As Surgical Wait Lists Grow, Canada’s Private Clinics Cash In

February 13, 2023

(CBC) – It’s a contentious reality in a country with a universal medicare system: Canadians can pay to sidestep the queue for surgeries with long waiting lists, such as hip and knee replacements. Private clinics across Canada are advertising to prospective patients that within weeks they can get surgeries that typically take six months or more under provincial health plans. The price for a single hip or knee replacement runs in the range of $20,000 to $28,000, depending on the clinic. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic driving up surgical wait times, there’s some evidence suggesting a growing number of Canadians are pulling out their wallets to pay privately. (Read More)