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My battery is low in my pacer (St.Jude, model 5342), and will need replacement surgery in 4-5 months. I am a Canadian, living in Savannah, Georgia, and no longer have free medical care...I moved here permanently. I have private insurance that will cover some of the costs of hospital, surgery, and meds, but not the device (can't get one on eBay...lol).

I am looking for the best place to have it done (costwise). I have a medical tourism company looking at options, but wondered where I could find costs here in the USA, as well as Canada (without government insurance).

Any ideas??? Links, etc.

4 Comments

Hi there fellow Southerner

by Angelie - 2008-09-12 01:09:37

Hey there,
I'm in a tiny town about 3 hours from you in South Ga. I work at the local hospital here and I know for a fact that hospitals have indigent care. You can fill out financial aid forms and according to your income your hospital bill might be adjusted a certain percentage, if not 100% wiped out. There are no guarantees of a free bill, but any reduction is a blessing. It's worth a shot.
The most important thing is your health, and getting your pacer replaced. I know it's hard to hear, but your health is more important than a medical bill. Deal with your health first....then the bills. Slowly, one at a time you'll get out from underneath them. Trust me.....I've been down the medical bill mountain. I didn't have insurance for over a year, AND I had heart procedures during that time. Hope this helps you out. Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any other questions.
-Angelie

contact the province

by jessie - 2008-09-12 01:09:47

contact your province in canada and ask if they have any info as to how to go about getting it payed for. there has got to be a way. i live in ontario but have travelled extensively. brazil used to be really reasonable but now the economy is very good there our dollar was 3 to one at one time. malaysia is another idea. find out in k.l. what the cost would be. they have excellent drs. kl is kuala lumpur. hope this helps jess

Hello exsailor66

by pacergirl - 2008-09-12 10:09:03

I was wondering....... Have you considered contacting the St Jude Medical Company directly? I actually emailed them right after I got my St Jude Dual Pacemaker and they were wonderful to me. They sent me a few small gifts as a thank you for my comments.
Anyway... look them up and contact them directly. Check into what they might be able to do. Explain your situation and why you relocated to a country with no medical for you. There had to be a good reason you did this. I can't imagine it was just for the sunshine with knowing you would need expensive medical care in the future.

Good luck, wishing you all the best,
Pacergirl

Why I left the land of free medical care!!!

by exsailor66 - 2008-09-12 11:09:23

Pacergirl,

Met my wife on eHarmony...she lived here, in a fabulous historic home in paradise (Savannah, GA)...I Iived in Windsor, Ontario...in case you haven't been there, Windsor is alphabetically correct on a list of nice places in which to live.

"The things you do for love."

Sorry to anyone here who loves Windsor, and sorry you have never left there.

Thanks for all the suggestions...am at the brainstorming stage, so please keep them coming.

Cheers,
Mike

You know you're wired when...

You have the perfect reason to show off your chest.

Member Quotes

I'm 35 and got my pacemaker a little over a year ago. It definitely is not a burden to me. In fact, I have more energy (which my husband enjoys), can do more things with my kids and have weight because of having the energy.