Alberta’s out-of-country healthcare funding under scrutiny

Tamara Polo, a mother of three, was left bedridden after a pedestrian accident in 2023 severely damaged her spine. Canadian doctors said nothing could be done, so she sought international specialists. Doctors in Spain and the U.S. diagnosed cervical instability-a condition not diagnosable in Canada due to the lack of upright imaging technology.

Polo underwent initial surgery funded by crowdsourcing but needs a full reconstruction from skull to upper back. She applied to Alberta’s Out of Country Health Services Committee (OOCHSC) for funding, but was denied because her diagnosis was not made in Canada.

Another Albertan, Samantha Lieskovsky, is appealing a similar denial for her two-year-old daughter Myla. Experts say the committee follows strict guidelines, and changes must come from the government. The province acknowledges the program is outdated and has launched a review. Polo now relies on a GoFundMe to access life-changing surgery in the U.S.