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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3810
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Medical Transport Solutions
I attended a presentation today by MASA Medical Transport Solutions. Coverage is pretty impressive: repatriation from foreign country; ambulance
denied by insurance; grandchildren covered; companion return transportation coverage; Quarantine expenses; Vehicle/RV return; mortal remains
transportation and a lot more. No limit. No deductible. If you live in Baja, Ca., you need a stateside address, and I think he said there is a
$50,000 limit on emergency transportation to US. There are lifetime, 5-year, annual, and monthly plans for MASA Emergency Shield membership. A
lifetime membership for a family is $5,500; $4,500 single (would have been reduced by $600 if I signed up at the seminar). San Diego rep is Tim,
800-643-9023.
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6339
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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Mood: TEQUILA!
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Quote: Originally posted by wilderone  | | I attended a presentation today by MASA Medical Transport Solutions. Coverage is pretty impressive: repatriation from foreign country; ambulance
denied by insurance; grandchildren covered; companion return transportation coverage; Quarantine expenses; Vehicle/RV return; mortal remains
transportation and a lot more. No limit. No deductible. If you live in Baja, Ca., you need a stateside address, and I think he said there is a
$50,000 limit on emergency transportation to US. There are lifetime, 5-year, annual, and monthly plans for MASA Emergency Shield membership. A
lifetime membership for a family is $5,500; $4,500 single (would have been reduced by $600 if I signed up at the seminar). San Diego rep is Tim,
800-643-9023. |
Very informative!
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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pacificobob
Super Nomad
Posts: 2292
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Every time this topic appears on BN, i await the post where someone describes being injured in a remote location, where a helicopter swoops in and
wisks the injured party to the waiting medevac Learjet and a short time later arrive at a state of the art stateside medical facility. Still waiting.
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JDCanuck
Super Nomad
Posts: 1461
Registered: 2-22-2020
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I'm going to weigh in on our medical insurance experience when my wife broke her hip in Baja. Hip was replaced in La Paz within 3 days, great at
hospital and after discharge care by local physiotherapist and surgeon. They stated in no case should she be flown home within 6 weeks. Insurer
demanded she fly home at their convenience in under 3 weeks as THEIR doctor stated it was just fine and otherwise she would not be covered for any
further medical problems. They flew her with a 4 hour layover in LA rather than the direct flight to Vancouver, with improper seating position on the
plane. Delayed and inspected in Vancouver for random Covid tests providing even more unnecessary jolting and movements. Ferry to Nanaimo via 2 hour
ferry, more loading and unloading on/off stretcher. 3 hours after arrival home, her new hip dislocated due to wholly unnecessary stress movements on a
far too early transit home.
Short story. Her second hip transplant is a mess and long term nerve damage from reassembly after dislocation has still not healed. Do Not let the
insurer override the surgeons advice no matter how many threats they make or how many of THEIR doctors they quote.
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oxxo
Banned
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Mood: If I was feeling any better, I'd be twins!
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I sincerely hope your wife has completely recovered and is doing well now.
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JDCanuck
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SHE is a trooper and gets by without complaint, I'm the angry one. Thanks for letting me blow off some steam.
On the other hand, we had occasion to submit a claim with Baja Bound on a vehicle claim and they came through exceeding our expectations. Not all
insurers are crooked, its just the 95% of bad ones that make all the rest look bad!
[Edited on 6-12-2024 by JDCanuck]
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surabi
Ultra Nomad
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I know several people who have had some serious medical conditions and were very impressed with their doctors, surgeons and other medical care in
Mexico. They either had insurance or paid out of pocket.
Like anywhere, there are good and bad doctors, but people who think they'll get better care NOB may find that isn't true.
Have a friend who went through breast cancer and a radical mastectomy. When she had to go for chemo treatments, her oncologist in Guadalajara asked
her where she was staying. She had rented an Airbnb for her time there, she lived in Sayulita. The doctor said, "Oh, I drive right by that area on my
way to the hospital, I can swing by and pick you up each day."
Can you imagine a doc in the US or Canada doing that?
What a nightmare your wife went through, JDCanuck. I would have been so disgusted and furious with the insurer. That's a story some CBC reporter would
have liked to cover, I bet.
