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mtgoat666
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Los Cabos scam: Amerimed and Royal Decameron Hotel
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&obj...
Hotel colluded with hospital in attempt to defraud tourists.
A reminder to not be too trusting of Mexican medical facilities. Some of them are scams, some of them run (or allow) scams on the side.
Nomadlandia could really use a list of medical facilities, with warnings for known scammers...
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bajario
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Got to wonder if they purposely sickened the woman to necessitate the need for medical services.
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mtgoat666
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Amerimed's business model includes fraud, extortion, violence.
One wonders what kind of people own such a business, what kind of medical personnel work at such a business.
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mtgoat666
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The fraud is so rampant that the us state dept had put out a warning to avoid multiple facilities in cabo.
The criminals close up shop, and open up again under another name.
The resorts are participating in the crime.
In recent years, the U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana has received numerous complaints from U.S. citizens regarding health-care facilities in Los
Cabos. As a result, the U.S. Consulate encourages its staff and official visitors to Los Cabos to refrain from using medical facilities that do not
appear on the Consulate’s publicly available list of hospitals.
On April 19, 2016, Mexican federal authorities ordered the following hospitals to suspend operations and to cease admitting new patients, following
repeated reports of predatory business practices and billing:
1.- Cabo Medical Integral, S de RL de C. V y/o One World Hospital
2.- Hospital Amerimed San Jose del Cabo S. A de C. V (Cabo San Lucas)
3.- St. Josephs, S de R. L de C.y/o Saint Luke’s Medical Center
4.- Hospital Amerimed San Jose del Cabo S. A de C. V (San José del Cabo)
As a result of this action by Mexico’s consumer protection agency, Profeco, these hospitals have been removed from the U.S. Consulate’s list of
health care providers in Los Cabos.
Please be advised that hotels and resorts in the Los Cabos area may have existing contracts with some of these hospitals and may not be aware of the
Mexican federal government’s recent action to close them. In the event you require medical assistance, you may ask your hotel/resort to arrange
treatment at a facility on the Consulate’s publicly available list of hospitals.
[Edited on 8-25-2017 by mtgoat666]
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JoeJustJoe
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Hey Goat, before you smear all the hospitals in Cabo, and give a black eye to Mexico tourism, shouldn't you at least list the exact Mexican hospital
this alleged incident took place at?
The Goat, mentions, " Amerimed" but Belinda Gelston, didn't mention that hospital in question.
I went back after I wrote this up, and now see " Los Cabos medical centre"is mentioned only in the photo, but that could be another visit for medical
care after her 100 meter sprint, where she claimed she had chest pains due to the stress. It's just so unclear.
Lot of details, of where the couple were staying, the " Royal Decameron, hotel, and the price the hospital wanted, $9700 dollars. The couple even
stated their room key didn't work, but later they were back in the room calling on the phone. But never once was the Cabo hospital mentioned by name.
That " Southern Cross Travel Insurance," sure is great. Are you sure this story is not a advertisement for the " Southern Cross Travel Insurance?"
Their insurance told the couple, they are unsafe at the " Royal Decameron," and so they arrange a room at the American, owned, "Hyatt," but when the
couple tried to leave in the middle of the night, but three Mexicans, one of them very big, try to stop the couple, before Belinda Gelston, who was
suffering from signs of pneumonia, and was so sick she couldn't even manage to drink water before her hospital stay, but yet she managed to make a
full 100 meter sprint to safety of the American owned "Hyatt" with three Mexican men chasing them!
According to Belinda Gelston, the whole event was orchestrated by a Mexican drug cartel, which appears to have influence throughout the town. I guess
the Mexican cartel, infiltrated American Airlines too.
I just call it excellent journalism, and checking your sources, by the " New Zealand Herald," which BTW has seem their reputation go downhill for a
few years now.
"Under the editorship of Shayne Currie the New Zealand Herald has been transformed from a quality newspaper into little better than a trash
tabloid."
https://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/new-zealand-herald-demise-qual...
__________________________
They also have this same article over at "Talk Baja" and many of their members are calling BS on this story, and are also questioning why the alleged
Cabo, hospital wasn't mentioned.
Yes, there seems to be some problems with Mexican hospitals, over charging in Mexican resort areas, and another reason, American tourists should have
a good travel insurance.
Then again, if you compare Medical costs in Mexico, at some of these alleged rip off hospitals, their finals bill, is still probably less than a
typical emergency hospital stay and bill in the US.
[Edited on 8-25-2017 by JoeJustJoe]
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SFandH
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Unethical, immoral people who measure success by how much money they have. There are lots of them, on many sides....many sides.
Beware.
[Edited on 8-25-2017 by SFandH]
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KaceyJ
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Thanks Goat , cannot say I'm surprised
Sick culture that preys on the unsuspecting
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LancairDriver
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Thanks Goat for getting the word out. Sounds like the same scam pulled on a retired US school teacher on the Yucatán recently who was held for ransom
and paid an exorbitant amount. Holding deceased individuals for ransom with exorbitant fees is also rampant. The most available remedy is raising
awareness and boycotting the known offenders.
