http://physical-therapists.org/2010/02/what-to-do-about-wifes-knee-replacement-surgery-2/ a guide to physical therapy on the web Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:52:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 http://physical-therapists.org/2010/02/what-to-do-about-wifes-knee-replacement-surgery-2/comment-page-1/#comment-4036 Accutek & Co Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:16:40 +0000 http://physical-therapists.org/2010/02/what-to-do-about-wifes-knee-replacement-surgery-2/#comment-4036 ...Welcome to Socialized Medicine...we are about to have it here so if you want to do it American Style you better do it quick...try filing for Indigent Medicare...tell them you are unemployed and broke... …Welcome to Socialized Medicine…we are about to have it here so if you want to do it American Style you better do it quick…try filing for Indigent Medicare…tell them you are unemployed and broke…

]]> http://physical-therapists.org/2010/02/what-to-do-about-wifes-knee-replacement-surgery-2/comment-page-1/#comment-4035 mistify Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:40:41 +0000 http://physical-therapists.org/2010/02/what-to-do-about-wifes-knee-replacement-surgery-2/#comment-4035 I hope Americans are taking a lesson from your story. As a PT, I see this situation frequently with our own "socialized" form of medicine...public aid. It usually goes like this: A patient begins having severe knee pain due to OA. A single person who is no longer able to work due to the pain is now without insurance and files for public aid. Finding a physician who will even take public aid is a challenge. If you are so lucky and a knee replacement is required, you'll get much the same response as yours in Canada...it's not "medically necessary"...do PT and cortizone injections (funny how someone with private insurance will be offered a knee replacement from day one). One must try physical therapy for a great deal of time before it's even considered....and its usually denied. So, the person winds up being on public aid and after two years of failing physical therapy, they wind up filing for permanent disability. Great, now they are on Medicare and can easily be offered a knee replacement! They get a knee replacement, do well and come out just fine...conceivably better than they've been in years. But will this person now go back to work and become a productive person? Probably not because they will probably slip through the cracks. My point: Socialized medicine is NOT the answer. But I digress...Regarding your wife. If she is covered by your benefits, I see no reason why you cannot come to the US for the surgical procedure. As long as you are not on an HMO, simply make an appointment with a knee surgeon. If you are looking for recommendations, I'd stay with a University level surgeon. If your wife is elligible, there have been greatly reduced hospitalizations for those who have a minimally invasive procedure (you go home the same day). Dr. Berger at Rush University in Chicago does such a procedure. I've seen several of his patients who've had this...they turn out great. I hope Americans are taking a lesson from your story. As a PT, I see this situation frequently with our own “socialized” form of medicine…public aid. It usually goes like this:
A patient begins having severe knee pain due to OA. A single person who is no longer able to work due to the pain is now without insurance and files for public aid. Finding a physician who will even take public aid is a challenge. If you are so lucky and a knee replacement is required, you’ll get much the same response as yours in Canada…it’s not “medically necessary”…do PT and cortizone injections (funny how someone with private insurance will be offered a knee replacement from day one). One must try physical therapy for a great deal of time before it’s even considered….and its usually denied. So, the person winds up being on public aid and after two years of failing physical therapy, they wind up filing for permanent disability. Great, now they are on Medicare and can easily be offered a knee replacement! They get a knee replacement, do well and come out just fine…conceivably better than they’ve been in years. But will this person now go back to work and become a productive person? Probably not because they will probably slip through the cracks. My point: Socialized medicine is NOT the answer.
But I digress…Regarding your wife. If she is covered by your benefits, I see no reason why you cannot come to the US for the surgical procedure. As long as you are not on an HMO, simply make an appointment with a knee surgeon. If you are looking for recommendations, I’d stay with a University level surgeon. If your wife is elligible, there have been greatly reduced hospitalizations for those who have a minimally invasive procedure (you go home the same day). Dr. Berger at Rush University in Chicago does such a procedure. I’ve seen several of his patients who’ve had this…they turn out great.

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