More than 373,000 surgeries are performed in British Columbia each year, including thousands of hip replacements, resurfacings, and arthroscopies. Most hip surgeries are delivered through the publicly funded Medical Services Plan (MSP).
Private hip surgical options do exist in BC—more so than in many other Canadian provinces. But Canadian regulations restrict private BC surgeons from accepting payment for medically necessary hip surgery from BC residents. The exception applies when a surgeon has "opted-out" of MSP, in which case they may see any Canadian patient, including BC residents, within the province. This is rare for most specialties.
Private pay for purely elective surgeries (e.g. cosmetic, LASIK) is allowed under current regulations.
The reality is that most BC patients seeking timely hip surgical care will need to travel out of province.
Current regulations: Unlike some provinces, BC does allow opted-out surgeons to treat local residents privately.
