Private Surgery – Who Pays the Bill?

We oftentimes are asked if any of the private surgery costs can be reimbursed by the provincial healthcare plan. The answer to this question is – it depends on the type of surgery you are going to have. Canadian provincial health plans do not cover any healthcare costs for private surgery if that surgery or treatment is covered by a provincial healthcare plan. So, for example, a hip or knee replacement is not going to be covered.

If it is something that is not offered in Canada, you may be able to recover some costs. However, this path is long and arduous and requires advanced planning. Each province has different rules. Every province requires your Canadian doctor to provide certain documentation to state that this is the needed surgery or treatment and that it is not offered in Canada.

Fraser Institute recently calculated how much Canadians pay for public healthcare and here are the numbers. “The 10 percent of Canadian families with the lowest incomes will pay an average of about $690 for public health care insurance in 2022. The 10 percent of Canadian families who earn an average income of $76,704 will pay an aver­age of $7,374 for public health care insurance, and the families among the top 10 percent of income earners in Canada will pay $41,914.” These expenses are withheld through our Canadian taxes for our “free healthcare” that is experiencing lengthy delays accessing the medical services.

Considering private surgery and its costs are always a serious matter. In 99% of the cases, your private surgery costs will have to be covered by you. However, to some Canadians, it is a timely option they want to have. If you are considering private surgery, we can help. The medical facilities we work with are safe, and affordable, and provide great outcomes for our clients. Give us a call 877 344 3544 or email us info@healthvantis.com