So glad to be Canadian

[trossi]

Wow after reading so many peoples journeys and hearing about issues with insurance and how much it has costed a lot of people, out of pocket, I feel a whole new sort of pride in being Canadian.
My surgery is covered by OHIP, the only thing I have to pay for is surgical planning, which is understandable if you see these surgeons offices and imagine the amount of overhead they incur.
Anyway, I'm having double jaw surgery and genioplasty, to say the least, he said some things about other changes but I can't remember exactly what. Anyway for the surgery part, it is costing $3500 out of pocket.
Well plus the additional cost of having a private room, which probably comes around to $500 for my total hospital stay.
I want a private room because I'm pretty sure my mom will be a nervous mess and I'm doing this to save anyone who may have the misfortune of being stuck in the same room as me. lol

Anyway I know at the beginning of the process I was really nervous about whether or not I would be covered by OHIP. The funny thing is that it was never even a question, I just went to my appointments and it sort of just happens automatically.

The part that does suck about this is how busy good surgeons are over here. My surgeon books up to over a year in advance, and he wants everything perfect before he will book your surgery. Although I found it frustrating to have my surgery date pushed back for this reason, I'm really glad to have a great surgeon who does really great work.

Anyway, to all you Canadians undergoing surgery, be thankful that we get these things covered. It also makes me feel less horrible about the amount of taxes we pay, knowing at the end of the day we don't have to worry about these types of things.

BTW that doesn't include braces which seem to be a universal cost. I've had braces more than once, and I've found that they can range anywhere from $3000- $7000 from my experience, but you really do get what you pay for.

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

Hey that is aweosme that yours is covered by the OHIP, mine wasnt covered and then I lost my insurance because I am a student they change it every year. But now that my orthodontist has seen this change in an adult without the surgery she is more than happy. Although she did yell at two kids for lying to her about their elastics LOL, I wear mine 24/7 and then some. She is shocked my teeth would even move as much as they did without the herbst appliance or surgery, best of luck.

PS i went to some consults and one guy sounded like he wanted to wreck my face.

[CaliforniaKid]

im very jealous. surgery in cali is ten times that amount with my insurance.

good luck with your surgery.

[emdanut]

I live in the US and my insurance covered my surgery-- we had to pay about $2600 up front but we're expecting to get some of that back once all the insurance claims go through.

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

I live in the US and my insurance covered my surgery-- we had to pay about $2600 up front but we're expecting to get some of that back once all the insurance claims go through.

You won't ever get that back, the 2,600$ all insruance companies dont pay for that, they money isnt the up front money its the money that covers the records, consult, meetings, and so fourth with the surgeon as well as the hospital stay. In Boston it's 3500$

[emdanut]

No there were a couple things in the $2600 that our insurance said they would cover but the surgeon still charged us just in case. So we will get them back.

[sirwired]

im very jealous. surgery in cali is ten times that amount with my insurance.

good luck with your surgery.

CaliforniaKid,

You don't need to be jealous... maybe regretful, but not jealous. That crazy amount you are paying is because of your choice. You didn't have to pay that amount for your jaw surgery, you chose to. Anthem BCBS does have competent OMFS's in it's network where the surgery would have been covered at more reasonable rates. (My surgeon is an OMFS professor that specializes in training jaw surgeons, and he's in the Anthem BCBS network (you do have Anthem, right?), and I'm not even in a state where Anthem sells policies.)

[CaliforniaKid]

You don't need to be jealous... maybe regretful, but not jealous. That crazy amount you are paying is because of your choice. You didn't have to pay that amount for your jaw surgery, you chose to. Anthem BCBS does have competent OMFS's in it's network where the surgery would have been covered at more reasonable rates. (My surgeon is an OMFS professor that specializes in training jaw surgeons, and he's in the Anthem BCBS network (you do have Anthem, right?), and I'm not even in a state where Anthem sells policies.)

You don't know my condition or my situation. But thanks for being a complete judgmental #$#$%.

and no - I don't have anthem, at least not anymore according to my parents. I have seen multiple surgeons over the past 3 years and none accept my insurance. my insurance specifically excludes orthognathic surgery in their treatment plan. Arnett is about 10k more than I would pay for another surgeon. I rather be confident in my surgeon and pay a little extra than settle for a cheaper mediocre oral surgeon. If my case was more textbook then I probably wouldn't go with Arnett.

I'm already under a lot of stress so really thanks for totally understanding and empathizing with a fellow poster.

[sirwired]

I apologize. I was out of line. I was under the impression you had insurance coverage for the surgery. It does indeed suck that you don't.

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

No there were a couple things in the $2600 that our insurance said they would cover but the surgeon still charged us just in case. So we will get them back.

Good luck with that. From what my surgeon told me was he let me in on the secret that insurances dont actually cover that, they just want to put in a claim to make you believe that. trust me esp since I am gonig to school to be a surgeon.

[DRG]

At risk of coming across as an anti-Canadian, this doesn't seem all that great to me. I had my upper and lower jaws moved just last year. I was able to schedule my surgery as quickly as four weeks out (but chose a bit longer) so as soon as my ortho and OS agreed, we had a date selected. And besides paying for my braces ($6K out of pocket) and the occassional co-pay at my surgeon's office ($30/visit), I paid just a $200 (two hundred, not a typo) copay for my surgery, after insurance payments. Of course my surgeon was wonderful about working with the insurance company. And it probably says more about the quality of my insurance too. My good old American sort-of-free-market-choice-driven health insurance.

Quite frankly, I'm still in shock that my insurance company agreed to pay anything. My OS' office had to provide all sorts of surgical models to the insurance company for their internal experts to review...but they incredibly signed off in no time. I should send some flowers to the lady in my OS' office who knew all the right strings to pull with my insurance company.

