financial resources I do but are still able to access the operation if required. I know of two surgeons in a local city in Alberta who do this surgery almost exclusively.

No offense and nothing against you personally, but I do think socialized medicine is terrible.

I live right on the Canadian border. When I was a little girl, I used to walk to Canada and buy candy at the little store by the ferry landing. I had to take the ferry across the river to get there and back and no one thought anything of it back then. That's how close I live to Ontario.

Because of this, there A LOT of Canadians who either live here or work over here. Many commute to work here in the US from Canada daily. In fact, my bariatric surgeon even went to college in Canada.

The fact that everyone is entitled to health care without going broke in Canada is wonderful and something I think everyone should have. However, the bureaucratic BS I see so many going through over there is nothing less than ridiculous. I have a friend (Canadian) who is bipolar and schizophrenic. He has been trying to get help for almost a year without luck. The problem? He's told which psychiatrist he must use and that psychiatrist is useless. He could switch doctors, but that takes months to be approved and then he has to wait to get into that one, too. I have another friend who died waiting for what should've been a routine test. She was suspected to have cancer and needed a specialized scan to confirm the diagnosis. She couldn't get in for the scan for over 3 months- and as a result she died waiting for it. I could go on and on about cases like this, people left waiting weeks and months very necessary testing that if they were in America they'd get almost immediately.

Again, nothing against you personally or even Canada as a country, but I want nothing to do with Canadian socialized medicine. I may have medical bills up the wazoo (and I do!) but at least I can go to whatever doctor I choose and get any treatment I need without waiting.

[lisacaron 5,075]

You make socialized medicine sound terrible !!

I had a choice when it came to wls surgery within Alta Canada. Have Alberta health care pay for it or pay myself. A few years ago I was inline for wls surgery and the only people who could deny it or approve it were my dr. And the surgeon. Yes it was a process but at the time it was covered and still is to my knowledge. I backed out because at the time I was afraid of the potential complications and my wife was dead set against it. Biggest mistake of my life was backing out as I was only a couple of weeks out from surgery. When I made the decision to get it done this summer I opted for self pay and had it done in Ontario. Fortunately I am in the situation where I can afford it and did not want to wait. Not everyone has the financial resources I do but are still able to access the operation if required. I know of two surgeons in a local city in Alberta who do this surgery almost exclusively.

Hi Chris,

I don't think we are trying to say too much about the health care in Canada as opposed to what is happening here with this bill.

The socialized healthcare you have there sounds like it works for you and for a bunch of other folks I know in Canada.

We don't know what it will be like here if it should be socialized, and I think what people are saying is that if it follows the Obama Care model as it's set out, they are not happy about it.

I believe things are what you make of them, and it's great that your country's healthcare is working for you and you are doing well.

[mrsto 2,925]

All I can say is sometimes the evil that you know is better then the evil that you don't know. They have yet to put a viable candidate on the block IMO

Yep, agree. It's a total shame...

[mrsto 2,925]

No offense and nothing against you personally, but I do think socialized medicine is terrible.

I live right on the Canadian border. When I was a little girl, I used to walk to Canada and buy candy at the little store by the ferry landing. I had to take the ferry across the river to get there and back and no one thought anything of it back then. That's how close I live to Ontario.

Because of this, there A LOT of Canadians who either live here or work over here. Many commute to work here in the US from Canada daily. In fact, my bariatric surgeon even went to college in Canada.

The fact that everyone is entitled to health care without going broke in Canada is wonderful and something I think everyone should have. However, the bureaucratic BS I see so many going through over there is nothing less than ridiculous. I have a friend (Canadian) who is bipolar and schizophrenic. He has been trying to get help for almost a year without luck. The problem? He's told which psychiatrist he must use and that psychiatrist is useless. He could switch doctors, but that takes months to be approved and then he has to wait to get into that one, too. I have another friend who died waiting for what should've been a routine test. She was suspected to have cancer and needed a specialized scan to confirm the diagnosis. She couldn't get in for the scan for over 3 months- and as a result she died waiting for it. I could go on and on about cases like this, people left waiting weeks and months very necessary testing that if they were in America they'd get almost immediately.