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JDCanuck
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The Physio in Baja exceeded our expectations too. Our therapist would drive from La Ventana to La Paz just to take 1 1/2 hour to treat my wife after
he relocated and asked her what day she would like him to come up. The charge was stupid cheap. Here you get a visit of 20 min once every 2 weeks if
they can fit you in for about 4 times the cost.
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surabi
Ultra Nomad
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I damaged my back about 9 years ago. Screaming pain sciatica 24/7.
There is an American woman in PV who was a nurse and set up a business for herself in PV arranging medical care. She gets paid by the hospitals and
doctors she recommends and books for you.
She got me in for an full MRI of my back within 36 hours. The MRI was 2000 pesos at the time. And paid 500 pesos for the neurologist, who went over
the MRI with me and gave treatment recommendations and some pain and inflammation scripts. All told he spent an hour with me, pre and post MRI.
I wasn't that impressed with his recommendations (physio and surgery- I couldn't do physio, because any movement was excruciating, which I don't think
he fully appreciated) and I just ended up doing pretty much nothing until eventually it healed.
But I was definitely impressed by how quickly one could access medical services, how I didn't get left sitting in a waiting room for 30 minutes only
to spend 10 minutes with the doctor (why are they always "running late" in Canada? You'd think they'd know by now how many appts. they can handle in x
amount of time), and how inexpensive it was.
[Edited on 6-12-2024 by surabi]
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JDCanuck
Super Nomad
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Registered: 2-22-2020
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I suspect medical access and costs in Mexico will always be far better along with seniors care. Our medical system is falling apart here at a
disgusting rate. I and my wife and 2 of our kids were all working in the medical system here and watched it decline until we either quit or retired.
We watched it fall apart as the various governments drove out the independent hospitals and clinics to turn it into a bureaucratic mess. After years
of chasing nurses and doctors out, they now claim they can't possibly find anyone willing to come into the mess they created. So if you need timely
care, you go elsewhere to obtain it.
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oxxo
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Mood: If I was feeling any better, I'd be twins!
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| Quote: Originally posted by surabi | | I You'd think they'd know by now how many appts. they can handle in x amount of time), and how inexpensive it was. |
They do! GENERALLY SPEAKING general practitioner doctors are scheduled for 20 minute appointments (3 per hour). However, some patients require more
time (doctor orders tests, examination leads to other problems, etc.) and some patients less time (just a quick check-in to monitor progress). For
doctors it is hectic trying to keep ALL their patients happy because that patient expects (and deserves) to be the highest priority all the time.
Doctors have a lot of responsibility including trying to maintain a schedule given the unknowns that come up each day. And yes, some doctors are
better than others, especially in keeping "all the balls in the air."
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JDCanuck
Super Nomad
Posts: 1461
Registered: 2-22-2020
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These days in our area, its very unusual to actually see a doctor at all. My doctor now calls me by phone to prescribe additional meds without an in
person visit based on what the latest computer generated data for my age and prior history tells her. 50% of the people have no family doctor, but now
rely on walk in clinics or hospital emergency dept's for diagnostics. These of course are totally overloaded and actual time in person with a doctor
is well under 10 min. after waiting to hit the top of the priority list in the waiting room.
Hospital beds per capita continue to shrink by design to the present level under 40% of what they were in 1981, so the priority is now getting the
patient through the exit door as fast as possible, no longer client focused best outcomes treatment. Was it any surprise we were rapidly overwhelmed
by Covid when it came by as we hit a new low in 2019?
Some of this is based on demographics changes created by an aging population, the closure of public Multi level care seniors facilities, but the rest
was caused by public demands of restraints in health care spending as a percentage of GDP just as the percentage of seniors requiring enhanced
treatments was increasing.
