u/EquivalentShower5729

Been going down a rabbit hole on this and figured I'd share what I found. The number of Manitobans paying out of pocket or being flat-out denied for things that look medically necessary is wild.

Anonymous woman — Colorectal cancer surgery (Jan 2026) On a visitor record (legally extended to Oct 2025), diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer. Surgery scheduled July 13, 2025 — cancelled because no provincial coverage. Manitoba Health Appeal Board admitted dismissal "will have serious consequences" but said it has no authority to grant coverage on humanitarian grounds. 🔗 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-health-appeal-board-visitor-record-9.7059956

Anonymous patient — $77K out-of-country spinal surgery (Nov 2025) Referral to Manitoba Spine Clinic took four years (lost by primary care doc). Lost bowel and bladder function. Paid $77K abroad. Manitoba Health denied reimbursement for lack of pre-approval. Appeal board called it "deeply concerning" and recommended reimbursement. 🔗 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/spinal-surgery-reimbursement-request-denied-appeals-board-9.6993552

Miron Kereluk — $23K Calgary spinal surgery (Dec 2025) Got desperate, went to Calgary. Manitoba reimbursed him $2,500 — about 10% of the bill. Appeal board sided with the province. Then sided with a different patient in nearly identical circumstances. He's understandably furious. 🔗 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-spine-surgery-increases-barriers-to-care-9.7022818

Rob Doig — CSF leak (Dec 2025) 9 surgeries, 5 lumbar drains, countless blood patches over 9 years. Manitoba Health says "resources have not been exhausted." Can't be upright more than an hour at a time. 🔗 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-spine-surgery-increases-barriers-to-care-9.7022818

Kelsey & Kelly Fehr + Emma Cloney — Lipedema (Jan 2025) Identical twins Kelsey and Kelly Fehr, plus nurse Emma Cloney, all had Manitoba Health approve their lipedema surgeries (a precedent-setting decision in 2020) — then pull funding partway through. The Fehrs got one of seven surgeries before being cut off. Cloney got four of seven and paid ~$25K out of pocket for the next one. The Fehrs took it to Court of King's Bench in late 2024; judge upheld the denial but noted the Appeal Board "did not answer the critical question of why it agrees with Manitoba Health." 🔗 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/lipedema-treatment-funding-court-1.7422686 🔗 Original 3-women story: https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6714436 🔗 Court ruling (PDF): https://www.manitobacourts.mb.ca/site/assets/files/1042/fehr_v__manitoba_health_insured_benefits_insurance_division_et_al__2024_mbkb_191.pdf

Jeremy Bray — Spinal muscular atrophy drug (Nov 2025) 30 years old, Type 2 SMA. $300K/year drug was slowing the disease. Manitoba refused, citing Canada's Drug Agency age cut-off (25+) that Quebec, Alberta, and Ontario have all worked around. Only got reversed after public outcry — Premier Kinew personally announced coverage for another year. 🔗 Initial denial: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/jeremy-bray-spinal-muscular-atrophy-degenerative-disease-9.6987241 🔗 Reversal: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/jeremy-bray-spinal-muscular-atrophy-coverage-9.6992113

Winnipeg widower — Palliative home care (Sept 2025) Denied palliative home care after the centralized scheduling rollout went sideways. Health minister had to apologize publicly. 🔗 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-winnipeg-home-care-workers-centralized-rollout-changes-1.7646457

/Claude