What would you do if you wanted to move to another area?

JanJan63
JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1

My husband and I are thinking about moving. I've brought this up before but now I'm wondering how a person would go about finding out how the care and financial coverage is in other areas. I think we have to stay in Canada because of the helath care coverage but there are differences between provinces for things like coverage for ostomy supplies. And I worry about length of time getting treatment and things like that. We live near a city that is supposed to have some of the highest level of care and I'm scared to leave that comfort.

So my questions is- how would you go about checking out what's a safe place to move to? Ask your onc team? Google it? I asked the Canadian Cancer Board and they had no information. Try to find a forum or something in the area you're considering? I've mentioned before how a friend of mine was believed to have had colon cancer and it took almost a year to get a colonoscopy done. She turned out to have Crohn's but she lives in an area we were considering and it scared us.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Jan

Comments

  • danker
    danker Member Posts: 1,276 Member
    edited January 2017 #2
    moving

    Are you only thinking within Canada, or is the US a possibility?

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    #3
    I don't think we could move

    I don't think we could move to the states because then I'd lose my health coverage. We have universal health care here in Canada with no cost to us.

  • mokomapa
    mokomapa Member Posts: 24
    edited January 2017 #4
    Sorry no ideas

    Jan,

    Wish I could offer you some suggestions.  If you decide on the states I have some great idea for you.  Best of luck with your search.

    Tom

  • Bellen
    Bellen Member Posts: 281 Member
    edited January 2017 #5
    Health coverage

    Hello Jan - I live in Ontario. our hospitalization is OHIP - Ontario Health Insurance Plan which covers hospital stays, scans, dr appt, etc.  A friend had her mother move to Ont from BC - she said it took a number of months for her to be covered by OHIP. You also need a plan (through work or privately paid) to cover the cost of prescriptions, many paramedical services, etc until you are 65 and then most prescriptions are covered under the Ontario Drug Benefit (I think you have to pay first $170).  It is important that you check each province carefully and the city because some cities are underserviced.  It takes many months to get a specialist appt and I had a terrible time getting timely care for my cancer diagnosis, biopsy, cancer clinic appt this summer in the city that I live in - very upsetting.  I drive 2 1/2 hrs each way for my chemo because they were the first city to give me an appt and I really like my Oncologist.  Take care.

  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #6
    Have you checked...

    Have you checked out this site:

    http://www.cancer.ca/en/support-and-services/support-services/how-we-can-help/?region=on

    not sure exactly how specific they may be, but it might lead you to other sites.

    You are very wise to do this before making a firm decision.

    You may also want to check the US site below regarding coverage for immigrants.  It all depends on how your status is determined when you move to here.

    https://www.healthcare.gov/immigrants/coverage/

    Hope one of these links helps to provide info for you.

    Hugs,

    Marie who loves kitties

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    edited January 2017 #7
    Thanks for all the

    Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!

    Jan

  • Canadian Sandy
    Canadian Sandy Member Posts: 784 Member
    #8
    I've had good care in

    I've had good care in Vancouver. The cancer clinic here is one of the best. Housing to expensive though.

     

     

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    edited January 2017 #9
    Canadian Sandy said:

    I've had good care in

    I've had good care in Vancouver. The cancer clinic here is one of the best. Housing to expensive though.

     

     

    Thanks Sandy! We'd love to

    Thanks Sandy! We'd love to move to your area but can't possibly afford the housing. Or Victoria. My friend that had such a long wait time for her colonoscopy lives in Kelowna. And she's had to drive to Vancouver for a few things medically related in the past.

    Jan

  • LauraCF
    LauraCF Member Posts: 27
    #10
    JanJan, my partner has major

    JanJan, my partner has major medical stuff done in Vancouver (such as surgery and PET scans) but locally here in North Island we have a chemo unit with great staff in the Campbell River Hospital and I believe there is also one in Comox.  We've not found any major delays in getting appointments or treatment when needed.  The CR Hospital can do Teleconference appointments with the Cancer Agency in Vancouver so that's what we do when he has an appointment with his oncologist.  We've not felt that his treatment has suffered in any way because we live here (we found out about his rectal cancer JUST after we sold our house in West Vancouver and bought the one here on the Island, which is why he deals with Vancouver instead of Victoria).

    I think the BC Cancer Agency website can give you information on which local and regional hospitals have cancer units.

     

    Oh, and p.s. Vancouver Island is a great place to live, and north of Nanaimo housing prices are pretty good. 

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    edited January 2017 #11
    LauraCF said:

    JanJan, my partner has major

    JanJan, my partner has major medical stuff done in Vancouver (such as surgery and PET scans) but locally here in North Island we have a chemo unit with great staff in the Campbell River Hospital and I believe there is also one in Comox.  We've not found any major delays in getting appointments or treatment when needed.  The CR Hospital can do Teleconference appointments with the Cancer Agency in Vancouver so that's what we do when he has an appointment with his oncologist.  We've not felt that his treatment has suffered in any way because we live here (we found out about his rectal cancer JUST after we sold our house in West Vancouver and bought the one here on the Island, which is why he deals with Vancouver instead of Victoria).

    I think the BC Cancer Agency website can give you information on which local and regional hospitals have cancer units.

     

    Oh, and p.s. Vancouver Island is a great place to live, and north of Nanaimo housing prices are pretty good. 

    Thank you so much Laura! We'd

    Thank you so much Laura! We'd love to live in that area. I'd never move unless we could afford an acreage because I have a horse but it would be fabulous to have nicer weather year round. I really appreciate your information!

    Jan

  • LauraCF
    LauraCF Member Posts: 27
    edited January 2017 #12
    Well, if you have a horse you

    Well, if you have a horse you can get some nice acreage in the Comox Valley, and I think the prices are still really good.  In fact, the Comox Valley is just about the horsiest place I've ever seen in Canada.  Check it out on line.  Compared to large cities property prices here ae a steal.  And the views in the Valley are incredible.  Or if you didn't mind living an hour out of town, you could live in a place like Sayward, which is a one-horse town but prices are amazingly low. 

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    edited January 2017 #13
    Thanks for the information

    Thanks for the information Laura! It would be wonderful to live out there! I'm going to look at properties on line right now. My only concern is my daughter who I'd never live very far from. If she moved to BC she wouldn't make as much money. She's a painter in an auto body shop and BC has that ICBC and the body shop people make much less money than they do here. On the other hand, if it's cheap enough living there, that night not matter. Its all relative.

    Jan

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