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Ontario Man Forced to Pay $600K for U.S. Surgery After Nine Failed Procedures

An Ontario man is speaking out after undergoing nine failed surgeries in the province before seeking life-saving treatment in the United States—at a staggering personal cost of $600,000.

A Desperate Search for Relief

Di Pietro Gregorio, a 78-year-old Maple resident with a history of Crohn’s disease, first underwent emergency surgery in 2019 for a bowel obstruction. However, he was later told the procedure wasn’t necessary.

“They operated on me the same night and when they finished, they said, ‘We really didn’t have to do this,’” Gregorio recalled.

What followed was a harrowing four-year journey through eight additional surgeries, each meant to correct the initial operation. Instead, his condition worsened, leaving him in severe pain and reliant on two colostomy bags. When Ontario doctors told him there was nothing more they could do, Gregorio felt hopeless.

A Last Resort: Seeking Care in the U.S.

“If I didn’t go to the U.S., I wouldn’t be talking to you today,” Gregorio said. Desperate for a solution, he researched medical options and found specialists at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. They told him his condition could be fixed—but at a cost of CAD$600,000.

The 11-hour surgery succeeded where nine Ontario procedures had failed. “They couldn’t have done a better job. I don’t have a colostomy bag now,” Gregorio said, relieved after years of suffering.

A Broken Healthcare System?

Gregorio is frustrated that Ontario’s healthcare system failed to provide a solution that U.S. doctors resolved in a single operation. “Why did it take nine attempts to fix the same problem? They fixed it in one,” he questioned.

Having paid healthcare taxes his entire life, he believes Ontario’s Ministry of Health should reimburse him. However, the ministry denied his request, stating his treatment did not meet the criteria for out-of-country coverage.

Gregorio argues that patients shouldn’t be forced to choose between suffering or financial ruin. “What’s fair is fair, but just to say ‘we can’t help you anymore?’ That’s not fair.”

Under current regulations, Ontario residents may receive coverage for out-of-country medical care only if they have written approval from the Ministry of Health before treatment. Gregorio, like many in desperate situations, had no time to wait.

His story raises pressing questions about Ontario’s healthcare system—when local care fails, should patients be left to fend for themselves?

About The Author

Kaasvi Bhatia is a Media Studies student at the University of British Columbia with a passion for digital storytelling and content creation.
Outside of work, Kaasvi enjoys playing tennis, running, and spending time with her friends.

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