Are doctors allowed to do this under OHIP?

[rfdrfd]

I have a question about a recent situation that my relative asked me about. He was at his GI Specialist, and he needed to book a Colonoscopy appointment. (where they stick a camera up your u know what)

The secretary told him that if he can pay a $100 fee, he would be able to get an appointment in end of November. If he couldn't pay, then the next available Colonoscopy would be in May 2007 sometime. Secretary told him that the $100 is not for the doctor, but is to pay for the room and equipment at the hospital that this examination was going to take place.

So, hoping to find out earlier if his illness is serious or not, he of course paid the $100 fee, and received a receipt that stated "For Colonscopy examination $100.00"

Is this a standard practice? Can Specialists charge patients to get an earlier appointment? Is this allowed? It seems like if one cannot afford the $100, then one would have to wait a longer time. Which to my understanding is opposite to the policy of OHIP and to general public accessible health-care, regardless of wealth, that Canada is well-known for. I also wonder how the amount of $100 was determined.

I sent an email to the OHIP (from their website), haven't received any replies back yet.

What do you think?

[MizTEcK]

im not sure but i would certainly not be happy if they did that to me

[BadDrafter]

I've run into the exact same situation except it was an endoscopy (through the mouth) the money I spent saved my life. The system has failed.

I would like to know what can be done about this.

[rfdrfd]

I've run into the exact same situation except it was an endoscopy (through the mouth) the money I spent saved my life. The system has failed.

I would like to know what can be done about this.

Thanks, good to know this actually happens elsewhere.

So do you think the dr. is actually lying about dates? And then somehow getting money off ppl to get an earlier date?

I mean, FULL is FULL right? Where do they magically get a date ?

[hightechfan]

Ohip does not care in some cases they get a cut.

[ahyue2]

This sounds fishy to me....

It sounds like somone has reserved a time/ date for people who are willing to pay?

I thought that the OHIP/ or the Canadian health care system is a single tier system, unlike the two tier systems else where....

Correct me if I am wrong though, was there a private clinic offering services for a fee that was recently opened in York Region??

[rfdrfd]

Ohip does not care in some cases they get a cut.

Oh that is disguisting !! I bet you are right.


So can I confront this issue with this doctor somehow? Whom can I throw at him to make him be weary ? College of Doctors?

[pfdude]

Most of these places are private clinics who just send a bill to OHIP for any services you use. It doesn't surprise me that they're offering expedited service at an extra cost.

Sucks about the camera up the bum. I've had the unfortunate experience of both the colonoscopy and endoscopy only for them to find nothing wrong. 2 years later, I'm getting worse.

[caliente]

This sounds fishy to me....

It sounds like somone has reserved a time/ date for people who are willing to pay?

I thought that the OHIP/ or the Canadian health care system is a single tier system, unlike the two tier systems else where....

Correct me if I am wrong though, was there a private clinic offering services for a fee that was recently opened in York Region??

The Canadian healthcare system may officially be single tier, but in reality it's a different matter. Where do you think Paul Martin, Stephen Harper, etc, go and how long do you think they wait? There have always been exclusive clinics.

I don't know about this particular doctor, but sometimes you can pay extra to get an earlier MRI scan. Sometimes an MRI will only be booked for x amt of hours of clinic/patient time and this may depend on the technicians. Also, an MRI might be shared with researchers depending on the hospital. Someone needs to pay for running the MRI machine and for the technician if the scan is done outside regular clinic hours.

[rfdrfd]

Most of these places are private clinics who just send a bill to OHIP for any services you use. It doesn't surprise me that they're offering expedited service at an extra cost.

Sucks about the camera up the bum. I've had the unfortunate experience of both the colonoscopy and endoscopy only for them to find nothing wrong. 2 years later, I'm getting worse.

I wish you the best, hope you are getting better soon

[Shaner]

Doesn't surprise me.

When are people going to give up on this idea of a fully public healthcare system and start embracing a more efficient semi-private system?

Our public healthcare system failed long ago and we now have an unofficial two tiered system. Perhaps instead of fighting what is already there, we should embrace it and try to make it work more efficiently.

Too many Canadians are dying because we insist on fighting for something that we already lost.

Our public health care system is never going to come back regardless of how hard we fight. Once you lose something, the government never gives it back.

[ji2o0k]

yeah the sad reality is that there is an "un-official" two-tiered system.

Our current health care system is in disarray. Go to an emergency room and look at the line-ups, the wait times and check out patients that need critical surgery but can't get it in time because of severe back-log.

Some people would rather pay for immediate services instead of waiting in agony or dying because of the long wait for surgery.

Some people go over to the States and pay for the surgery. Even if they can't afford it, they would rather be healthy and alive but poor then have some money but dying or in agony.

The current system doesn't work and something needs to be done.

[kingsley]

We have a war on public health care going on here in canada.

[dark169]

I've run into the exact same situation except it was an endoscopy (through the mouth) the money I spent saved my life. The system has failed.

I would like to know what can be done about this.

Sadly you would have been a statistic in a fully public system. Sad but true.

The current system is already taking the largest portion of our tax dollars and we have situations like this, increasing funding (see: taxes) hasn't worked. Personally I feel that telling someone they can't spend their hard earned money on their health has to be one of the stupidest canadian inventions of all time.

[Marlek]

I was curious, so I just spoke to my boss about this (ex-neurosurgeon and former chief of staff at a large hospital). He tells me that it's completely illegal to charge these types of user fees in Ontario.

OHIP will come down hard on this particular specialist if they find out.