Two Medical Crises their Resolution and Costs

[Talleyho69]

We had a rough October. Things are healing nicely, so I thought this information would be good to share. We became eligible for Medicare through the US this year and have decided not to purchase part B because we do not live in the US nor do we plan to. At least for now and the foreseeable future, we do not plan to purchase medical insurance here in Mexico. That being said......

Four weeks ago we were having our evening walk around looking at our fabulous flowers with drinks in hand. Lifting an anthurium leaf I bumped a wasp nest and was stung once on the middle finger. Man those hurt!!! Wasn't the first time, probably won't be the last. Thirty minutes later the hives started, all over me all at once. I quickly took two Benedryl. Ten minutes later they started in my mouth. No other problems, but hey, let's be careful. So we took the roast chicken out of the microwave and headed to the private hospital 10 to 15 minutes away. We got fairly close when I passed out due to low blood pressure. Next I knew I was on a bed with an IV in my hand, two bags of fluid feeding it and a heart rate/blood pressure/oxygen level reader on my finger. A very nice doctor and nurse were around, and Ray was sitting next to me. Over the next hour, things improved, and we went home via a pharmacy in less than two hours. Good to know, it was just after 9pm, Zihuatanejo had rolled up it's sidewalks except for all the pharmacies. Got my antihistamines and anti inflammatories and went home to sleep it off.

When we asked how much we owed we were warned that since they were a private hospital they were expensive. The bill was 2,100 pesos. Current exchange rate, call it $100 USD. Wow, and great care and service.

What did we learn?? We now stock liquid Benedryl, and if any of us, dogs too, get a sting Benedryl immediately, and if it's me, head to the hospital just in case and take a book while waiting for a reaction.

Epi pens are not available here and not in many countries. They are absurdly expensive and have a shelf life of under two years.

Issue two:

While our beaches were closed for three months, we moved our SUP's into the first floor from the garage so we could do some work on the garage. When the beaches reopened we took them back down the stairs into the garage. While he was carrying the black floor mats that they stand on he stumbled. He ripped off his toe nail. In about 5 days, after the pain eased he made another discovery: the corner of the heavy mats hit him very hard in the lower abdomen causing a tear and a hernia. Great. First Doctor said, "Nope, couldn't be, too small, let's do a coloscopy." All was well, total cost with CD, etc., 7,000 pesos.

Went back to the private hospital that had treated me two days prior and saw the doctor on duty. She said, "Maybe, probably." Ordered an ultrasound, blood work, everything. It was Friday. She scheduled his hernia surgery for Monday afternoon. I dropped him off at 2:30pm. Returned at 6:30 and kept him company while his spinal wore off. He was the only person in the hospital that night. I left him at 8:30 after he drank a bunch and ate his jello and applesauce. Drove home, made a drink, sat down and his cell phone rang. It was him on the Doctor's phone asking for a ride home. I hadn't even had a sip of my drink yet! He had a great night and the next day we went to breakfast and went food shopping in the mercado. It was four weeks ago yesterday and he plans to start ocean swimming with me tomorrow. Paddling soon.


OK, four surgeons, anesthesiologist, paid for a private room for the night we didn't use, everything. Again we were warned that it was a private hospital and was expensive. 35,000 pesos for everything cash, 10% more with a receipt, 4% more for a credit card. The off site tests cost 1,800 pesos. In US dollars we spent about $1,675USD, and the care and quality of everything was very high.

So far we are healthy again and our stress is gone. Medical service in Mexico is outstanding, the cost is minimal we are SO happy to be here!!!

Then there were the dental issues, but that's another story.

[Talleyho69]

Thanks so much, it's been 7.5 weeks, and he's back to swimming and paddling daily. Great success and recovery!

[profdant139]

I'm late to the party, but I just wanted to add my best wishes for Talleyho -- great news about your treatment and recovery!

[mexicoruss]

We have been in Mexico for 13 years and I have been in the emergency room once and my then teenage daughter was in emergency overnight then last year I fell off s ladder and had to be rushed to a clinic for stitches in my head plus the therapy for my injured back from the fall...In all of this I still have not spent more than 500 usd.

