Hey all! Just wanted to let you know I received payment from AB Health (out of country) for revision surgery. I was really surprised that they would pay for it (they paid me for a portion of my lapband surgery back in 2008)!

Every little bit helps so happy to see a check for just over $2000! Back on the line of credit (although I could use a new ikea kitchen!!)! . Nina (Dr. Aceves office) was awesome in getting everything to me for being itemized for a bill!

Now to remember claim it on my income tax time!!

Hi,

What is the process for this.

I just had a revision in great falls

Would love to get some money back

Thanks

I made sure I had an itemized receipt of my procedure and filled out the out of country claim form found online. Keep photocopies of everything. The girl that assessed my claim sent me a letter back needing more info but 99% of it was on the receipt. So I phoned and another lady answered and told me just to fax something in saying that .... Within a week and a bit I had another letter saying they'd send me separate check.

I'll keep all of that and try it on my income tax for next year!! Good luck!

Alana

Keep all receipts and claim on your income tax also. So does Alberta Heath pay for out of country surguries? I am

Paying my own

I'm so glad we can claim it through Alberta Health (and that we have evidence via alanah that they actually do pay out!).

I wonder how much we will get back on our income tax?

I made sure I had an itemized receipt of my procedure and filled out the out of country claim form found online. Keep photocopies of everything. The girl that assessed my claim sent me a letter back needing more info but 99% of it was on the receipt. So I phoned and another lady answered and told me just to fax something in saying that .... Within a week and a bit I had another letter saying they'd send me separate check.

I'll keep all of that and try it on my income tax for next year!! Good luck!

Alana

Alana, I cannot find this claim form on the capital health website. How did you find it? Thanks so much

Tracy

Alana, I cannot find this claim form on the capital health website. How did you find it? Thanks so much

Tracy

http://www.health.al...ing-claims.html

Click on Claim Form for Out-of-Country Health Services Form AHC0934

You may need to use a different browser. Chrome wouldn't let me open it so I had to use Internet Explorer.

This may be a silly question, but are you going out of country because of the length of waiting lists, or is it a surgeon preference? I am only asking because on a referral to available bariatric clinics, the surgery in alberta is covered..so just trying to get a perspective on it...

This may be a silly question, but are you going out of country because of the length of waiting lists, or is it a surgeon preference? I am only asking because on a referral to available bariatric clinics, the surgery in alberta is covered..so just trying to get a perspective on it...

I went out of country because of the length of waiting lists. Getting the surgery in Alberta is like winning the lottery. I didn't want to spend years waiting (possibly getting bigger and bigger) when I could have it done in Mexico for peanuts.

However, I was denied aftercare by the bariatric clinic in Alberta due to the fact I had my surgery out of the country. If this is a concern for you then I would advise you to stay on the waiting list (if you can get on it in the first place, that is.)

Thanks for your reply. I am incredibly blessed as I got on at the new center in Medicine Hat. It did take 7 months from the time of my referral to get a call, but had my 1st apt in March and will have the surgery in November. So if anyone is near Medicine Hat try to get into that one.... All of the Mexico sleevers just made me start to second guess why ppl are choosing elsewhere and make sure it's a time issue and not a quality issue.

I'm sorry they won't provide aftercare that's just wrong..They set ppl up to have to choose alternatives and then deny them because they do...very wrong... I'm glad you're doing well and hope your primary physician brushed up on vsg so you stay that way :-)

Thanks for your reply. I am incredibly blessed as I got on at the new center in Medicine Hat. It did take 7 months from the time of my referral to get a call, but had my 1st apt in March and will have the surgery in November. So if anyone is near Medicine Hat try to get into that one.... All of the Mexico sleevers just made me start to second guess why ppl are choosing elsewhere and make sure it's a time issue and not a quality issue.

