ColombiaMedical
A patient in a knee brace walks between parallel bars at a rehabilitation gym in Medellín while his physiotherapist walks beside him

Waiting for a new hip or knee? You have another option.

In Canada's latest national figures, 69% of hip replacements and 63% of knee replacements were done within the 26-week benchmark. If you're in the rest, here's what paying for surgery in Medellín involves, and what your province will and won't pay.

Get a free quoteWhat your province pays

The wait, in numbers

The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) tracks how many priority procedures are done within national benchmarks. Its 2026 report covers April to September 2025 (via Nova Scotia Health).

69%of hip replacements done within 26 weeks (182 days)
63%of knee replacements done within 26 weeks
70%of cataract surgeries done within 16 weeks (112 days)

Before the pandemic, in 2019, the shares were 75% for hips and 70% for knees (CIHI).

Those percentages count from the decision to operate. The Fraser Institute, a think tank that surveys physicians, measures from your family doctor's referral instead. Its 2025 report puts the median wait at 28.6 weeks across specialties, and 48.6 weeks for orthopaedic surgery (Fraser Institute).

What your province will and won't pay

Each province has its own rules for care outside Canada. Ontario's are typical, and strict (Ontario.ca):

  • Planned care outside Canada needs written prior approval from the Ministry of Health before you're treated.
  • The ministry funds it only if the procedure isn't done in Ontario, or if waiting would lead to death or medically significant irreversible tissue damage.
  • Without that approval, outside an emergency, you pay all costs yourself.

So for most people, surgery in Colombia means paying privately. Check your own province's rules before you book anything.

Paying privately in Medellín is

  • Your choice of surgeon, hospital and date
  • A written, itemized quote before you decide
  • Surgery in a private hospital, paid by you

It isn't

  • Reimbursed by your province, in most cases
  • A replacement for your care team at home
  • A reason to cancel your place on a list before you've decided

Ask your surgeon's office how going private would affect your place on the waitlist, and who will handle your follow-up at home.

What it costs

Medellín hospitals don't publish fixed prices for hip or knee replacement. The price depends on your imaging, the implant, the number of nights in hospital and the rehab you need.

A written quote based on your X-rays or MRI is the only number worth comparing. Ask for one that lists the surgeon, anaesthesia, hospital stay, implant, physiotherapy and follow-up visits separately.

Getting there

Air Canada is adding nonstop flights from Toronto and Montréal to Bogotá from late October 2026 (Minuto60). Medellín is a short domestic connection from Bogotá.

Air Transat flies Toronto to Medellín twice a week with a stop in Cartagena (Transat). Schedules change, so check with the airline before you plan around a date.

How a quote works

  1. Send your imaging

    X-rays, MRI reports and your surgeon's notes. WhatsApp is fine.

  2. Get a written plan

    A Medellín orthopaedic surgeon reviews your records and sends an itemized plan and price.

  3. Plan the stay

    Ask how long the surgeon wants you nearby after surgery, and what rehab happens in Medellín.

  4. Come home with records

    Bring your operative report, imaging and rehab plan for your family doctor and physio at home.

Questions

Will OHIP or my province pay for surgery in Colombia?

Usually not. Ontario funds planned out-of-country care only with written prior approval and under narrow conditions; otherwise you pay all costs (Ontario.ca). Other provinces have their own rules, so ask yours before you book.

Will I lose my place on the waitlist?

Ask your surgeon's office before you decide. Rules differ by province and hospital, and we can't answer that for you.

How long would I stay in Medellín?

Your surgeon decides, based on the procedure and your recovery. Ask for it in your quote, along with when you'll be cleared to fly.

Who handles my follow-up in Canada?

Plan it before you go. Talk to your family doctor and arrange physiotherapy at home, and bring every record back with you.

Do the surgeons speak English?

Some do. Tell us your preferred language and we'll ask before you book.

How does ColombiaMedical make money?

Clinics in our network may pay us a referral fee. Requesting a quote is free for you, with no obligation.

Get a free, itemized quote

Tell us what you're waiting for. A Medellín surgeon's team will reply with questions or a written quote. It's free, with no obligation.

Please don't include ID numbers, insurance member numbers or medical records here.

Sources

  1. Nova Scotia Health achieves high rankings in back-to-back national surgical wait times report (Nova Scotia Health, June 25, 2026), citing CIHI's Wait Times in Canada, 2026 (April–September 2025 data)
  2. Canadians waiting longer for priority surgeries and diagnostic imaging compared with pre-pandemic period (CIHI, 2024)
  3. Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2025 (Fraser Institute, Dec. 9, 2025). A think tank's survey of physicians.
  4. OHIP coverage while outside Canada (Government of Ontario, updated Jan. 16, 2026)
  5. Air Canada apuesta por Colombia (Minuto60, Feb. 26, 2026)
  6. Air Transat celebrates inaugural flight to Medellín via Cartagena (Transat press release, Nov. 3, 2025)

Last checked October 5, 2026. Rules and figures change; confirm anything that affects your money or care with the agency directly.

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