Back to newsletter listDate:
Wed, May 21, 2008 04:15:00 PMFrom:
International Living
Subject:
A Stitch in Time Saves $2,820 in a Spanish Emergency Room
A Stitch in Time Saves $2,820 in a Spanish Emergency Room Wednesday, May 21, 2008
I’m a dedicated consumer of overseas health services. I’ve had shoulder surgery in Ecuador, eye surgery in Panama, and loads of dental work in Mexico. Doing a quick calculation compared to out-of-pocket prices in the U.S., I figure I’ve saved about $25,000 having my work done overseas...at no sacrifice in quality. In fact, the costs have been so low that I’ve gladly paid out of pocket rather than claiming anything through insurance policies I’ve carried at various times in various countries. I would never go without insurance, but I detest paperwork. For that reason alone, the savings in bureaucracy and frustration have been priceless to me. --- Advertisement --- Top Quality Healthcare FOR $300 A YEAR Complete national health care coverage, including everything from major surgery to house calls, costs less per year than you may spend per month on groceries! Imagine spending only $60 dollars for a mammogram...80% less for eyeglasses...or saving thousands on surgery! Your FREE report will show you just where and how...along with other opportunities to live better, such as... The few places in the world where property is still a good investment...and still cheap; you can buy a large house near the beach, with incredible views, for $100,000!! This world of international opportunities is available to anyone...not just the rich and famous. ***************************************************************** And I sure couldn’t have paid-out-of-pocket prices for any of these procedures in the U.S. However...knock on wood...I haven’t had any experience with offshore emergency care. I know two people who have, though. I’d like to share their stories with you, because health care, and especially emergency care, is a huge concern for expats living away from their familiar medical systems at home. The first story is from Mike, an International Living reader who lives in Spain. “While doing some work on the wine cellar, my partner, Jeff, sliced his thumb and index finger open. Although I am a nurse, I know my limits, so we wrapped his hand in gauze and drove to our town’s private hospital, Clinica Salus. Jeff was seen by a doctor immediately, and the total cost for six stitches--three in each finger--was $180. We were simply asked name, address, and date of birth at reception, the bilingual doctor examined Jeff and stitched up his thumb, and his nurse took over and took care of the index finger. Compare that to the emergency room experience in the U.S.--where a low-priority patient can wait all day to be seen, and the bill for the same services would run to about $3,000. Stitch removal the following week cost just under $10, and we were in and out in about five minutes. That’s less than the co-pay on my U.S. insurance, and certainly a lot less time than I have ever spent in the doctor’s office.” Thumb cutting must be a common peril for expats, because Mexico Insider editor Glynna Prentice did the same thing recently in Campeche, Mexico. “I cut my thumb badly one evening while chopping vegetables in my kitchen and clearly needed stitches. I went to the Manuel Campos Clinic in Campeche, where I live. At the clinic I was jumped to the front of the line right away, despite the fact that the waiting room was full (maybe the blood I was dripping on the floor had something to do with that--nobody else was actively bleeding). I saw a doctor immediately. When I was successfully patched up with three stitches, the doctor waved me back to the reception area for payment. The charge? Five dollars.” Stories like these are common. Still, there are a few quirks to get used to, especially in Latin American clinics. After seeing my doctor in Merida for a gout flare-up, I went to the clinic pharmacy to fill the resulting prescriptions. I was handed a box of pills and a small bottle of injectable medicine. I asked the pharmacist what I was supposed to do with the injectable medicine, and he said, “Inject it.” My wife, Suzan, was trying to talk me into letting her inject me as we passed the emergency room of the clinic. “It will be fun,” she said, but I didn’t know for whom. Not that I don’t trust Suzan, but I showed the medication to the emergency desk attendant, and she immediately ushered me into an empty room and promptly gave me the shot...no charge. Dan Prescher P.S. I’ll be talking in more detail about medical care abroad at International Living’s upcoming Ultimate Event in Cancun, Mexico, May 28 – 31. Click here for more information. Editor’s Note: Health is a major concern for all of us who are considering making the move overseas. You may be in your full health and worried about an emergency like Mike and Glynna experienced, you could have an illness that requires medical care, or maybe you need dental or cosmetic work done--whatever your medical concern, we will show you how to save thousands of dollars in this free report. --- Advertisement --- I just sold everything in my portfolio - Smart Money's top mutual fund advisor He used to be a big believer in mutual funds. In fact, Smart Money called him one of the most influential people in the industry. More important, over the past 30 years he has helped millions of investors like you build enormous wealth like $326,528 from an initial investment So, plenty of people are shocked when they hear he just sold every stock and mutual fund he owns -- and he may never buy either one again! Fortunately, he's written a free special report in which he tells you why he sold everything in his portfolio and where he's put all his Get your free copy right here. ************************************************************************
Click here to start receiving your own copy of IL Postcards...or forward this e-mail to a friend so they can sign-up to receive their own copy of IL Postcards.
International Living--There's more...
*** or Change of Address Want to cancel IL Postcards? Click here Email Address Change? Click here. IL
Print Subscribers: (c) 2008 International Living Publishing
Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Registered in Ireland No.82852141 Tel. 888-884-7792 Nothing
in this e-mail should be considered personalized investment advice. |
|
