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LancairDriver
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NIGHMARE MEDICAL PROBLEM IN BAJA
Is there anything this individual could have done to insure himself from this situation on a short vacation to Cabo? Wonder why they won't accept US
insurance?
This week has been nerve-wracking for a Myrtle Point family trying to bring their son back from Mexico after an accident that left him unresponsive.
Craig Leibelt grew up in Myrtle Point and now lives in Beaverton working for Nike. He was on vacation with his girlfriend, Monica Komperda, in Mexico
last week to celebrate his 28th birthday June 8.
While swimming in the ocean on Monday, he was stung by a jellyfish and went in to cardiac arrest. A man nearby pulled Leibelt out of the water, and he
was rushed to a hospital in Cabo San Lucas.
His family flew down to be with him, and said the hospital bill started at around $20,000 and kept growing and growing to more than $50,000. Hospital
staff demanded it be paid in full before Leibelt could leave, said his aunt, Denise Larsen.
“The hospital got at least $45,000 out of the family,” she said. “He was put in a tiny hospital room and they wouldn’t let (Komperda) in. She was
alone until his family arrived.”
A U.S. Department of State official could not share specific details of the case without written authorization of the people involved, but told The
World these kinds of complaints are common in Mexico.
“In recent years, some U.S. citizens have complained that certain health-care facilities in beach resorts have taken advantage of them by overcharging
or providing unnecessary medical care,” according to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs website regarding Mexico. “A
significant number of complaints have been lodged against some of the private hospitals in the Cabo San Lucas area, including complaints about price
gouging and various unlawful and/or unethical pricing schemes and collection measures.”
And because hospitals in Mexico don’t accept U.S. health insurance, the family had to rush to scrape together enough money.
Steve Cooper, Leibelt’s childhood friend, launched an online fundraising campaign to help the family pay the bill. As of Friday, more than $31,000 had
been raised. Due to his outreach, they were able to secure an air ambulance flight to transport Leibelt and his family to San Diego. On such short
notice, the flight normally would have cost $18,000, but Larsen said the CEO waived the fee momentarily to get Leibelt out of Cabo.
After several delays — which Larsen said is because the hospital kept canceling the flight — Leibelt landed safely in San Diego Wednesday night. A
team of doctors, including neurological specialists, are treating Leibelt at UC San Diego Medical Center. His family is staying at Bannister Family
House nearby.
He has an infection in his left lung, is still on a ventilator, has minimal swelling in his brain and hasn’t shown improvement since Thursday, Larsen
said. But his organs have recovered and doctors don’t believe he has pneumonia.
“It’s terrible,” Larsen said. “What do you do? You don’t expect to get hurt on vacation.”
The fundraiser will continue, she said, because the family still has to pay for the flight from Mexico to San Diego, expenses while Leibelt recovers
in San Diego, the remaining hospital bill in Mexico, and medical bills he accrues from now on.
“We need prayers to continue,” Larsen said.
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sunflower
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There is another post in Dailymail.co.uk that stated that the hospital end up charging $30k after the US consulate contacted the hospital. Traveling
without insurance is a gamble. Hopefully he will be fine.
SF
There was no respect for youth when I was young, and now that I am old, there is no respect for age — I missed it coming and going. ~J.B. Priestly
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baja2013
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Medical Emeg
I wonder if he had DAN....it would have been a lot easier?
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baja Steve
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Have them check with their insurance company. When I am out of the country I have to pay the bill but my insurance company reimburses me after the
deductible.
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DENNIS
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Going to a hospital in Mexico is like going to jail. A large fine or bail must be paid before the inmate/patient is allowed to leave.
Good luck for those who get caught up in this "Medical Tourism" nonsense.
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
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Katiejay99
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Mood: it is what it is
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Actually Dennis, I beg to differ.
I just had total knee replacement surgery in La Paz and it didn't cost me one dime. Sure, the hospitals are not like they are in the US, but I am not
complaining. I have Seguro Popular.
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CJ
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Mood: It's cool with me
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Katie,
Who did your knee replacement?.....sounds like you are happy with the results.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Katiejay99
Actually Dennis, I beg to differ.
I just had total knee replacement surgery in La Paz and it didn't cost me one dime. Sure, the hospitals are not like they are in the US, but I am not
complaining. I have Seguro Popular. |
I was referring to emergency patients who are hospitalized without SP...or anything else that isn't based in Mexico.
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
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Floatflyer
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Need the name of the treatment facility!!!
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Katiejay99
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Mood: it is what it is
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Dennis: I was sort of sure you meant that, but you made a very broad statement. This thread shows both sides of a coin.
Dr. de la Toba did my surgery at Salvatierra Hospital. I am very happy with my surgery and with my doctor.
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Gulliver
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Is Mexican citizenship necessary to participate in Seguro Popular?
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Katiejay99
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Posts: 429
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Location: Todos Santos
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Mood: it is what it is
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No Citizenship is not necessary.