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Tioloco
Super Nomad
Posts: 2060
Registered: 7-30-2014
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| Quote: Originally posted by JDCanuck | I'm going to weigh in on our medical insurance experience when my wife broke her hip in Baja. Hip was replaced in La Paz within 3 days, great at
hospital and after discharge care by local physiotherapist and surgeon. They stated in no case should she be flown home within 6 weeks. Insurer
demanded she fly home at their convenience in under 3 weeks as THEIR doctor stated it was just fine and otherwise she would not be covered for any
further medical problems. They flew her with a 4 hour layover in LA rather than the direct flight to Vancouver, with improper seating position on the
plane. Delayed and inspected in Vancouver for random Covid tests providing even more unnecessary jolting and movements. Ferry to Nanaimo via 2 hour
ferry, more loading and unloading on/off stretcher. 3 hours after arrival home, her new hip dislocated due to wholly unnecessary stress movements on a
far too early transit home.
Short story. Her second hip transplant is a mess and long term nerve damage from reassembly after dislocation has still not healed. Do Not let the
insurer override the surgeons advice no matter how many threats they make or how many of THEIR doctors they quote. |
Sorry to hear she had to go thru that. Best wishes on a speedy recovery.
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oxxo
Banned
Posts: 2347
Registered: 5-17-2006
Location: Wherever I am, I'm there
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Mood: If I was feeling any better, I'd be twins!
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LIKE
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oxxo
Banned
Posts: 2347
Registered: 5-17-2006
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Mood: If I was feeling any better, I'd be twins!
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| Quote: Originally posted by JDCanuck | | These days in our area, its very unusual to actually see a doctor at all. My doctor now calls me by phone to prescribe additional meds without an in
person visit based on what the latest computer generated data for my age and prior history tells her. |
This is true. Phone and/or Video visits are the wave of the future - virtual medicine. This is lowering the cost of insurance and medical care,
which is what the public wants. However, what can be done through a virtual visit is limited and will continue to be limited. Most of the time a
"hands on" visit with your doctor is required to assess a medical condition.
| Quote: | | 50% of the people have no family doctor, but now rely on walk in clinics or hospital emergency dept's for diagnostics. These of course are totally
overloaded and actual time in person with a doctor is well under 10 min. after waiting to hit the top of the priority list in the waiting room.
|
Again, this is correct, especially with those people who are lower income and have no insurance. It is not unusual to wait 2 to 4 hours to see a
doctor in Urgent Care. Patients are prioritized according to need. Someone who is seriously injured in an auto accident is given top priority while
others who come for a medication for their sniffles goes to the bottom of the list. A friend of mine, who is like my granddaughter, is an Emergency
Room Doctor in Brussels and she speaks FIVE languages fluently. She loves her job, but it is long hours and high stress most of the time!
| Quote: | | Hospital beds per capita continue to shrink by design to the present level under 40% of what they were in 1981, so the priority is now getting the
patient through the exit door as fast as possible, no longer client focused best outcomes treatment. Was it any surprise we were rapidly overwhelmed
by Covid when it came by as we hit a new low in 2019? |
Hospital beds are shrinking is correct, but your reason for that is incorrect. There are fewer hospital beds than 20 years ago because the general
population in the developed nations is becoming much healthier as a result of advancements in medical science and technology. A rapidly increasing
average lifespan in developed nations is indicative of that.
And YES, the medical profession was caught by surprise in the Covid pandemic as a result of inept management by the US Fed Govt. in managing it. No
one was "at home" in the White House. This resulted in a lack of available hospital beds and insufficient staff.
| Quote: | | Some of this is based on demographics changes created by an aging population, the closure of public Multi level care seniors facilities, but the rest
was caused by public demands of restraints in health care spending as a percentage of GDP just as the percentage of seniors requiring enhanced
treatments was increasing. |
I disagree with this statement. Multi-care facilities are INCREASING in the US as the result of private industry getting into the business and making
it very profitable. The need for Senior health care and "enhanced treatments" is DECREASING for the reasons stated above. US Govt. is trying to get
out of the health care business at all levels and turn it over the private industry as a result of "less government" politics. Be careful what you
wish for, and vote for, because you may not get the desired result you hoped for!