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BAJA.DESERT.RAT
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Location: BAJA SUR
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Hey mtgoat666,
thank you very much for your post.
i am very aware of some of the hospital ripoffs as i lived in los barriles for several years and am aware of SOME, BUT NOT ALL of the scammer medical
facilities.
there must be some way to compile a list of the scammer hospitals and clinics as well as doctors in addition to the government lists.
unfortunately, a lot of tourists don't even give a thought to how health issues can crop up and are unaware of which facilities to use and not use.
perhaps the cruise ships that unload a ton of bodies in various resort cities may have some medical facilities on board but may not be able to handle
catastrophic emergencies.
i am also very aware that joejustjoe ( small letters for a small mind )is a pain in the rectum TROLLER and is just to be ignored. THIS IS THE FIRST
AND LAST TIME I WILL ADDRESS HIS TROLLS !!! too bad we don't have the capability to just delete them and others like him.
BIEN SALUD, DA RAT
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SFandH
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From what I have read these folks were able to get out of there because they had insurance and the insurance company was able to convince the hospital
over the telephone that they would pay the bill.
I'm considering buying traveler's insurance for this coming winter's stay in BCS.
Any recommendations for a good insurance company? Anybody know what 6 months of insurance would cost?
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JoeJustJoe
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Yeah, Thanks a lot Goat, because of you now I have to sit and read bigoted attacks on the whole Mexican culture, by KaceyJ, an obvious Trump
supporter, who wrote, "Sick culture that preys on the unsuspecting."
Even if everything was true in the alleged story from " New Zealand Herald," that doesn't give anyone a right to bash the whole Mexican culture!
Well, I'm sure there are rip off hospitals, in both Cancun, Cabo, and other places in Mexico. This specific story that the Goat links, just smells
of pure BS!
I'm alarmed too from some of these alarming stories about Americans getting sick in Mexico, and having to pay outrageously high medical bills, but
like most other Americans, I never buy traveler's insurance to Mexico, but now I'm going to start since I'm not getting any younger.
It seems to me this is one of the biggest problem American face in Mexico, is being in Mexico without emergency travel insurance coverage, or if
they are ex-pats, they have no health insurance period. There are some good travelers insurance out there, and some are very inexpensive.
I understand that some Canadians, refuse to visit the USA, because they are afraid of getting seriously injured, or having some type of medical
emergency, where they will end up in a US hospital, and then end up with an outrageously high hospital bill, that's about the highest in the world!
( I saw this is a Michael Moore's documentary called "Sicko")
Now carry on, some of you ugly Americans/Canadians, who are quick to think the worse of Mexico, and believe any dubious story out there, because you
want to believe it so bad.
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Lee
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Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  | The fraud is so rampant that the us state dept had put out a warning to avoid multiple facilities in cabo.
The criminals close up shop, and open up again under another name.
The resorts are participating in the crime.
In recent years, the U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana has received numerous complaints from U.S. citizens regarding health-care facilities in Los
Cabos. As a result, the U.S. Consulate encourages its staff and official visitors to Los Cabos to refrain from using medical facilities that do not
appear on the Consulate’s publicly available list of hospitals.
On April 19, 2016, Mexican federal authorities ordered the following hospitals to suspend operations and to cease admitting new patients, following
repeated reports of predatory business practices and billing:
1.- Cabo Medical Integral, S de RL de C. V y/o One World Hospital
2.- Hospital Amerimed San Jose del Cabo S. A de C. V (Cabo San Lucas)
3.- St. Josephs, S de R. L de C.y/o Saint Luke’s Medical Center
4.- Hospital Amerimed San Jose del Cabo S. A de C. V (San José del Cabo)
As a result of this action by Mexico’s consumer protection agency, Profeco, these hospitals have been removed from the U.S. Consulate’s list of
health care providers in Los Cabos.
Please be advised that hotels and resorts in the Los Cabos area may have existing contracts with some of these hospitals and may not be aware of the
Mexican federal government’s recent action to close them. In the event you require medical assistance, you may ask your hotel/resort to arrange
treatment at a facility on the Consulate’s publicly available list of hospitals.
[Edited on 8-25-2017 by mtgoat666] |
How much of this is fake news, Tom? Your lack of quoted sources looks like you are shooting from the hip -- which you do a lot of here. Just
sensationalizing old stories that have been around for years. It won't take much research to show Amerimed has been corrupt for many years.
Old news.
You believe everything you read, don't you? Lots of people do. Every word and sentence -- as long as it's titillating -- makes you look cool
doesn't it?
Your reputation precedes you. Not too many here think you have any credibility.
US Marines: providing enemies of America an opportunity to die for their country since 1775.
What I say before any important decision.