DRG

[trossi]

I think people need to realize that my point it that ALL Canadians get coverage. UNLIKE other nations where you have to have your own insurance plan.
I am a student and I don't have private insurance. But I am so fortunate that this surgery is covered because I am CANADIAN. Point made

I'm trying to explain why I am grateful here, maybe people should get the idea that it's not about one person having it better than another, but just the fact that paying for surgery isn't something I have to worry about.
I live in a major city so like any surgeon, overhead costs are a lot higher and this is probably reflected in my planning cost.

Some people need to take a chill pill.

My surgeon is one of the top surgeons in my region and knowing that he is working on my jaw while I only have to pay the planning fees, is very reassuring.
I'm a youtuber and blogger and I have talked to hundreds of people who have had or are having jaw surgery, and I've heard so many stories of not having coverage or having trouble with insurance not covering orthognathic surgery.
If you are so fortunate to have a private insurance plan, I'm just saying, be grateful.

[trossi]

At risk of coming across as an anti-Canadian, this doesn't seem all that great to me. I had my upper and lower jaws moved just last year. I was able to schedule my surgery as quickly as four weeks out (but chose a bit longer) so as soon as my ortho and OS agreed, we had a date selected. And besides paying for my braces ($6K out of pocket) and the occassional co-pay at my surgeon's office ($30/visit), I paid just a $200 (two hundred, not a typo) copay for my surgery, after insurance payments. Of course my surgeon was wonderful about working with the insurance company. And it probably says more about the quality of my insurance too. My good old American sort-of-free-market-choice-driven health insurance.

Quite frankly, I'm still in shock that my insurance company agreed to pay anything. My OS' office had to provide all sorts of surgical models to the insurance company for their internal experts to review...but they incredibly signed off in no time. I should send some flowers to the lady in my OS' office who knew all the right strings to pull with my insurance company.

DRG

I think you need to realize that its a big world out there and not everyone is so fortunate to have private insurance. Maybe instead of trashing my Countries national healthcare system that doesn't leave people in need, you should just be grateful and humble that you've had the benefit of having it so easy.

[CaliforniaKid]

At risk of coming across as an anti-Canadian, this doesn't seem all that great to me. I had my upper and lower jaws moved just last year. I was able to schedule my surgery as quickly as four weeks out (but chose a bit longer) so as soon as my ortho and OS agreed, we had a date selected. And besides paying for my braces ($6K out of pocket) and the occassional co-pay at my surgeon's office ($30/visit), I paid just a $200 (two hundred, not a typo) copay for my surgery, after insurance payments. Of course my surgeon was wonderful about working with the insurance company. And it probably says more about the quality of my insurance too. My good old American sort-of-free-market-choice-driven health insurance.

Quite frankly, I'm still in shock that my insurance company agreed to pay anything. My OS' office had to provide all sorts of surgical models to the insurance company for their internal experts to review...but they incredibly signed off in no time. I should send some flowers to the lady in my OS' office who knew all the right strings to pull with my insurance company.

DRG

I think you need to realize that its a big world out there and not everyone is so fortunate to have private insurance. Maybe instead of trashing my Countries national healthcare system that doesn't leave people in need, you should just be grateful and humble that you've had the benefit of having it so easy.

the "my country's insurance is better than your country's insurance" argument. nice.

DRG is unique, most insurance companies will do everything they can to stall payment on surgery.

even when one has *good* insurance it is a hassle to get coverage and the co-pays add up. im gonna take a leap here and say this thread seems more about awesome possom canada rather than the legitimate struggles of dealing with the financial and emotional challenges of orthognathic surgery.

I apologize. I was out of line. I was under the impression you had insurance coverage for the surgery. It does indeed suck that you don't

No worries.

[trossi]

At risk of coming across as an anti-Canadian, this doesn't seem all that great to me. I had my upper and lower jaws moved just last year. I was able to schedule my surgery as quickly as four weeks out (but chose a bit longer) so as soon as my ortho and OS agreed, we had a date selected. And besides paying for my braces ($6K out of pocket) and the occassional co-pay at my surgeon's office ($30/visit), I paid just a $200 (two hundred, not a typo) copay for my surgery, after insurance payments. Of course my surgeon was wonderful about working with the insurance company. And it probably says more about the quality of my insurance too. My good old American sort-of-free-market-choice-driven health insurance.

Quite frankly, I'm still in shock that my insurance company agreed to pay anything. My OS' office had to provide all sorts of surgical models to the insurance company for their internal experts to review...but they incredibly signed off in no time. I should send some flowers to the lady in my OS' office who knew all the right strings to pull with my insurance company.

DRG

I think you need to realize that its a big world out there and not everyone is so fortunate to have private insurance. Maybe instead of trashing my Countries national healthcare system that doesn't leave people in need, you should just be grateful and humble that you've had the benefit of having it so easy.

the "my country's insurance is better than your country's insurance" argument. nice.

DRG is unique, most insurance companies will do everything they can to stall payment on surgery.

even when one has *good* insurance it is a hassle to get coverage and the co-pays add up. im gonna take a leap here and say this thread seems more about awesome possom canada rather than the legitimate struggles of dealing with the financial and emotional challenges of orthognathic surgery.

I apologize. I was out of line. I was under the impression you had insurance coverage for the surgery. It does indeed suck that you don't

No worries.

Wow, I really underestimated the mental capabilities of some people on this forum.
I made this topic to say I was GRATEFUL, because I was very worried that something like this wouldn't be covered, but fortunately in Canada it is. Some people need to stop overanalyzing.