I had to show proof of residency and my CURP (that is sort of like our social security number in the US but it has nothing to do with taxes. It is
more a personal identification number given to you by the government) That's all other than answering a bunch of seemly silly questions but it was
just what they ask to determine if you have to pay the annual fee or not.
[Edited on 6-14-2014 by Katiejay99]
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Carol
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Location: Kelowna, BC Canada
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La Paz - Purple Hospital
I've needed to go in to the Private (Purple) Hospital in La Paz 2 times now and have found their service and prices to be excellent as well as quick.
~$50 for a consult, ~$50 for an ultrasound with a Dr actually doing it. Xrays are a little pricey, comparatively, at $125 and they're film. They also
have a CT Xray machine.
A friend recently collapsed a lung and ended up in there for 3 nights (I think it was 3) and had a chest tube inserted and excellent monitoring. I
think the bill was ~3K. I'm guessing a big chunk of that was multiple Xrays.
We're Canadian so our Health Plans will pay back whatever was medically necessary at no more than what the service would be in Canada. Which is to say
all of what we'd pay in La Paz. I also have Travel Insurance though. I have been meaning to check out whether emergency return home is covered though
as that's a pricey one.
I love the fact that La Paz is a business and Traveller town, versus a tourist town.
[Edited on 6-14-2014 by Carol]
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Katiejay99
Dennis: you made a very broad statement. |
Yeah...I do that a lot. It saves a bunch of typing. 
Thanks Katie.
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by LancairDriver
“In recent years, some U.S. citizens have complained that certain health-care facilities in beach resorts have taken advantage of them by overcharging
or providing unnecessary medical care,” according to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs website regarding Mexico. “A
significant number of complaints have been lodged against some of the private hospitals in the Cabo San Lucas area, including complaints about price
gouging and various unlawful and/or unethical pricing schemes and collection measures.”
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Which state dept website says this???
Seems like someone or some agency should publish a list of med facilities that are generating the complaints.
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SFandH
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After he got to San Diego:
"He has an infection in his left lung, is still on a ventilator, has minimal swelling in his brain and hasn’t shown improvement since Thursday, Larsen
said."
He's in bad shape.
The $45K charge in Cabo sounds high but this guy needed a lot of treatment. Also he went into cardiac arrest in Cabo - major emergency treatment, and
you know what, he's alive. Maybe the $45K isn't out of line. What would it be in the states?
As far as not letting him leave without paying the bill, well ..... DUH!!
Maybe the family should be thankful expert treatment was available and the Mex doctors saved his life.
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bajalearner
Senior Nomad
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I don't get it. What is nightmare'ish about his medical problem? Or are you saying the nightmare for this guy is having to pay for his lifesaving
treatment?
Well??? Here we go again, an American and his family are outraged because junior went to a foreign country, got ________ (fill in the blank) and
expect to be given royal, free or gifted treatment because he/she is an American.
The story ends while saying "The fundraiser will continue, she said, because the family still has to pay for the flight from Mexico to San Diego,
expenses while Leibelt recovers in San Diego, the remaining hospital bill in Mexico, and medical bills he accrues from now on. We need prayers to
continue,” Larsen said."
So, this guy needs someone to pay for his medical problem weather it's in MX, the US or anywhere else he gets hurt.
It's a nightmare? Maybe it he/family wakes up the "nightmare" will turn to reality. Someone gets hurt, and is expected to pay for medical
treatment. Outrageous.
Prayers? Asking for the invisible man in the sky to pay the bills I am guessing.
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monoloco
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He may have been overcharged for treatment, but in the US, being overcharged is certain. I suspect that most of the people who complain about being
gouged for medical care in Mexico have never paid for their own treatment at a hospital in the US where a room is $2000-$12,500 a day, over the
counter drugs are marked up 1000%, and stitches can cost $500 EACH.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/03/health/as-hospital-costs-s...
"The future ain't what it used to be"
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18132
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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| Quote: | Originally posted by monoloco
He may have been overcharged for treatment, but in the US, being overcharged is certain. I suspect that most of the people who complain about being
gouged for medical care in Mexico have never paid for their own treatment at a hospital in the US where a room is $2000-$12,500 a day, over the
counter drugs are marked up 1000%, and stitches can cost $500 EACH.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/03/health/as-hospital-costs-s... |
Thankfully here in the USA we have employer medical insurance for many, and obamacare for the rest. Insurance is nice way to handle urgent care!
Urgent care without insurance will bankrupt you!
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bajalearner
Senior Nomad
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Yes, the fact of any person suffering an injury or illness is tragic and would be a nightmare to me if it were my loved one. I wish this and any
person the best.
But I took the point of the post and inclusive statements to say the MX hospital is wrong for expecting payment for their services. I understand they
do not want a person who owes them allot of money, to just leave and never pay. I suspect they have little or no recourse. And I suspect their
charges are comparable to other hospitals although probably excessive in my mind.
I just don't think it is unreasonable for a facility in a foreign country to require payment or some form of assurance of payment arrangement while
the person or willing family members are present in their facility.
There are allot of people who would blow them off and never pay anything if they could get away with it.
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