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cupcake
Junior Nomad
Posts: 80
Registered: 4-23-2024
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| Quote: Originally posted by JDCanuck | I'm going to weigh in on our medical insurance experience when my wife broke her hip in Baja. Hip was replaced in La Paz within 3 days, great at
hospital and after discharge care by local physiotherapist and surgeon. They stated in no case should she be flown home within 6 weeks. Insurer
demanded she fly home at their convenience in under 3 weeks as THEIR doctor stated it was just fine and otherwise she would not be covered for any
further medical problems. They flew her with a 4 hour layover in LA rather than the direct flight to Vancouver, with improper seating position on the
plane. Delayed and inspected in Vancouver for random Covid tests providing even more unnecessary jolting and movements. Ferry to Nanaimo via 2 hour
ferry, more loading and unloading on/off stretcher. 3 hours after arrival home, her new hip dislocated due to wholly unnecessary stress movements on a
far too early transit home.
Short story. Her second hip transplant is a mess and long term nerve damage from reassembly after dislocation has still not healed. Do Not let the
insurer override the surgeons advice no matter how many threats they make or how many of THEIR doctors they quote. |
I guess the insurance people were not capable of taking a look online by searching 'how soon can I travel after hip replacement'. Seems like a solid
consensus to me. Like you, I would also be angry. Wishing your wife a good outcome.
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5978
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Mood: Retireded
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When I had insurance through my union in Alaska, they were delighted to pay for medical and dental work in Mexico, or another state. My plan covered
80% of a fixed amount that no medical facility in Alaska would accept, so my co-pay was about 50% of the actual cost.
When I had my first extensive round of dental work done in Puerto Penasco, they covered the entire cost with no co-pay!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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oxxo
Banned
Posts: 2347
Registered: 5-17-2006
Location: Wherever I am, I'm there
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Mood: If I was feeling any better, I'd be twins!
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| Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo |
When I had my first extensive round of dental work done in Puerto Penasco, they covered the entire cost with no co-pay! |
Where is the dirtiest place on your body? No it is not the obvious place! Scroll down.
YOUR MOUTH
I had some dental work done by a highly recommended Mexican dentist. It was sloppy work done for cheap. It seriously almost cost me my life in 2021
as a result of a serious blood infection contracted during cleaning my teeth. I had to have 8 hours of open heart surgery at USC Med Center to save
my life!
Cheap is not necessarily better, especially when it comes to Dentists, especially in Mexico where you have no legal recourse.
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5978
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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In 2005 I was working on a defense project in the Aleutian Islands, and a co-worker had an abscessed tooth. The only medical facility was pretty much
limited to first aid care, so a medivac was ordered.
Unfortunately, there was no plane stationed there, and bad weather delayed the medivac long enough for the infection to turn septic and he died on the
flight back to Anchorage.
The only reason I am posting this is to warn other Nomads to not ignore a toothache thinking you have some time to line things up!
Oxxo, I am glad you survived your infection. I just returned from La Paz after having three root canals and some other work done by a dentist I have
been using for ten years, and will continue using.
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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surabi
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4061
Registered: 5-6-2016
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A young man I know from Canada was travelling in Mexico and decided he'd get all his mercury fillings replaced, as dentistry is cheaper in Mexico than
Canada. He just walked into some dentist's office without getting any recommendations.
When he went back to Canada, and went back to his tree-planting job, he found he could only work for half and hour, then was totally fatigued, and had
to go lie down. He was also freezing cold all the time and felt horrible. This was a 20 year old, previously healthy, strapping young guy.
It turned out he had mercury poisoning, as the dentist hadn't used a rubber dam and he had ingested a lot of mercury. He ended up going to Panama to
get chelation therapy at a reputable chelation facility, which did eliminate the mercury from his body, but his feeling cold all the time lingered.
His aunt paid for him to go to the mayo clinic, where they told him that when your body goes through a trauma like that, it can screw up parts of the
brain, which now is telling his body it is freezing all the time. He asked what he could do about that and was told there was no cure- but that some
people have found hypnotherapy helpful.
I haven't seen him in several years, so don't know if he still has that problem.
I have a very good Mexican dentist. The dental work isn't as expensive as it would be in Canada, but it is definitely not what I would call "cheap".
The older dentist in the office is a licensed dental surgeon and implant specialist and I originally went to him to deal with an implant another
dentist had botched. He does all the invasive stuff like root canals and implants, and the younger guy, who isn't legally qualified to do those things
yet, does all the regular stuff like simple extractions, fillings, taking impressions for plates, cleanings, etc.
[Edited on 6-13-2024 by surabi]
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