F*ck it.
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mtgoat666
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you are welcome to use the hospitals on the rip-off list.
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El Jefe
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My experience with Amerimed (up behind Burger King in San Jose del Cabo);
I fell off the ladder and busted my melon on the patio. My wife rushed me to Amerimed in town with a beach towel around my head sopping up the blood.
I had a big open wound and lots of swelling as well as a concussion. They did a CAT scan, plastic surgery to repair the wound and kept me over night
for observation. Thank heavens I had no lasting drain bamage. Five doctors were involved, private room. Great care.
The bill came to $10,000 US which I put on a credit card. The next week I came back to get the stitches out and they informed me that my stateside
insurance paid 100%. They tore up the credit card paper. This was about 4 years ago.
Just a good story to balance the other stuff you hear.
No b-tchin\' in the Baja.
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Lee
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Location: High in the Colorado Rockies
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| Quote: Originally posted by El Jefe | My experience with Amerimed (up behind Burger King in San Jose del Cabo);
I fell off the ladder and busted my melon on the patio. My wife rushed me to Amerimed in town with a beach towel around my head sopping up the blood.
I had a big open wound and lots of swelling as well as a concussion. They did a CAT scan, plastic surgery to repair the wound and kept me over night
for observation. Thank heavens I had no lasting drain bamage. Five doctors were involved, private room. Great care.
The bill came to $10,000 US which I put on a credit card. The next week I came back to get the stitches out and they informed me that my stateside
insurance paid 100%. They tore up the credit card paper. This was about 4 years ago.
Just a good story to balance the other stuff you hear. |
This is a great story. Still, Amerimed has a bad rep that many have known for years. Some nomads are out of tough with that.
So, it might depend on the shift and who's working.
Is $10k fair for what happened?
Amerimed could have kept the money and probably nothing you could have done about it. That's honesty in Mexico. I like it.
For others, play it safe: don't go to Amerimed.
US Marines: providing enemies of America an opportunity to die for their country since 1775.
What I say before any important decision.
F*ck it.
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BAJA.DESERT.RAT
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Registered: 11-5-2009
Location: BAJA SUR
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hola Lee,
thanks for your post.
what insurance company were you using at the time of your incident ?
i thank you in advance.
BIEN SALUD, DA RAT
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JoeJustJoe
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If you watch the video of alleged victim from New Zealand, Belinda Gelston, talking, some of what she says is different than what's written in the
article.
In the article, it says, and I'll quote: The American Airlines attendant told them, "we've got a problem" and came back with his boss and
armed police."
However, the story that Belinda Gelston, gave on camera is different. She starts off the same way, saying the American Airlines, attendant told them,
"we got a problem, " but in the video version of the story, Belinda Gelston, turns around a sees two doctors from the Cabo hospital, and they want
their money in cash no credit cards.
But a few minutes later, the doctors let them get on the plane, after one of doctor gave a thumbs up, according to Belinda Gelston, evidently their
travel insurance company agreed to pay the full bill in the email.
Sounds kinda fishy, these doctor bill collectors, standing behind the New Zealand, couple at the AA airline counter, and they are demanding cash only,
no checks or credit cards, but suddenly they let the couple go on a promise to pay in an email from the travel insurance company. I always thought
that you have to pay the hospital bill in full, and later the travel insurance will reimburse you a few weeks later.
Now I could see the Cabo hospital and Hotel, working in cahoots with each other, but American Airlines too? It's no wonder she gives two different
stories.
Another part of Belinda Gelston's story, I have a hard time believing, is when they checked out in the middle of the night at 2am in the morning,
because their travel insurance company told them they were not safe.
Belinda Gelston, saw those three Mexican men, and told her husband, lets run! And they sprinted 100 meters to the safely of American Hyatt hotel. I
bet the Hyatt,is more than only 100 meters away.
The question I have is what happened to their luggage?
You would expect a a couple from New Zealand, who first travel to LA, before going to Cabo, had to have at least a couple of large suitcases. How did
the couple escape the three Mexican men, if they had large suitcases to carry too?
Again, this story smells of pure BS!
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surabi
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American hospitals in the US charge something like $5 for every Q-tip that is used on you.
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surabi
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American hospitals in the US charge something like $5 for every Q-tip that is used on you.
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4x4abc
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needed an MRI at Amerimed some years ago.
They quoted me $2,400
checking in a lady wanted to see my ID
"Oh, you are a local (I had given my permanente card)" she said "then we'll charge you $1,100."
I had some time to talk to the doctors about their operations. They were quite open to be in business to milk tourists.
Cruise ships are one of the biggest money makers. According to them, each ships brings 50 patients.
They also hinted, but I haven't been able to confirm yet, that some of the investors are wealthy Americans.
Wouldn't be surprised if the other "hospitals" also had foreign investors.
[Edited on 8-27-2017 by 4x4abc]
Harald Pietschmann
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