Hey gang

I just got back from my family physician's office (here in Ottawa) and told her I needed a titre for the required vaccinations. I had to pay $25!!!!!! WTF??? Has anyone else had to pay to get this done? I mean, really, I would think that in Ontario we pay enough taxes for healthcare that they don't have to nickel and dime for such things.

She also gave me a vaccination record that I had my tetanus shot a few years ago. Is this all I need? Gosh, it's fee after fee.... I can't believe my medical is going to cost $285.... and they specified it had to be cash. How much of that do you think goes in their pocket!?

Do I sound frustrated yet? lol Anyway, medical is scheduled for Nov 15th...they said I don't need the interview letter since I don't have it yet, I just need to bring a copy of the checklist that has the file# on it.

Come on Montreal, start sending out Packet 4 to those of us waiting!!!

I would say since it is cash, all goes into their pocket!!

Yeah, I can believe it costs extra money in Ontario for the test. OHIP doesn't cover most things now 100% as it is! Hear it's for a Visa, to the US, and for SURE they're going to get CASH! I would suspect that all the cash paid to the physicians for our medicals here in Canada go 100% into the Doctor's pockets. One thing you might want to inquire about is getting your medical tests, at least the titre test reimbursed if you have a health plan through your work. I have Greenshields through my workplace and I'm being reimbursed for my vaccinations. I opted out of the titre testing as it took 2 weeks for the results, and it could only tell me about my immunity for the MMR. I said, no thanks, just give it to me again. *sigh* I had as a child but that was sooooo long ago and there were no records kept except through your family doctor. He's dead, and his records destroyed.

Carla

I had the titre test done earlier this month and didn't have to pay for it. It takes awhile though, the results are still not in. The tetanus record should be fine. All I have is the record of my booster a few years ago, not the original series; I called the physician I'm going to for my appointment and they said that was all that was needed.

It depends on your doctors office. Some of them have lots of whacky charges. My wife used to pay 50.00 / year so she had no extra charges for things like this.

I can understand your frustration, but consider the other side of the coin: having a medical (especially for a visa enabling you to leave Canada and enter the US) is not a normal (ie. everyone is having one) occurrence, it is above and beyond the scope of typical everyday healthcare. We are basically paying for the privilege to use precious healthcare resources (staff time, supplies, etc) for an "extra" service -- and $285 covers that. Health care ain't cheap!

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't particularly happy at the costs either, but I consider it a price I had to pay to get here .

I hate to say it but paying for the visa medical was a realistic introduction to what you can expect once you get to the States. I felt that the medical was over charged as well for what was done and that the panel physician had just made an easy $265 dollars ( 2 1/2 years ago). My family doctor updated my vaccination record from my childhood records and summarized them all for me, plus giving me my updated tetenus shot so there was no charge for it. My immunizations were complete so I didn't need anything more.

It is certainly an eye-opener here in the US for medical costs. Our co pay for a doctor is either $20 or $40 depending on the doctor (regular or specialist), we copay for every blood test or xray or other type of test; we copay for every prescription - somewhere between $15 to $50 (I have a chronic health condition) and this is with decent health insurance! I recently had to spend 1 1/2 days in hospital (entered from emergency) and the total bill was quite an shock - over $16,000 - our share after insurance is 10%. And from the very beginning I have had to do battle with the insurance company to get their portion paid in a timely manner because the doctors offices or hospital and such kept sending collection letters to us - for what the insurance company owed. The insurance company never questioned they were responsible but getting them to send the payment was like pulling hens teeth. So, I will certainly never take Canada's health care system for granted ever again - and sure wish I could still benefit from it:-).

We had the titer done for the varicella vaccine and it was a lot cheaper than what the shot would've been.

Wife baqdly sparined her ankle in the Spring. We waited for nearly 4 hrs in the emergency room (wasn't even that busy!!) SAw a PA for like 3 minutes, xray, think the bill was over $1200, luckily insurance covered it. As much as many complained about the CDn system I have never had problems, nor my dad who has had a few heart surgies. Guess it all depends where one resides.

Well at least you got to pay in Canadian dollars. Mine was over $320 US dollars... cash... and an AWFUL experience in the ghetto to top it off.