I'm sorry they won't provide aftercare that's just wrong..They set ppl up to have to choose alternatives and then deny them because they do...very wrong... I'm glad you're doing well and hope your primary physician brushed up on vsg so you stay that way :-)

I am in Edmonton and the wait lists seem to be the longest here. I did talk to the lead bariatrics guy here and he offered to bump me up the list (because this was my second try through Weight wise) and within the first week I was brushed off and set back from a 2 week preliminary appointment to 5 weeks. I also found the nutritional post care info archaic, and have recently heard hospital horror stories here in Edmonton, so I felt more in control of my outcome going to Mexico. I was also further disgusted with our system in Alberta when someone on this forum announced that because she lived in a smaller community she didn't need to jump through any hoops and got her surgery done by the Edmonton Bariatric surgeon within 4 months of her first visit with him...seemed really unfair and totally turned me off. My GP kindly agreed to do my post care here.

Good luck to you!

http://www.health.al...ing-claims.html

Click on Claim Form for Out-of-Country Health Services Form AHC0934

You may need to use a different browser. Chrome wouldn't let me open it so I had to use Internet Explorer.

Thanks a million!

I am in Edmonton and the wait lists seem to be the longest here. I did talk to the lead bariatrics guy here and he offered to bump me up the list (because this was my second try through Weight wise) and within the first week I was brushed off and set back from a 2 week preliminary appointment to 5 weeks. I also found the nutritional post care info archaic, and have recently heard hospital horror stories here in Edmonton, so I felt more in control of my outcome going to Mexico. I was also further disgusted with our system in Alberta when someone on this forum announced that because she lived in a smaller community she didn't need to jump through any hoops and got her surgery done by the Edmonton Bariatric surgeon within 4 months of her first visit with him...seemed really unfair and totally turned me off. My GP kindly agreed to do my post care here.

Good luck to you!

Thank you.. I'm sorry you had such an awful experience here.... I definitely had to jump through hoops...I had to drive 3hrs, one way, to Medicine Hat 6 times in the first 10 weeks when I started.. as well as taking all the couses, workshops and psych evals, both here and in Lethbridge.. I will admit that being so far away, they do stack my apointment deck so I can come in less often now that I've 'proven' my commitment..but i still have phone apt's regularły with their 'team' I wish other centers gave the same positive experience, but I fear instead this one will have the waiting list of most sooner than later..

Good luck everyone on your funding and refunds, I hope they are both favourable and fast..

I was/am doing the weight wise as well. I am from northern Alberta and would be going through Edmonton for my surgery. I was told because of the wait list, it will be 6months to a year to get my referral another 6-month to a year to get my apt and then about a year after for my surgery. I don't have time to wait 2 plus years. I told my Dr I was going to MXN and would they still treat me after and he said they can't refuse treatment and he understand why I am

Going. I haven't told my weight wise nurse that I made my apt yet though, I like her and feel like I am cheating in her, lol.

Same thing here! I'm going through OCC in Tijuana because the waiting and hoop jumping does not work for me haha

Hey everyone -- I really apologize for not replying sooner! Glad that you were able to find the links! Firefox did not open the pdf file for the claim for me so - but IE did with no issues.

I wonder how much it will help come income tax time -- I kept everything and will submit it to my accountant and cross my fingers it makes some sort of dent and I get something back I think with medical expenses doesn't it have to be a certain % of your income before it will affect your return? Either way - fingers crossed for April!! heheheee

I wish I could have had surgery done in Alberta but at the same time, I felt so comfortable in Mexico! I was able to drop off my kidlet in Florida with Grandma and Grandpa and then flew to San Diego to meet up with my husband (who was flying in from Alberta) and off we went to Mexicali. It was a like a mini vacation within a vacation (sick time actually). This is my second go at surgery in Mexico and would be happy to do it again if I had to..... We are up in Fort McMurray and to be honest I never actually looked into the program in Alberta - I had heard thru the grapevine that the wait times were bad so I pretty much started looking in Mexico. I'm not a patient person so waiting was totally out of the question!

Happy to report I have lost 60-ish pounds since surgery but my inches alone have been huge!!! Just last month I lost 8.75 inches! I've probably lost a total of 55-60 inches since March! From a size 18-20 to a 10-12 jeans and a S-M shirt. I would not change anything in the world and I am sooooo happy!

Hope everyone is doing well! And if you are having surgery out of country remember to keep all of your receipts and get the "bill" translated into English as well. Keep copies (I kept 3 just incase I lost 1 or 2 of them! Hahaha) before you mail them off and wait for a reply! Good luck alll!!

Alana