[Talleyho69]

We have no intentions of returning to the US, we have nothing there,

We checked the cost of the insurance here, about $500 USD each a year. Considering that is for the public hospital and our costs were for private, we are very comfortable staying uninsured.

We were uninsured in the US from 1984 until we left in 2017.

[edbehnke]

you're lucky, so far.

if you plan on staying in mexico get their insurance.

[Talleyho69]

Thank you! We have a neighbor who is really going to make use of this.

[qtla9111]

Talleyho69 wrote:
Great information that we are going to share with friends here. Thanks!!!

We feel like you do about Medicare. We, and likely you too, qualify for Medicare part A. So what?

I can't seem to get your charts slider to let me see the other options. Is it just me?


Thanks for sharing this info.

Sorry it took so long to respond. Here is the simulator where you can key in your information and it will give you results by company.

Private Medical Insurance

[Orion]

In Canada, the government does NOT run Healthcare, it just funds it via taxation. You have to remember that the TOTAL amount of dollars spent on healthcare , whether by taxation, insurance premiums, deductibles or copays is about twice as high in the US. The reason being is partly because of the incredibly high malpractice costs in the US, but mainly because of paying all the healthcare dollars through the insurance industry with all its costs and overheads.

[EdwardHeavy]

Daamn, boy. Yeah, it is always better to stay away from bees. Sometimes they are so mad.

[Talleyho69]

Great information that we are going to share with friends here. Thanks!!!

We feel like you do about Medicare. We, and likely you too, qualify for Medicare part A. So what?

I can't seem to get your charts slider to let me see the other options. Is it just me?


Thanks for sharing this info.

[qtla9111]

In Mexico there are over 52 different governmental social insurance programs. For years I thought the only one was IMSS. There is also ISSTE (for teachers), Seguro Popular (now INSABI), ISSTELEON (for state workers of Nuevo Leon), PEMEX, LISSFAM (for military personnel) and just about all the other states have their own social medicine for their state workers.

There are great differences between them all. Some of the best are the state worker programs. ISSTELEON is probably better than most major private hospitals. SO has had two knee surgeries both within the two weeks of diagnosis and they both were farmed out to Level A private hospitals.

Currently, for ISSTELEON, doctor's visits are on Zoom or telephone, along with prescription renewal and pickup is less than 24 hours. COVID tests are included now and all is no charge. Everything is computerized. There is ever little to no waiting for treatment or service.

What can I say, I live in a great state and I am sure there are others as well in Mexico.

My IMSS will be free for life this next August, I currently pay 10,000 pesos a year. I most likely won't be eligible for Medicare since U.S. social security has me listed as living in Mexico. I am currently looking at private policies.

This is a shortlist of some of the many private insurance companies and their prices. The first line is a 2 million dollar policy with a $1500 USD deductible and an annual cost of $2000 USD. There are different levels of private hospitals; A,B,C, and in most cases it is not just service but private rooms, suites, or basic 2 bedroom hospitals. This is much cheaper than what I would pay for Medicare. After all, a bypass at Doctor's or Christus Muguerza is less than $75,000 USD.

How would I use Medicare anyway? Traveling back and forth, plus emergency care, etc? I know ex-pats that do that for some of the silliest things.

[moisheh]

No public health system is perfect. In many areas of Canada a non emergency mri could take 3 months. Knee or hip from one to 2 years.Not enough specialists so they admit foreign Docs
Some are great but many should not have a license. In some provinces Goverments have reduced health care budgets.With the Covid crisis the systems are in chaos.

[wolfe10]

352 wrote:
Doesn't anyone get it? In order to get reduced medical prices you have to pay for it one way or the other. If you live where the prices are reduced your taxes will be much different.

But, do we have to include the cost of all the drug ads on TV, all the health care provider ads on TV................?

Not sure any of those contribute anything to health care except COST.

[352]

Doesn't anyone get it? In order to get reduced medical prices you have to pay for it one way or the other. If you live where the prices are reduced your taxes will be much different.