IF YOU ARE SEEKING HELP WITH YOUR CANADIAN LIPEDEMA OUT OF COUNTRY SURGERY APPLICATION PLEASE READ AND PARTICIPATE Happy Monday Ladies! I have a lot to talk about here so bare with me, but I promise you its information you want regarding our petition for Canadian women to have Lipedema Surgeries covered by our insurance providers being that we must travel out of country to obtain this treatment. I have received a reply on behalf of the Honorable Dr. Eric Hoskins Office regarding our petition which I will provide a copy to all following this post. Short form of their reply is stating the requirement’s needed to be approved for Out of Country Surgery, and a link to the necessary forms that is needed to be completed and submitted requesting approval of such request. This is all a great step forward, but two weeks prior to receiving this letter the Lymphedema Clinic that also follows our Lipedema patients at the Juravinski Cancer Hospital was closed for reasons I am not yet aware of and im so upset by this as that clinic and their practitioners were doing amazing things for us in the Lippy world. This of course is where I would be bringing my forms to have them filled but as you guessed I would be unable to find a diagnosing doctor in my area willing to fill out the forms for me in order to even start my application process for my second surgery because of the unfortunate closure, if it wasn’t for my surgeon in New Jersey which whom I have already taken on to care for me giving the only reason I have someone I can go to for help. But I got to thinking about this……and what about the majority of my Lipedema sisters who are not fortunate enough to be able to seek the care they need outside of our country? How are they going to get their forms filled out for their surgeries being in the same position as myself as I believe that every single one of us deserves a chance at proper treatments to help conquer our disease. So I had a meeting with my friend and Lipedema Network team Sherry Simoes, and we started sharing our ideas and progress since the last time we met, and together we have a plan that will help all of us get the answers and assistance we are all seeking. First off I will be attaching below a copy of each: Our submitted petition letter to Government, a copy of all signatures and comments of those supporting our Lipedema Treatment Coverage Petition. A copy of the reply letter from the office of Dr.Eric Hoskins, and also MOST IMPORTANT, a copy of the OUT OF COUNTRY SURGERY APPLICATION. STEP 1 I want all of you Canadian Ladies who are seeking coverage for your surgery out of country to print off this package I have stated above, fill out the application to the best of your knowledge pertaining to your personal information etc, and leave blank where a practitioner is to diagnose and fill out on the application form. keep this package in its entirety safe. STEP 2 Sherry and I are pleased to announce that Sherry is working very diligently on having a diagnosing Lipedema specialist/surgeon join us for a week in LONDON ONT, Throughout that week we will be looking to hold information seminars for interested Medical Practitioners, and those in Medical school to help them gain a better understanding of what Lipedema really is, and what markers to look out for in their future patients to help ensure a quicker diagnoses to all who are faced with this disease in their lives, which will enable all women to seek out proper care and treatments at a much younger age, resulting in the highest quality and quantity of life for each and every one of us. During the same week, we are also looking into scheduling consultation appointments with those who are seeking a diagnosis or treatments options & advice, and this is where all of you who have the above forms and petition copies, have the opportunity to get your diagnoses section of your OUT OF COUNTRY SURGERY APPLICATION filled out by a registered medical practitioner, as stated in the requirements of approval in their response letter. At this time we will collect all of your individual sealed packages and surgery application forms and we will personally be delivering each and every one of your packages at once in boxes to the Decision Makers Office. Media will be involved in this movement, and with your participation and unity, Sherry, Stephanie, and I believe that this is a strong enough presentation to those involved to help us achieve the results we are all seeking….. Recognition and proper diagnoses of a debilitating disease that the vast majority of the world ignores including our Canadian Government as a whole, and The Canadian Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, The right to access of all available Lipedema treatments that are available globally, and OHIP coverage to seek treatments out of Country