Again, nothing against you personally or even Canada as a country, but I want nothing to do with Canadian socialized medicine. I may have medical bills up the wazoo (and I do!) but at least I can go to whatever doctor I choose and get any treatment I need without waiting.

YES!! I have to cough up a huge monthly payment on my surgery and other recent medical costs, but I'll take that ANY day over socialized medicine.

[mrsto 2,925]

Looks like many folks in some states may not have bariatric coverage. Much of this won't go into effect for 6 months so now is the time to git er done?

Looks like the ACO's(accountable care organizations) will have the oversight to determine medical necessity per state?

http://www.bariatric...riatric-surgery

Oh TMF - what you've started here LOL!

[Chris51 16]

I guess I have not had the same experiences that you guys say happened to people you know.

My mom who passed a few years ago from lung cancer had the very best care I would expect from any dr. Anywhere. When she went to see her dr. And he suspected lung cancer the tests required happened within days. Unfortunately by the time she finally went to her dr. It was too late. It had traveled through her body. Yet they did not give up she was given radiation treatment and chemo all of which happened immediately. When they determined she was terminal and would not survive no matter what the level of intervention, she was given the choice to go into a hospital and be taken care of, or be at home with her family which she chose. They provided nurses to come to the house and assist us with her needs. In this case I can say that the care she received was exceptional. My father recently was diagnosed with Dementia and is now in long term care. All this happened within a few weeks of when we the family determined intervention was necessary to ensure his safety. He is now in long term care and from what we can see the care he receives is again exceptional. I have had to access emergency care that required cat scans and MRI's and have had them happen within an hour of them being required. My wife who required surgery for a broken wrist that had set badly was scheduled and operated on next day.

So for me I have seen the best our system has to offer and none of the bad and I have been accessing this system for 52 years and have yet to receive a bill.

[Chris51 16]

YES!! I have to cough up a huge monthly payment on my surgery and other recent medical costs' date=' but I'll take that ANY day over socialized medicine.[/quote']

But Mrsto not all Americans are in the same financial circumstances as you are and can afford the costs. Let me ask this question how many people on this forum did not have access to insurance and received wls surgery ? Yes you had the choice but your circumstances I would dare say we're such that it was an option. What are the option for someone who does not have insurance to get this operation?

I am not being sarcastic with these questions I am truly interested in the answer.

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

But Mrsto not all Americans are in the same financial circumstances as you are and can afford the costs. Let me ask this question how many people on this forum did not have access to insurance and received wls surgery ? Yes you had the choice but your circumstances I would dare say we're such that it was an option. What are the option for someone who does not have insurance to get this operation?

I am not being sarcastic with these questions I am truly interested in the answer.

No you're totally right, Chris.

I am one of those people who can't afford it- nor can I afford the thousands of dollars in medical bills I currently have piled up. I am on Disability because I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2008 and can no longer work in the field I once did. I live on a very fixed income, and quite honestly, right now I am drowning in medical debt.

Four months ago I ended up in the ICU for 8 days due to life threatening blood clots in both legs. Not to be dramatic, but I almost died. But here's the thing- I was able to be air lifted to hospital 70 miles away and given very aggressive and uncommon treatment (also brutal, ugh) to dissolve the clots. They found the blood clots around dinner time and I was in the hospital 70 miles away by bedtime. I started the treatment the very next day. Because of this, I am here today and able to plan a wonderful life raising my kids.

I will take the giant medical bills I'm now dealing with over the government dictating my care, or worse delaying or denying treatment, any day. You can't put a dollar amount the price of human life, you know?

Just my take on it.

[mrsto 2,925]

But Mrsto not all Americans are in the same financial circumstances as you are and can afford the costs. Let me ask this question how many people on this forum did not have access to insurance and received wls surgery ? Yes you had the choice but your circumstances I would dare say we're such that it was an option. What are the option for someone who does not have insurance to get this operation?

I am not being sarcastic with these questions I am truly interested in the answer.

