Gringo Behavior and Health Care

[cobraboy]

Glad to hear that.

Both Mr. AE and I always have credit cards in our pocket when we leave the house, so it would never be an issue, but still........just the thought...

That's a good plan, no doubt.

I specifically asked our Palic rep about a situation like Matilda's. He said "Not any more." However, he also said that if you have basic insurance-that MOST Dominicans have-they could ask for more if the condition looks to exceed the basic insurance levels, but not deny care.

 

[kampinge]

If you don't have money and no insurance its better you go direct to the hospital. They must threat you but they do it their way

 

[mountainannie]

Is there anything in the DR like the US EMTALA laws? From what I have seen here on DR1 insurance, cash, or insurance plus cash is required prior to treatment. Which is fine for most things. But, what about life threatening emergencies. Are the doctors and nurses really going to let my one of my children die in the lobby of the hospital because I'm 100 pesos short, or don't have my insurance cards on me?

They will send you to a public hospital. I came down on a helicopter with a Frenchman neighbor who fell down an outside flight of stairs in Las Terrenas and broke his pelvis. They took us in an ambulance to Clinic Abreu. He did not have a credit card or any sort of local insurance. So I put the deposit of $1500 US on my Amex card/.. I was reimbursed by the building manager right away.

But yes, they would have just sent him to the public hospital. Which, i guess would have been Padre Bellini. And I do not know if they could have done the surgery as well as at Abreu.

 

[Hernandez]

Are the doctors and nurses really going to let my one of my children die in the lobby of the hospital because I'm 100 pesos short, or don't have my insurance cards on me?

Well, you can always call some friend who can come and pay the deposit, since they don't ask too much. Some years ago I had a life-threatening arrhythmia and no insurance, they asked for 10.000 pesos deposit only, and I was in intensive care in 10 minutes with a cardiologist working on me.

This is (drumroll) what I love in DR.

In Panama, for example, they just let you die in the lobby of the hospital for sure. I have been in Panamanian hospital with an emergency, and I can tell you that in DR they will help you 10 times faster (and 10 times cheaper), even if you don't have an insurance card or cash on you, they can find the way to solve it, especially if you are a foreigner and look rich for them.

 

[donP]

Threat to Treat

(...) its better you go direct to the hospital. They must threat you but they do it their way

No doubt.


donP

 

[scronster]

You may want to buy a plan that covers airlifting to MIA!

Any recommendations for good plans to cover airlifting?

 

[wrecksum]

Amazing!

Come on vacation and spend your time worrying about 'might-happens'.

Must be a bundle of fun...........

 

[drSix]

Any recommendations for good plans to cover airlifting?

https://www.internationalsos.com/en/

 

[KATIEJAY]

Well, you can always call some friend who can come and pay the deposit, since they don't ask too much. Some years ago I had a life-threatening arrhythmia and no insurance, they asked for 10.000 pesos deposit only, and I was in intensive care in 10 minutes with a cardiologist working on me.

This is (drumroll) what I love in DR.

In Panama, for example, they just let you die in the lobby of the hospital for sure. I have been in Panamanian hospital with an emergency, and I can tell you that in DR they will help you 10 times faster (and 10 times cheaper), even if you don't have an insurance card or cash on you, they can find the way to solve it, especially if you are a foreigner and look rich for them.

I have heard of similar experiences in Florida..(relatives there ) of people arriving at the "wrong" hospital and being turned away and sent to the "free" emergency ...and dying on the way!!!

 

[retiree]

You should have a credit card for emergencies.

 

[HUG]

If you don't have insurance the public hospitals are fine for small none life threatening things, stitches, minor breaks etc. Yes you have to share a waiting room (hang around the main entrance) with the odd dying gunshot victim cuffed to DNCD and skip the pools of blood from the machete mutilated muchacho, but you can always skip the queue with the usual 100pesos to the guys on reception, and even take someone through with you to hold your hand if you slip the security guy on the emergency ward door another 100.

 

[Firefighter]

No more worries the 911 emergency response system has been activated.

G'luck

I am pretty sure that the 300 SUV's and 800 motorcycles purchased for the 911 do not carry O2 or EMT

 

[drSix]

I am pretty sure that the 300 SUV's and 800 motorcycles purchased for the 911 do not carry O2 or EMT

Still preferable to Fire Based ALS services with hose jockies who only became paramedics so they could become officers and get a raise. :cheeky:

 

[jstarebel]

https://www.internationalsos.com/en/

This is very good to have while living down here, and SOS is an excellent company. All of the employees that work for our company have this service. A guy had chemical burns from Caustic Soda in Anguilla. He was flown by small private jet to Puerto Rico. He was checked, stabilized, put back on the jet, and flown to University Medical Center Miami. When the jet landed in Miami, it taxied up to a helicopter. Chad was loaded onto the chopper and flown to the medical center. Total cost to Chad for this service??? 0 . Another company that does this is a Caribbean company called MASA. Don't know much about them.

 

[windeguy]

Is there anything in the DR like the US EMTALA laws? From what I have seen here on DR1 insurance, cash, or insurance plus cash is required prior to treatment. Which is fine for most things. But, what about life threatening emergencies. Are the doctors and nurses really going to let my one of my children die in the lobby of the hospital because I'm 100 pesos short, or don't have my insurance cards on me?

Yes, you have to have evidence of insurance or payment at a private clinic. Public hospitals are places you probably do not want to go to. So either get insurance or present a credit card if you don't have cash.

 

[drSix]

Yes, you have to have evidence of insurance or payment at a private clinic. Public hospitals are places you probably do not want to go to. So either get insurance or present a credit card if you don't have cash.

Yea, been there done that! Once at CMC for a hack job, and again at HOMS for the fix. At CMC they wanted US$500 to see my daughter, and we had to pay the rest before discharge. At HOMS they wanted US$3,000 before surgery and paid in full before discharge. Not enough cash, adios! She's fixed, and I won't be getting that UTV I wanted...