if our own Country is yet unable to accommodate our needs, including all Lipedema surgery procedures to assist in further physical deterioration stemmed from Lipedema Disease. And most importantly for all who are seeking coverage for Lipedema Surgery out of Country be APPROVED, and costs covered leaving us to only have to stress and save for accommodations, food, and travel. We believe that no life is more important then another, and that every single one of us deserves a chance to fight for our quality and quantity of life and this includes all of our sisters now and in the future who suffer from Lipedema, as we all may be facing our own individual journey, the bigger picture is our journeys are similar, and if we work together we can change the world for millions of women including our own each and every one of us. If you have any questions and want to be a part of this please email me your email address (jennatlee@hotmail.com), and follow my page for further information, dates, etc. As we progress we will reach out and share further information. Until then please print out your copies of the above stated petition package, fill out the OUT OF COUNTRY SURGERY APPLICATION FORM to the best of your capabilities, and hold tight ladies! Other pages to follow that will also carry this information is as follows; www.facebook.com/Lipedemahurts www.facebook.com/LipedemaChicksLondonOntario If you haven’t already signed this petition you can read, share, and add your signature by clicking the below link https://www.change.org/p/ministry-of-health-canadian-government-provide-more-funding-research-and-ohip-coverage-for-lipedema-lymphedema-patients-in-canada?recruiter=79350281&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink?recruiter=79350281&utm_source=petition_show&utm_medium=copylink OUT OF COUNTRY SURGERY APPLICATION FORM (OOC) LINK (PLEASE PRINT AND FILL OUT AS INSTRUCTED ABOVE) www.ontario.ca/outofcountry. FOR THE REST OF THE PETITION PACKAGE PLEASE EMAIL ME AND I WILL SEND THIS TO YOU AS LINKS ARE LIMITED. THE BELOW DOCUMENMENT WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED IN YOUR REQUESTED EMAILED PACKAGE. ITS TIME TO UNIFY AND WORK TOGETHER LADIES, HELP US HELP YOU….. AND REMEMBER IF WE BELIEVE, WE SUCCEED! jennatlee@hotmail.com or send me a message at www.facebook.com/Lipedemahurts BELOW IS THE RESPONSE LETTER REGARDING OUR SUBMITTED LIPEDEMA PETITION FROM THE OFFICEC OF DR.ERIC HOSKINS; Response from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (ref: HLTC2966MC-2016-3798/CL) APRIL 25/2016, Thank you for writing to the Honourable Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. The ministry has provided information that I would like to share below. In your petition you request that funding for surgery be considered both in province and out of country (OOC). Information regarding the OOC prior approval process including the application form can be found on the ministry’s website located at: www.ontario.ca/outofcountry. Ministry funding for medical services required outside of Canada is available if the requested health service meets the conditions described in theHealth Insurance Act (HIA) and its Regulations. OOC medical services are prescribed as insured services if the Request for Prior Approval for Full Payment of Insured Out-of-Country Health Services application establishes that the medical services and treatment are: • medically necessary; and • performed at a hospital or licensed health facility (as defined in the Regulations); and • not experimental or for research or for a survey; and • are generally accepted by the medical profession in Ontario as appropriate for a person in the same medical circumstances as the insured person;and • either: o not performed in Ontario by an identical or equivalent procedure; or o performed in Ontario but the insured person must receive the services outside Canada to avoid a delay that would result in death or medicallysignificant irreversible tissue damage. Prior written approval from the ministry must be received before any OOC health services are performed. If prior approval is not received beforehand, services are not eligible for funding. All applications for OOC prior approval must be submitted or endorsed by an Ontario specialist in the field of services for which approval of the requested health services is sought. Please note that applications normally take 2-4 weeks to process. Expenses incurred for non-medical services such as travel, accommodation and meals (except where included as part of insured hospital services) are NOT covered by OHIP and are the responsibility of the patient. The ministry trusts this information is of some assistance. Thank you again for writing. Sincerely, C. LeBoutillier Correspondence Services Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care