Yes, it is true what you say. I have good health insurance through my husband's government job, and am able to pay my out of pocket share. Anything catastrophic could certainly break us, and though my vote is against socialized medicine, I understand that for many, it's better than nothing.

It's good to hear that you and your family have, and continue to receive excellent care though the Canadian health system. As with all things, there are good and bad stories. At the cost of someone's life, as with the people Mis explained, it's not a chance that I care to take.

I fully believe that a better answer for this country, would have been to make health insurance more competitive; open marketing across state lines. It's like anything else in business......when there is competition, companies will lower their rates to bring in more business. The poor in this country do receive medical care, but they receive it through county facilities funded by our tax dollars. As with everything else, it's not a perfect system, but then again, we don't have the government deciding whether we live or die.

[mrsto 2,925]

To add, in our system where our tax dollars go toward funding health care for the poor, AND illegals coming into this country, they also continue to fund tens of thousands of people who "choose" not to work. Don't get me wrong, there are many people who legitimately require government assistance, who are disabled and unable to work. But I would venture to say that that at least half of the people living off of government assistance, are choosing to suck off a system instead of paying into it.

Though our government is pretty damn messed up, there is no place on this earth that I would rather live. However, IMHO, they have their priorities a bit messed up when it comes to cutting costs and providing assistance to those in need. This country is hemorrhaging money, but continues to provide things like (for instance) food stamps in the form of a debit card, for people who use those cards for liquor, cell phones......ANYTHING but food. That is only a small piece of funding going out to those who should not be getting it. I can go on.....but, I'll spare ya'll my rant.

Okay - I'm off my soapbox... Now, I have to go to work, so I can pay for MY healthcare, in addition to perfectly able people, sucking off the government nipple.

[5.0junkie 770]

So if Obamacare won't pay for WLS, will it pay to deliver that 9th child that was conceived just to have a higher SNAP payment and Welfare check?

Hey y'all started the political rant.... I'm just asking

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

So if Obamacare won't pay for WLS, will it pay to deliver that 9th child that was conceived just to have a higher SNAP payment and Welfare check?

Hey y'all started the political rant.... I'm just asking

In a nutshell? YUP!!

[Chris51 16]

No you're totally right' date=' Chris. I am one of those people who can't afford it- nor can I afford the thousands of dollars in medical bills I currently have piled up. I am on Disability because I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2008 and can no longer work in the field I once did. I live on a very fixed income, and quite honestly, right now I am drowning in medical debt. Four months ago I ended up in the ICU for 8 days due to life threatening blood clots in both legs. Not to be dramatic, but I almost died. But here's the thing- I was able to be air lifted to hospital 70 miles away and given very aggressive and uncommon treatment (also brutal, ugh) to dissolve the clots. They found the blood clots around dinner time and I was in the hospital 70 miles away by bedtime. I started the treatment the very next day. Because of this, I am here today and able to plan a wonderful life raising my kids. I will take the giant medical bills I'm now dealing with over the government dictating my care, or worse delaying or denying treatment, any day. You can't put a dollar amount the price of human life, you know? Just my take on it.[/quote']

Mis73 the same thing would happen here !!!!!! It happens all the time they are always air lifting patients to Edmonton if required. No one inCanada decides what you need or do not need besides the Dr. That is taking care of you. A couple of people have referred to death panels within the socialized medical system, which confuses me as they do not exist in ours. If I do not like my dr. I change to another one and I did just recently. The mis perception is that we do not have choice but we do have a lot of choice. A long side the public system we also have the for profit groups like the wls surgery group that did my operation. If I need an MRI and it is not an emergency I can access the for profit imagining places if I do not want to wait and can pay for it. Not a perfect system but also not as bad as some are making it out to be and yet your own news organizations are continually reporting on people who are being denied care because they cannot afford the insurance or have gone bankrupt because they got sick.

Speaking of death panels I remember reports from your own new organizations that we're reporting on ***'s who we're making life and death decisions about care people needed but were denied because of financial considerations. Is this not worse ?