This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Quick question please - do any of you have insurance that is covering any of this, or is it strictly out of pocket? Although Poland is a long way for me, I have been considering contacting Dr. Simka and getting on the list.

Your responses would be appreciated.

BTW, I admire your bravery for taking such a leap of faith and being the "guinea pigs" for the rest of us. (All those who went to Stanford too!)

Kathryn

Kathryn, I'm scheduled for Poland in late April. I have also been looking into insurance for medical travel. There is US company that seems to provide some kind of insurance in case of complications overseas. Most companies won't touch this with a 10-ft pole, I suspect. Unfortunately, I'm at my cottage and the information is at home (though I think I found the link because of a conversation in one of these threads - perhaps it was a discussion with Johnson).

My situation is somewhat different from yours in that our Canadian universal health care will cover some of the expense, we think - we'll be talking to someone about that after the holidays. If you want me to try to dig up the name of the company, I might be able to find it.
...Ted

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Dx SPMS in 2004.  Liberated 29/04/2010.
My blog: www.my-darn-ms.blogspot.com

Hi. I don't have health insurance so I will be paying for the Poland trip on my own. I contacted the doctor on the 20th and haven't received a reply but I am going to go for it. I was told that the procedure and the trip would be about 5k in US. That's a lot cheaper than what I was going to be charged here in the states.

Hi Sandy,
When I referred to medical insurance, I was talking about insurance to cover an extended stay in hospital in Poland because of complications arising from the liberation treatment. I believe that our medicare (public health insurance in Canada) may pay some part of hospitalization in Poland, but of course will pay nothing towards the liberation treatment itself because it hasn't yet been proven to be an effective treatmnent for MS.

If our public medicare does pay for most of the expense for an extended stay in hospital in Poland, I may not bother seeking out the private (and probably expensive) medical travel insurance.
...Ted

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Dx SPMS in 2004.  Liberated 29/04/2010.
My blog: www.my-darn-ms.blogspot.com

Hi Kathryn,

I did an on-line and in-TiMS search and finally found the reference I talked about in my posting above. I found it on the Surgical Travel Canada website, but I believe that it would probably be as applicable to US citizens since it is a US insurance company, (in South Carolina): http://www.surgicaltourism.ca/Medical%2 ... -%20011609[1].pdf, I expect that there may be other companies offering the same service, but this insurance shouldn't be confused with ordinary travel insurance which won't cover you if you go abroad in order to get medical treatment.

...Ted

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Dx SPMS in 2004.  Liberated 29/04/2010.
My blog: www.my-darn-ms.blogspot.com

Hi Kathryn,

I'm going for just the diagnostics (Doppler and MRV) on the 9th Feb.

I'm very lucky to have a Vascular Surgeon as a family friend who will do the op for me should something be found. He did offer to arrange some scans here in the UK but to be honest I want the expertise.

I'm funding myself , but very very happy to be going

Best seasonal wishes!!!

Claire

I still get no response from Poland? How did you guys get appointments? I've just emailed so far. Do you have to call them?

I only emailed. I did not call.
Erika

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Aug. 7, 09 Doppler Ultras. in Poland, left Jugul. valve problem, RRMS since 1996, now SPMS,
- Nov.3,09: one stent in the left jug. vein in Katowice, Poland, LDN, never on DMDs
- Jan. 19, 11: control venography in Katowice - negative but I feel worse

I've emailed several times and gotten two responses from Dr. Ludyga. His last email said he clearly understood my situation, but basically implied he would get to me when he could. They must be swamped because he still hasn't written back and I got the impression they wanted no more emails.

I don't want to make them angry by continuing to email. Talk about being in Limbo!

I have only dealt with Dr. Simka, and only by way of e-mails. I don't know if any other means of communication would be better, but certainly I think it is important to be dealing with Dr. Simka, at least until such time as he officially delegates the responsibility for communication to a colleague or someone else on his staff.
...Ted

_________________
Dx SPMS in 2004.  Liberated 29/04/2010.
My blog: www.my-darn-ms.blogspot.com

Hi, there was a posting somewhere else on the site where someone made a call to Dr Simka only to be told by a very kind secretary that he dealt with his own diary.

I don't know about this other Dr but maybe go straight to Dr Simka as others have said. He is the only one I have dealt with and he has been quite responsive.

Claire

Thanks, Claire - what email address did you use? The one I used was supposed to be for Dr. Simka but it was a Dr. Ludyga that responded two different times. I never heard directly from Dr. Simka.

Thank you again. selkie

Hi Selkie

mariansimka@poczta.onet.pl

This is the one I've been using. Hope it's different.

Thanks, Claire. I'll try again, after the New Year. Maybe Dr. Simka is swamped. I'm thinking of saying I'm willing just to go for diagnostics. I just want to know if I have CCSVI - I'm still uncertain about having stents inserted vs. angioplasty. But to know would be the first step. Maybe he'll take me if I say just the diagnostics.

I think that's the same address I have, but I'll try it again! Thank you!

Good luck to us both (and everyone else of course!)

BTW, have you heard of the doctor in the UK who is doing testing? There's a thread on it here and just wondered if you'd heard of him, I think he's in Belfast.

selkie

One liberation procedure took place at the Royal Victoria in Belfast but it was at the request of Gici and the hospital is not prepared to do any more. They say it was a one off done at the request of a colleague.

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Michele,  warrior4MS, mother and champion for Ella, the MSer. The solution is out there we just have to ask the right questions.