Doctors often perform emergency surgery to prevent a patient from dying. At other times, elective surgery is needed to restore a patient’s qualify of life. Sometimes people choose elective cosmetic surgery to enhance their looks. Read on to learn more about the different types of surgery – and whether they are covered by your province’s healthcare plan.
What is an elective surgery?
The term elective surgery covers a wide range of operations such as vision correction, hip replacements and plastic surgery. It differs from emergency surgery, such as an appendectomy, in which the patient is at risk of becoming severely ill or dying. Elective surgery simply means that it can be scheduled in advance.
In fact, the word elective does not really fit all surgeries in this category. People who need knee surgery do not “elect” to have it done – they require it to be mobile and participate in basic activities such as walking to the park.
On the other hand, some surgical procedures are truly elective. For example, a person who doesn’t like the shape of their nose may choose elective cosmetic surgery for rhinoplasty.
What is the most common elective surgery?
One of the most common elective surgeries in North America is vision correction. This is an “elective” procedure since the patient can decide if they are happy wearing glasses or contact lenses – or prefer to undergo surgery.
Laser eye surgery is very popular because it only takes about 20 minutes to perform and can be done in the doctor’s office. There’s no need for an overnight hospital stay. In addition, it is relatively inexpensive and over the long run patients save money because they no longer need to purchase contacts or glasses.
However, vision correction surgery is not without risks. While it is successful with the vast majority of patients, some find that they have poor night vision or that their eyesight gets worse a few months after surgery. They may feel pain for the first few days after the surgery and have hazy vision for a while.
For inpatient surgeries, caesarian sections are the most common type in Canada, with more than 107,000 being performed in 2019-20. Again, the term “elective” does not apply to all c-section surgeries. Some women elect to deliver their baby this way, so it is considered semi-elective surgery. In other cases, emergency caesarian surgery is needed to save the life of the baby and/or the mother.
Elective surgery categories
Depending on your province, there are different levels of urgency that see patients waiting up to a year for surgery. With the pandemic, many surgeries have been cancelled, creating an even bigger backlog.
In Ontario, there are four levels for surgery:
Priority 1: This is non-elective surgery or emergency surgery. The patient could die if they do not receive surgery immediately.
Priority 2: The patient is experiences severe symptoms that are likely to get worse. He or she should be seen by the surgeon within 30 days and have the surgery performed within 56 days.
Priority 3: Pain and symptoms are not having an impact on quality of life. The patient should meet with the surgeon within 90 days; after that, the surgery should be done within 112 days.
Priority 4: The patient’s condition may be worsening; medical treatment may not be working. The patient should be seen by the surgeon within six months and the surgery done six months after that.
Elective surgery examples
Here are some examples of elective surgical procedures:
- Laser eye surgery
- Tonsillectomy
- Bariatric surgery (for weight loss)
- Hernia repair
- Knee replacement
- Hip replacement
- Plastic surgery
Is plastic surgery an elective surgery?
Yes. Plastic surgery is considered elective. For example, it may be required if someone is in a car accident. The patient may undergo emergency surgery (non-elective) to save their life. Once the patient is stabilized, they may receive plastic surgery in order to reconstruct their face or other body parts that were damaged in the accident.
Is plastic surgery covered by provincial medicare plans?
Yes, in many cases it is. If someone wants to make a change to their face or body for purely cosmetic reasons, they would have to pay out of pocket. However, plastic surgery to improve someone’s health is often covered.
Let’s look at some examples:
- Elective cosmetic surgery such as facelifts, eyelid surgery, liposuction and tummy tucks are usually not included in medicare.
- Breast enhancement is not covered. However, breast reconstruction following breast cancer surgery can be. Breast reduction surgery is often paid for under medicare if the size of a woman’s breasts is causing pain.
- Rhinoplasty (plastic surgery on the nose). You have to pay for this yourself if you simply don’t like the shape of your nose. On the other hand, if your nose is affecting your ability to breathe it may qualify for coverage.
Your plastic surgeon will be able to tell you what elective cosmetic surgery treatments are covered in your province. If you have to pay yourself, the surgeon should provide you with an estimated cost.
The surgeon should also discuss the risks associated with plastic surgery. While it is generally safe, patients must be aware that people have died while under anesthesia. As well, they may be in pain or have scarring after the surgery. Therefore, if you are having plastic surgery done for purely cosmetic reasons, consider how badly you want your nose reshaped.
Does short term disability cover elective surgery?
Maybe. Check your benefits to see whether you can receive short term disability payments while recovering from surgery. Your coverage may vary depending on whether you need the surgery for health reasons or are having it done for purely cosmetic benefits.
Postponed elective surgery
The pandemic has caused many elective surgical procedures to be postponed. A study by the Canadian Institute for Health Information found that 560,000 fewer surgeries were performed in the 15 months after the pandemic started in March 2020, compared to the previous year.
Most provinces continued to perform cancer and cardiac surgeries, but other types saw the number of postponements grow rapidly. This has been incredibly frustrating for people on elective surgery waiting lists.
