Hello everyone, I got an ITA on 15/08 and sent my PR application 30/08. I am going crazy here thinking about the medical inadmissibility. Does anyone here went through a similar application lately and got the results of the medical exam?
I calculated my costs to be arround 23,992 CAD:
36x Infliximab CAD 528,00 / CAD 19,008 (I used to take 3 vials every month but actually changed that recently to every 8 weeks, but it's too recent).
2x GP Consultation CAD 157,00 / CAD 314,00 per year
1x Colonoscopy CAD 2,000 per year
2x Blood Tests CAD 100 / CAD 200,00 per year
12x Infusions CAD 2,400 per year (In here I pay nothing just guessed a value).
Don't know if the numbers are close to reality, but here in Brazil I go to the doctor every 6 months only, 2 blood tests and the infusions are covered by Celtrion (The company that makes the medication).
I fought hard for this invitation... Just need some good news. Thank you all.
Hey, I am in Canada since 2017. May I suggest few things?
1. Take an appointment with a Canadian GP over the internet. There are many platforms for that. Send the names of your prescribed medicines and ask for which drugs from Canadian pharmacopeia can substitute those. Find their costs. I have a hunch that some of the may cost less. I know a person with Chrons who was able to avoid higher cost biologics with biosimilars. Just ensure you have the optimal prescription.
Do not do it by yourself. It is likely a less expensive equivalent treatment (eg biosimilae) might be possible.
Also get the cost of preventive procedures like Colonoscopy directly from hospitals or clinics. And find the cost of not the worst case but the average case. A colonoscopy where they find a polyp costs more because they have to do a biopsy of polyp to check what is its status. I have a feeling that cost of colonoscopy may not be 2000 for a procedure where they do not find any polyps. Check :
https://www.oakridgesendoscopy.ca/for-patients/uninsured-fees/ ; Its 1600 if no follow up consultation is required. Or 1750 if it is required.
If you feel overwhelmed, get help from a lawyer. I know it is possible to navigate immigration even with medical conditions. Have few friends who did it.
2. When coming to Canada, may I suggest try to come here with your job? I work in an MNC and they transferred me here with my job. Saves a lot of trouble. This works because getting hired in your country will be easier and less costly. I know a friend who lost job sometimes back and went back to India after trying for few months and got their job again in 3 weeks. He is now back in canada as an intra-company transfer. Its a question of being prepared when you land here. Saves you a lot of heart and head ache.
I just got through my medical examination yesterday, the doctor said that my condition is not something that hinders my application. I thought it was weird, but let's see how it goes...
May I suggest that you should get your application done and get your documents / PR done ASAP? The reason is, the current government in Canada is not stable. And the reason why you are able to even consider this move is because in 2018 or so Trudeau moved the threshold to 3x of avg cost. I will say, it is likely though not confirmed that if a conservative govt comes, they will reduce it back. So yeah, get your PR ASAP.
At worst you will get a PFL. But PFLs can be answered.
Current threshold is 25,689 CDN for 2023. You will be able to fit.
Well it's worse than I thought then... even if I can pay for the meds, there's no way getting them because I wouldn't be able to see a doctor to prescribe them... If that really happens, I guess the only solution would be flying back to Brazil every two months to get the medication while I wait for an appointment. That's crazy, but doable, since the costs to travel here and back would be the same as buying the medication.
I live in Victoria BC. The retirement home of Canada. Here are someways in which we manage our healthcare.
1. We are enrolled with Primary and Urgent Healthcare Clinic program of our community. It helps a lot. For instance, my wife was having these itchy spots on her back which look to me as some kind of hormonal issue. We were able to get same day appointment with a Nurse Practitioner via our BC-PUHC. She thinks a doctor needs to look at it so it is now day after tomorrow. Likely (my guess is) this will require a blood test and possibly a USG. I know both can be done in less than 3 days at local imaging and LifeLabs. If USG finds some mess, it will be another story. Hope it does not leads to that. My kid often gets cuts and bruises, some of which require attention of doctor. I was able to get it fixed the same day at my BC-PUHC.
That being said, it is VERY regional thing, to the point it varies in the same city.
2. If you require something like a MRI, there are long wait times. That being said, one of my friends wife has cancer and all of her tests were scheduled pretty quickly -- including MRI.
3. If you are really concerned, you can opt to live in Montreal. They have a very decent private clinics industry. I am not sure how private insruances work there though. I do have a feeling though that employer provided insurances will cover a lot of things. Mine covered dental, glasses etc. Be prepared to learn french however. Montreal also has some good technology industry.
4. I have taken a private insurance in Canada and it covers private tests too. I believe sooner than the later, we will see a more of an australia like setup in Canada.
