PAPER: Canadians visit U.S. to get care; Many go to Michigan hospitals

[ozzmdj]

Canadians visit U.S. to get care

Deal lets many go to Michigan hospitals

BY PATRICIA ANSTETT
FREE PRESS MEDICAL WRITER

Hospitals in border cities, including Detroit, are forging lucrative arrangements with Canadian health agencies to provide care not widely available across the border.

Agreements between Detroit hospitals and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for heart, imaging tests, bariatric and other services provide access to some services not immediately available in the province, said ministry spokesman David Jensen.


The agreements show how a country with a national care system -- a proposal not part of the health care changes under discussion in Congress -- copes with demand for care with U.S. partnerships, rather than building new facilities.


Michael Vujovich, 61, of Windsor was taken to Detroit's Henry Ford Hospital for an angioplasty procedure after he went to a Windsor hospital in April. Vujovich said the U.S. backup doesn't show a gap in Canada's system, but shows how it works.


"I go to the hospital in Windsor and two hours later, I'm done having angioplasty in Detroit," he said. His $38,000 bill was covered by the Ontario health ministry.

Canadians visit U.S. to get care | Detroit Free Press | Freep.com

 

[Toro]

About 1% of Canadians get healthcare in America.

 

[rdean]

Canadians visit U.S. to get care

Deal lets many go to Michigan hospitals

BY PATRICIA ANSTETT
FREE PRESS MEDICAL WRITER

Hospitals in border cities, including Detroit, are forging lucrative arrangements with Canadian health agencies to provide care not widely available across the border.

Agreements between Detroit hospitals and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for heart, imaging tests, bariatric and other services provide access to some services not immediately available in the province, said ministry spokesman David Jensen.


The agreements show how a country with a national care system -- a proposal not part of the health care changes under discussion in Congress -- copes with demand for care with U.S. partnerships, rather than building new facilities.


Michael Vujovich, 61, of Windsor was taken to Detroit's Henry Ford Hospital for an angioplasty procedure after he went to a Windsor hospital in April. Vujovich said the U.S. backup doesn't show a gap in Canada's system, but shows how it works.


"I go to the hospital in Windsor and two hours later, I'm done having angioplasty in Detroit," he said. His $38,000 bill was covered by the Ontario health ministry.

Canadians visit U.S. to get care | Detroit Free Press | Freep.com

"I go to the hospital in Windsor and two hours later, I'm done having angioplasty in Detroit," he said. His $38,000 bill was covered by the Ontario health ministry.

So you are saying that his "health care" in Canada actually paid for it, but he recieved "treatment" here because the hospital was better, not that the health care was better?

 

[Toro]

Usually, when Canadians go south of the border, it is to get a treatment done quickly, or because they don't have the technology yet up north. It is usually covered by the government.

 

[Jay Canuck]

unfortunatly they were robbed and shot before making it back across the border. On the upside - they purchased travel insurance.

 

[Political Junky]

It speaks well of the Canadian system that they would send a patient to the US for tests, and pay the fee. Apparently, they felt that person needed the test STAT.

 

[Ravi]

Lots of people from South and Central America come to Miami for health care.

There are also many Americans that go to other countries for treatment.

The grass is always greener on the other side.

 

[edthecynic]

Lots of people from South and Central America come to Miami for health care.

There are also many Americans that go to other countries for treatment.

The grass is always greener on the other side.

Medical Tourism - one answer to rising health care costs?

According to the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, in 2007, an estimated 750,000 Americans traveled abroad to receive some kind of elective medical treatment with India, Singapore, Thailand, and Costa Rica as favored destinations.

The medical tourism trend is clearly growing. The Deloitte Center for Health Solutions estimates that 6 million Americans will travel abroad for their care by 2010.

 

[Old Rocks]

Canadians visit U.S. to get care

Deal lets many go to Michigan hospitals

BY PATRICIA ANSTETT
FREE PRESS MEDICAL WRITER

Hospitals in border cities, including Detroit, are forging lucrative arrangements with Canadian health agencies to provide care not widely available across the border.

Agreements between Detroit hospitals and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for heart, imaging tests, bariatric and other services provide access to some services not immediately available in the province, said ministry spokesman David Jensen.


The agreements show how a country with a national care system -- a proposal not part of the health care changes under discussion in Congress -- copes with demand for care with U.S. partnerships, rather than building new facilities.


Michael Vujovich, 61, of Windsor was taken to Detroit's Henry Ford Hospital for an angioplasty procedure after he went to a Windsor hospital in April. Vujovich said the U.S. backup doesn't show a gap in Canada's system, but shows how it works.


"I go to the hospital in Windsor and two hours later, I'm done having angioplasty in Detroit," he said. His $38,000 bill was covered by the Ontario health ministry.

Canadians visit U.S. to get care | Detroit Free Press | Freep.com

So, there was a lack of time or facilities in Canada that was available across the border. And the Canadian Health System paid for the procedure to be done there.

Now, what if the situation had been the other way around. Would a Health Insurance Company have paid for a US citizen to be treated in Canada because there was a lack of facilities or time in the US?

 

[WillowTree]

what's canada gonna do when the us is backlogged and they have to wait and wait and wait to get here? it'll put a kink in their knickers won't it? why do you hate canadians?