Health insurance - The Perils of paying your own

Depends on the kind of surgery. If you need a new hip or knee, have cancer, broken bones - it is covered and and not a very long wait - the more urgent the need - the more urgent the treatment. If you want a nose job the doctor would determine if it was necessary (example, disfigured in accident) or just because you would like one. In the latter case, better to go and pay elsewhere. The system isn't prefect but it is very good and also affordable.

That's right. My husband needed by-pass heart surgery, and it was done right away at the Jubilee Hospital in Victoria. It's a really top-notch teaching hospital. For other types of elective surgery, there could be a waiting list. But health care is affordable and free if one is below a certain income level.

My sister has lived in Canada for several decades, raised several kids there, has had nothing but excellent care elective and emergency. Recently her husband had aortic aneurysm graft blow out, multiple hail Mary surgeries, kidney failure, every complication imaginable. Fantastic care from specialists and he has pulled through everything. Yes, that was an emergency for sure, but she never had a complaint about health care elective or emergency. We spent a day with our dad in the ER on a visit in Ontario, he had some arrhythmia, they worked him over, were the nicest bunch you could want to meet (they loved our southern accents). It cost us all of $120 (since he wasn't Canadian citizen). It will never happen in the USA ever, but they have it great (high taxes of course).

Yes, Candy, we are fortunate! My husband had so many surgeries and emergencies as well. He died last year from cancer, but I can't complain about the care he received. I have travel medical insurance for my trips to Las Vegas as I don't think I could afford medical care should something happen.

I am extremely glad I live in Ontario Canada & have excellent medical care. Elective surgery does have a wait time but

Necessary surgery is done right away - no cost to citizens. prescription meds over age 65 single person there is a $100.00 charge once per year

If you earn over $16,000.00 Yearly and pay a $6.11 dispensing fee on each Rx. We receive a 3 month supply at one time.

Diane

I'm winging it with no insurance. Have not had insurance since January 2013. Premiums for myself are ridiculous....almost $400 a month with a $10,000 deductible. Even premiums offered with Obamacare are over $300.00 a month. I turn 65 in September 2014, I'll try to stay healthy till Medicare kicks in and my small pension is available. Then maybe I can afford a supplement. Doesn't help when your hours are cut from 40 to 32 a week. Losing 16 hours a pay check DOES make a difference.

I'm sure it makes you feel uneasy when you're not covered. On one trip to Las Vegas, we didn't take extra travel medical insurance and my husband felt ill during the trip. A few days after we returned to Canada he had to undergo emergency bypass surgery which was free in B.C.

I'm sure that would have bankrupted us if he had a heart attack in Vegas.