Frequently asked questions

Q: How do I go about getting my surgery quickly?

A: If you decide, in consultation with your doctor, your medical condition requires prompt treatment, or if you are simply tired of waiting for care, please contact us directly at 1-800-533-8718 or via e-mail at info@oneworldmedicare.com. We will send you our Treatment Management Information Form via e-mail, mail or fax. Or, you can also download the Form now.

Simply complete the Form, which includes information on the medical procedure you require, and return to us. We use this information to research the most appropriate facilities for your condition. If you have a location where you prefer to have surgery, we will look for providers in that area.

Some procedures and treatments are only available in the US. However, MRI, CT and some outpatient procedures are available through private clinics in Canada. Once we've completed our research, we call and explain the options available to you.

Once you've decided upon a facility, we book your consultation with the appropriate specialist and any resulting surgery or treatments, as well as pre and post-operative visits. Because getting better is foremost on your mind, we can also make travel arrangements and book accommodations for you and your travelling companions. Leave it all to us.

Q: How do wait times impact my health?

A: Wait times impact your quality of life, often leading to increased anxiety and stress, and pain and frustration. Twelve per cent of physicians say some patients died as a result of waiting longer than they thought was reasonable for access to the required health care services.¹

Q: I need knee surgery done. How long will I have to wait?

A: In BC, for example, you'll have to wait on average 78 weeks for knee replacement surgery. If you need hip replacement surgery, you'll have to wait approximately 48 weeks. ²

In Ontario, fewer than half those needing knee replacements received their operation within six months.³

With OneWorld Medicare's Treatment Management service, you don't have to wait. You can have your surgery within a month.

Q: What is the average cost to get knee and/or hip surgery done?

A: Cost depends on several factors including: how far you must travel to have surgery, which hospital is selected and how complicated the procedure is.

One of our most specialized procedures is bilateral knee replacement, surgery on both knees at the same time. This surgery is usually done in the US, where it is a more common procedure. The cost for bilateral knee surgery is approximately $35,000 (CDN), while a single knee replacement costs less than $18,000 (CDN).

Q: I want to know that I'm getting the best care possible. How does OneWorld Medicare ensure this?

A: We have worked within the US medical system for over 26 years and have relationships with over 3,500 US hospitals. As well, we use a hospital comparison tool, BestCare Direct, which tracks and compares surgery and diagnostic success rates. This allows us to identify providers with the best quality care at the US location of your choice.

Q: Paying for surgery sounds expensive, how can I afford it?

A: It isn't expensive and OneWorld Medicare can help you with financing through our arrangement with HSBC. For example, based on a loan amount of $20,000 and an interest rate of five per cent per annum, your payments based on a five-year pay back plan would be around $11.00 a day.*

Here are some payment examples:

• 60 months - $341.87/month ($11.24/day)
• 72 months - $288.88/month ($9.37/day)
• 84 months - $244.17/month ($8.03/day)

*Interest rates and repayment terms may vary. Financing is subject to credit approval.

Q: Why do I, and other patients in Canada, have to wait so long for care?

A: Many factors contribute to lengthy waiting times in Canada. According to health care professionals these include: chronic disease among Canadians (83 per cent); a shortage of health care professionals (83 per cent) and hospital beds or medical equipment (74 per cent); and, inadequate funding for Canada's health care system (72 per cent).⁴

Q: What impact does the Supreme Court of Canada case in Quebec mean for patients seeking private care?

A: The Supreme Court of Canada struck down a Quebec law prohibiting people from buying private insurance for medical services now provided by the public system. The ruling does not touch on patients in other provinces. However, it does set a precedent for the rest of Canada and will likely lead to more opportunities for Canadians to seek private treatment and pay through their own resources or through private insurance.

¹ (Health Care Professionals Views on Access to Health Care for the Canadian Medical Association and the Canadian Nurses Association, Ipsos-Reid, July 2004)
² (Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery in BC: Historical Volumes and Projected Need, BC Orthopaedic Association, The Arthritis Society, BC and Yukon Division, H. Krueger & Associates Inc. April 14, 2004)
³ www.brantfordexpositor.ca
⁴ (Health Care Professionals Views on Access to Health Care for the Canadian Medical Association and the Canadian Nurses Association, Ipsos-Reid, July 2004)