Surgery in Canada for Parent having Visitor Visa

[ankurtan]

Hi,

I am in Vancouver with my family and my parents are back in India. My father has been advised a gastrointestinal surgery in India and we wish to get him operated in Vancouver rather than in India because of the COVID-19 situation.

What would be the process from the surgery perspective and how long does it take. They already have visited us once and have a visitor visa.

Thanks.

 

[canuck78]

Hi,

I am in Vancouver with my family and my parents are back in India. My father has been advised a gastrointestinal surgery in India and we wish to get him operated in Vancouver rather than in India because of the COVID-19 situation.

What would be the process from the surgery perspective and how long does it take. They already have visited us once and have a visitor visa.

Thanks.

Unlikely to be allowed at this time given hospitals still have limitations and there is a huge backlog due to covid. You can certainly try but you’ll need to find a hospital and surgeon willing to do the operation. You will need to show that you have mutiple hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay for the surgery and any potential complications or rehab. Your father will need a special medical visa. Yes this will likely take awhile to arrange If it is even possible. FN can only receive medical services if it doesn’t impact someone with MSP. Given this is a known condition no new insurance will cover the operation.

 

[scylla]

Hi,

I am in Vancouver with my family and my parents are back in India. My father has been advised a gastrointestinal surgery in India and we wish to get him operated in Vancouver rather than in India because of the COVID-19 situation.

What would be the process from the surgery perspective and how long does it take. They already have visited us once and have a visitor visa.

Thanks.

Elective surgery has only recently restarted so there is a backlog.

Your father would need to come to Canada and first meet with a family doctor / general practitioner. That family doctor would then have to refer your father to a specialists. It's quite possible it will take many months for the meeting with the specialist to be scheduled.

Discussions about scheduling surgery would only start once your father meets with the specialist. Then surgery would have to be scheduled. So you'd be looking at many months (possibly many many months) before surgery takes place.

As I'm sure you're aware, you will have to pay out of pocket for all of the doctor's visits, as well as the surgery. The hospital may ask you to pay a portion of the costs up front.

 

[canuck78]

Elective surgery has only recently restarted so there is a backlog.

Your father would need to come to Canada and first meet with a family doctor / general practitioner. That family doctor would then have to refer your father to a specialists. It's quite possible it will take many months for the meeting with the specialist to be scheduled.

Discussions about scheduling surgery would only start once your father meets with the specialist. Then surgery would have to be scheduled. So you'd be looking at many months (possibly many many months) before surgery takes place.

As I'm sure you're aware, you will have to pay out of pocket for all of the doctor's visits, as well as the surgery. The hospital may ask you to pay a portion of the costs up front.

For elective surgery of a FN you negotiate directly with the hospital. It they can do the surgery without impacting any MSP holder it may be considered. Payment is likely to be all up front. There is a medical visa exactly for this purpose. Even a specialist appointment may not be a possibility if an MSP holder is in need of the appointment.

 

[ankurtan]

Elective surgery has only recently restarted so there is a backlog.

Your father would need to come to Canada and first meet with a family doctor / general practitioner. That family doctor would then have to refer your father to a specialists. It's quite possible it will take many months for the meeting with the specialist to be scheduled.

Discussions about scheduling surgery would only start once your father meets with the specialist. Then surgery would have to be scheduled. So you'd be looking at many months (possibly many many months) before surgery takes place.

As I'm sure you're aware, you will have to pay out of pocket for all of the doctor's visits, as well as the surgery. The hospital may ask you to pay a portion of the costs up front.

Thanks for you reply. I have few more questions.
1) Are there specific hospitals which take these kind of cases?

2)If I take Third Party Visitor Insurance, won't that cover the cost of the surgery ?

3) Also, supposedly, we postpone the surgery for now and they are with us in Canada and if there is an emergency, I am assuming, the hospital would take him and operate immediately. Is my assumption correct ?

 

[scylla]

Thanks for you reply. I have few more questions.
1) Are there specific hospitals which take these kind of cases?

2)If I take Third Party Visitor Insurance, won't that cover the cost of the surgery ?

3) Also, supposedly, we postpone the surgery for now and they are with us in Canada and if there is an emergency, I am assuming, the hospital would take him and operate immediately. Is my assumption correct ?

Insurance won't cover this since it's a pre-existing condition. You'll need to pay for everything out of pocket.

Yes, if it's an emergency, then the hospital in Canada would take him immediately. Again, you'll be responsible for all of the costs. If you want until it's an emergency, there may be complexiting that significantly increases costs.

This is primarily a money decision. You need to make sure you have the money to move ahead with this plan.

 

[ankurtan]

For elective surgery of a FN you negotiate directly with the hospital. It they can do the surgery without impacting any MSP holder it may be considered. Payment is likely to be all up front. There is a medical visa exactly for this purpose. Even a specialist appointment may not be a possibility if an MSP holder is in need of the appointment.

Thanks for your reply. Are there any designated hospitals for this or my family doctor would guide on that ?

 

[scylla]

Thanks for your reply. Are there any designated hospitals for this or my family doctor would guide on that ?

I'm not aware of any designated hospitals.

 

[ankurtan]

Insurance won't cover this since it's a pre-existing condition. You'll need to pay for everything out of pocket.

Yes, if it's an emergency, then the hospital in Canada would take him immediately. Again, you'll be responsible for all of the costs. If you want until it's an emergency, there may be complexiting that significantly increases costs.

This is primarily a money decision. You need to make sure you have the money to move ahead with this plan.

Thank you @scylla . This helps. Would I have to apply for another visa for his for this or existing visa would suffice.

 

[canuck78]

Thanks for your reply. Are there any designated hospitals for this or my family doctor would guide on that ?

You need to find a hospital willing to accept him. Given covid this will be extremely difficult. One of the deciding factors will be whether you can prove that you can cover all costs plus any potential emergencies and whether there is an open bed that could not go to someone who has MSP. Leaving surgery until it is an emergency comes with huge risk. Just showing up to the ER does not guarantee that the operation will get done. If it is life and death it will get done. If you don't want the surgery done in India would look at other countries in Asia who offer great care at a more affordable cost.

 

[canuck78]

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...-resident-applications-medical-treatment.html

 

[bellaluna]

Sounds like OP’s dad already has a TRV so in this case there’s nothing stopping him from boarding a plane, given he’s immediate family. Depends on what happens with CBSA when he lands.

 

[canuck78]

Sounds like OP’s dad already has a TRV so in this case there’s nothing stopping him from boarding a plane, given he’s immediate family. Depends on what happens with CBSA when he lands.

Yes but for elective procedure this is thr procedure he should go through. The hospital also may require this visa. He is coming to Canada specifically to seek medical treatment not as tourism.

 

[canuck78]

Just warning you that hospitals are still not running as normal. Just had my own GI procedure cancelled for the 2Nd time. Can’t really stress enough that a FN getting an elective procedure is not going to be a priority.