David Edwards, a resident of Cambridge, Ont., along with his wife, Dorothy Schultz, found themselves in a dilemma when they felt compelled to shell out thousands of dollars for cataract surgery at a for-profit clinic. Their decision stemmed from being informed about prolonged wait times for the same surgery at a hospital.
According to Edwards, their optometrist indicated that they might have to wait three years for surgery if they opted for hospital treatment. The private clinic they visited in Brampton echoed similar sentiments, suggesting that the wait time at a hospital could range from three to five years, as conveyed during a news conference held on Tuesday.
Feeling uneasy about the extended wait times, Edwards and Schultz chose to pursue surgery at the for-profit eye clinic, which, they were informed, offered faster and superior services compared to hospitals. However, these services were not covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP), given the clinic’s claim of providing expedited and enhanced surgery.
Their decision incurred costs amounting to $554 for eye measurements and $1,400 per eye for the surgery. Subsequently, they learned that the actual wait time for surgery at the hospital might not have been as long as they were initially led to believe.
“After COVID, my wife got a hip replacement at Cambridge Memorial Hospital, and we learned from nurses and doctors there that the longest wait period for cataract surgery would have been six months, more likely three months,” Edwards shared.
Edwards’s experience is one of 18 detailed case studies and 231 survey responses featured in a report released by the Ontario Health Coalition on Tuesday. The report sheds light on the increasing trend of patients in Ontario being charged out of pocket for cataract services and surgeries at for-profit clinics.
The province’s push to expand for-profit clinics and authorize them to conduct surgeries like hips and knees aims to alleviate wait times across Ontario. However, many patient testimonies cited in the report mirror Edwards’s ordeal, with individuals being referred to private clinics by their physicians or optometrists due to prolonged wait times at hospitals.
Additionally, patients expressed concerns about withheld information and being charged for unnecessary add-ons, such as upgraded lenses, at these clinics.
