Manitobans push province to cover surgery costs

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This article was published 26/03/2022 (1324 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Andy Maxwell would still be suffering like thousands of other Manitobans if he hadn’t gone out of province — and paid out of his own pocket — for two separate surgeries.

And he’s furious the province won’t reimburse him for his full costs, especially since it couldn’t provide the surgeries itself.

“I paid into the system for 30, 40 years, whatever it was, and when I need it, it wasn’t there for me,” said the 72-year-old.

Maxwell travelled to Alberta twice last year for two separate hip replacement surgeries, which cost him $28,000 each.

“I would’ve paid anything just to get mobile again and out of pain,” he said.

Maxwell said the province reimbursed him for $2,448.06 for his first procedure — and nothing for his second.

More Manitobans are paying out of pocket for medical care outside of the province as the number of surgeries and tests delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow.

Last week, Doctors Manitoba reported the surgical wait list had climbed to almost 55,000 cases, while the number of delayed tests and procedures had surpassed 113,000.

After facing a barrage of criticism, the province announced late last year it had established a surgical and diagnostic task force to address the backlog, but an in-person update hasn’t been provided in about two months.

Health Minister Audrey Gordon told the Free Press on March 22 an update would be provided this week.

Max Johnson, who flew to Lithuania in November for a left knee replacement surgery, is also livid about the provincial government’s unwillingness to cover his costs.

Before the surgery, he was unable to move from one room to another to make a cup of tea, he said.

When he returned to Canada after his procedure, he requested reimbursement for his $14,431.85 medical bill.

“I actually sent three letters to them, and I finally got, frankly, an insulting form letter back from them that said no,” Johnson said. “And I can tell it’s a form letter because it neither addressed the issues that I raised, nor answered the questions I raised.”

Johnson said that infuriated him. He said that while he had the resources to travel to access private health care, many others do not.

“The principle is being enshrined that only those with resources can actually get their medical problems dealt with. And I have a real problem with that,” the 65-year-old said, adding that he will appeal the province’s refuse to pay.

Johnson and Maxwell both stressed how debilitating and painful knee or hip problems can be (Johnson has had both replaced). They both said waiting in that state of disability for years was not a viable option.

Johnson said it’s not a good economic option for the province either.

“In the year after I had my hip replaced, I paid more in income tax in Manitoba than the cost of the hip, because I could work again,” he said. “Nobody talks about… that you have a whole bunch of crippled people sitting there, economically inactive, often taking and costing resources while they wait.”

Johnson said about 20 people have contacted him about his decision to seek private care abroad. He said at least six of those people have decided not to wait for surgery in Manitoba.

Maxwell and Johnson have been in touch and are considering launching a civil lawsuit against the province.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca