Medical Expenses

There is a public health-care system but is very weak and people who use public hospitals are the poorest of the population. You can have private insurance which is about 20-30 USD a month and is very good and covers in most cases as much as 80-90% of the cost at private clinics (depending on the plan you have), which are also very good.

There is medical insurance. It can be as expensive or as inexpensive as you want.

However, I would suggest that you refrain from spending a penny until you check out this Dominicana...lots of scams going around, like the flu...

HB

MORE LIKELY THE black plague

And most Dominicans are hypochondriacs

http://www.dr1.com/forums/living/78536-hypochondria-dominican-phenomenon.html

liam1 said:

There is a public health-care system but is very weak and people who use public hospitals are the poorest of the population. You can have private insurance which is about 20-30 USD a month and is very good and covers in most cases as much as 80-90% of the cost at private clinics (depending on the plan you have), which are also very good.

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$20-30 per month? Do you have any details on the plan or carrier?

Deductibles, co-pays? Can you use any priviate clinic, or only ones that are on a list?

ok, the deal is that if your dominicana is legally employed she has a basic government insurance covering all employees. also, most of the companies carry insurance plans: they pay part and the employee pays part.
any procedure WITHOUT insurance is expensive, of course not as much as USA or EU but still. most of medical procedures are covered by the insurance (and the small group that is not are not common) so at the end of the day one does not pay that much.

Medical Insrurance

I have a question about medical insurance.My wife and I plan to stay in the Dominican Republic for four (4) months this coming January.Is it possible to purchase medical insurance for that period,and if so,where would one apply.Thanking you in advance.

Rosss said:

I have a question about medical insurance.My wife and I plan to stay in the Dominican Republic for four (4) months this coming January.Is it possible to purchase medical insurance for that period,and if so,where would one apply.Thanking you in advance.

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Usually, in your country of origin where you live.

rellosk said:

$20-30 per month? Do you have any details on the plan or carrier?

Deductibles, co-pays? Can you use any priviate clinic, or only ones that are on a list?

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I have Plan Max ARS Humano and I pay 3900 pesos every 3 months, comes to 1300 pesos per month or US$ 40

A lot of people have Royal plan (cheaper), where the cost is less than 1000 pesos per month ($30) ARS Humano and is also very good and covers up to 100% in affiliated clinics for hospitalization, and 80% for ambulatory procedures.

Both plans are from Humano, one of the most respected (and expensive) insurance companies, with nationwide coverage with many clinics and doctors in each city.

Also there are expensive insurance companies (Humano, Universal, Palic Salud), mid-maket (APS) and cheap insurance companies (Igmam, Renacer, etc.)

With most insurance companies you have a co-payment for ambulatory doctors (200 to 400 pesos) and most plans have emergency visits with no co-pay. Also, you can add drugs prescription plan for another 300-500 pesos per month.

I'm curious about something:

Are complex, leading edge medical procedures available and paid by domestic health insurance: orthopedic surgeries, cancer treatments, organ transplants, etc? Or are those "Dominicanized" also...

And do the better facilities in the country accept the insurance alone without asking for more $$$ from the patients.

Note that the local insurance plans all end at age 75- after that there is no coverage available.

That is probably why the costs are so low.

mountainannie said:

Note that the local insurance plans all end at age 75- after that there is no coverage available.

That is probably why the costs are so low.

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That's a very interesting point.

Fact is the huge, vast majority of medical expenses in the US are spent after age 65 (nearly 50%), and most of that is spent in the last health episode of a person's life.

Capping health insurance at age 75 would definitely lower aggregate healthcare system costs.

I've observed many elders dieing at home with a variety if illnesses and organ failures without the intense hospitalization and healthcare intervention of the US. Now it makes sense why.

My wife has a plan with Humano and it is about 800RD, it is "Superior con maternidad" and in most cases covers over 80% of the total, some things are covered in full.

Just to share a story= last year I checked myself into the local Clinic Abreu - one of the top in the country / I did not know what was wrong but there was something very off. It was very hot, the ac was broken, I had taken a flight from Haiti, then driven to Constanza, lots of time sitting. Anyway, since I have an international plan with a high deductible, I just slapped down my Amex card and signed for $1500 worth of treatment. Within an hour, I had had an ekg, a chest xray, a full blood workup, and a deep vein leg doppler and was tucked into my private room on the top floor, complete with elegant bath, air conditioner, tv, keys to safe box, small fridge full of cold water and juice. Shortly after, my two interns and two nurses came into the room to introduce themselves. Within three hours, the attending physician came to see me to say that I had high blood pressure // temporary // and deep vein varicose veins... nothing really serious but they gave me blood thinners. The next day my BP was back to normal, the doc said I could go home but really, really should have AC at home for August at least. I asked about the money remaining and could I just stay for a rest for the next night while someone installed an AC at home.... Sure, no problem. I checked out after two days and two nights... AND got a refund of 600 bucks .. in a local check......

Now if any of you are Americans, you will appreciate that it costs about that amount // the 900 bucks// to walk into an emergency room in the States.

I doubt that I would have gotten such great treatment if I had tried it under a local insurance plan.... At least perhaps not the private room on the top floor where there were only 6 rooms.

just some food for thought.

cobraboy said:

I'm curious about something:

Are complex, leading edge medical procedures available and paid by domestic health insurance: orthopedic surgeries, cancer treatments, organ transplants, etc? Or are those "Dominicanized" also...

And do the better facilities in the country accept the insurance alone without asking for more $$$ from the patients.

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I can tell you that I recently came off a hemovac which was prescribed for a gangrenous infection of a crush injury to my leg. I had six months on the machine accompanied by home nursing care and a PICC line for IVs.

The initial treatment was given in the DR (Puerto Plata), and I had local insurance (ARS Humano). The insurance did not pay in full for hospitalization, for any of the medications or for the wound dressing materials needed for care.

I returned to the US after the diagnosis of gangrene and was hospitalized again. The doctors here prescribed the hemovac, home nursing three times a week and extended IV therapy. My US insurance paid almost everything and my out of pocket costs for the six months was capped at $1,100 US.

I have no idea of whether or not a hemovac is used in the DR, but I can tell you that the doctors in Puerto Plata who cared for me never mentioned the existence of such a piece of medical equipment.

Medical Insrurance

Sorry about my confusing question.I meant can medical insurance be purchased in the Dominican Republic for a period of four months.If so,what would be the best company to go with.

international travelers insurance

Rosss said:

Sorry about my confusing question.I meant can medical insurance be purchased in the Dominican Republic for a period of four months.If so,what would be the best company to go with.

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you might best get international travelers insurance which would cover you here and include a medivac item.-

google it

Try CAA in Canada for extended coverage