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mke · 11-28-2006, 10:55 AM

I live in Toronto and am familiar with Mississauga (which is near Toronto but is also the 6th largest city in Canada - they can get testy about the suburb thing). Generally speaking the health care in Canada and access to services is excellent, especially in the urban areas. In Mississauga you could use the Trillium health centre or you could do a short drive into Toronto to either Princess Margaret (part of the U of Toronto health services system) or Sunnybrook hospital, also a highly regarded treatment centre. I have been treated at Princess Margaret and have been quite satisfied.

However you are right to be concerned. There is a waiting period of 3 months before you would be covered by OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Program). You would also have the possible problem of finding an oncologist and treatment centre that would follow another's treatment plan. It is not likely that tykerb will be approved in Ontario at the same time it happens in the US (it will by a province by province approval) and often Canada waits longer for drugs to prove their worth. Fewer drug lobbyers I suspect.

I don't know that Ontario has Pharmacare, it has something called the Trillium fund which, after application is approved, will pay for drug costs over some percent (4 percent??) of the family income that are not covered by other plans.

There is another possibility. You will be a couple hours from Buffalo. Would it be easier to approve the continuation of your treatment there? Could you stay in Boston and finish your herceptin treatment and then join your husband in Ontario?

Google OHIP for the answer to some of your questions.

Good luck and let me know if I can provide other info.

11-28-2006, 10:55 AM	#7
mke Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 64	I live in Toronto and am familiar with Mississauga (which is near Toronto but is also the 6th largest city in Canada - they can get testy about the suburb thing). Generally speaking the health care in Canada and access to services is excellent, especially in the urban areas. In Mississauga you could use the Trillium health centre or you could do a short drive into Toronto to either Princess Margaret (part of the U of Toronto health services system) or Sunnybrook hospital, also a highly regarded treatment centre. I have been treated at Princess Margaret and have been quite satisfied. However you are right to be concerned. There is a waiting period of 3 months before you would be covered by OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Program). You would also have the possible problem of finding an oncologist and treatment centre that would follow another's treatment plan. It is not likely that tykerb will be approved in Ontario at the same time it happens in the US (it will by a province by province approval) and often Canada waits longer for drugs to prove their worth. Fewer drug lobbyers I suspect. I don't know that Ontario has Pharmacare, it has something called the Trillium fund which, after application is approved, will pay for drug costs over some percent (4 percent??) of the family income that are not covered by other plans. There is another possibility. You will be a couple hours from Buffalo. Would it be easier to approve the continuation of your treatment there? Could you stay in Boston and finish your herceptin treatment and then join your husband in Ontario? Google OHIP for the answer to some of your questions. Good luck and let me know if I can provide other info.