How to pay for Gringo Medical Care in DR?

[bronzeallspice]

$760 U.S. for an ambulance??? PLUS GAS???? that's an expensive ride!!!

I bet it was because they knew she was a gringa.That's unheard of!

 

[Criss Colon]

You think you can just "Walk Out?"
One trick they like to use, is they leave your "IV" in your arm untill AFTER you pay the bill.
I was head of secruity at a hospital in SD for 10 years, we posted a guard at the door until the bill was paid in full!
You want "Horror Stories"?
I GOT "Horror Stories"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

 

[frank recktenwald]

You think you can just "Walk Out?"
One trick they like to use, is they leave your "IV" in your arm untill AFTER you pay the bill.
I was head of secruity at a hospital in SD for 10 years, we posted a guard at the door until the bill was paid in full!
You want "Horror Stories"?
I GOT "Horror Stories"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

Or they have you do this

 

[Matilda]

I bet it was because they knew she was a gringa.That's unheard of!

1. Gringa
2. Life and death situation (costs more if dying)
3. Gringa
4. Included cost of accompanying doctor bagging with oxygen cylinder
5. Gringa
6. Was a long way and at 3am in the morning

Matilda

 

[dv8]

i could never get this trick with leaving IV dripping in. easier to pull out than a peen from a yanking pu**y in clasicos. now, if they left in an urinary catheter this is much more that a pain in the arse (almost literally) to remove.

 

[BermudaRum]

i if they left in an urinary catheter this is much more that a pain in the arse (almost literally) to remove.

Your so right, have a friend very recently in the DR that made the mistake thinking it was so easy:hurt:

 

[Aguaita29]

So much conflicting reports in this thread.
Free health care, not free health care.....

Tell me this, if someone just crashed their Moto and are completely unconcious on the pavement, where will they be automatically taken and by whom (any public Ambulances) ?

Nobody knows that persons financial info like, insurance or not, etc...

You will be taken to a hospital! In my hometown, for an accident, you call the firemen. They have a small ambulance and they come right away and take you to the hospital.
But this is for local stuff; Once you're at the hospital or at the clinic and you need an ambulance to take you out of town because what you need is not available locally, your family will probably have to pay for fuel.

 

[Aguaita29]

One thing should be set straight. NO HOSPITAL in the DR, even PUBLIC one, NONE IS FREE. It's just that public hospitals are much cheaper (obviously) and they give free care to SENASA SUBSIDY INSURANCE holders. No SENASA SUBSIDY INSURANCE - you pay! The Haitians etc who do not have neither private (voluntary or TSS/employer) nor subsidy insurance DO HAVE TO PAY in public hospitals. The Dominicans etc who do not have neither private (voluntary or TSS/employer) nor subsidy insurance DO HAVE TO PAY in public hospitals. Public hospitals are crowded with lots of poor people because it's the ONLY place where they can have free care IF they have SENASA SUBSIDY INSURANCE, and for the rest (non-insured) it's the place where they can get some cheap care compared to private insurance. BUT GO TO SEE ANY PUBLIC HOSPITAL, they have insurance desk and "caja" to pay your dues as well.

Hospitals are free and they have to provide for free care. You don't need a Senasa card(or anything like that) to go to a hospital. The Senasa card is for getting free or disccounted health care at clinics.

 

[bronzeallspice]

This is confusing! some say hospitals are free while others say no they're not.

 

[Matilda]

Public hospitals provide free medical care and a free bed. You have to pay for xrays, stitches, plaster, medicines, drips, blood, and if interned need to provide your own sheets, pillow, food, toilet paper etc. If you have insurance it will usually pay for all or part of the medicines.

Matilda

 

[Aguaita29]

This is confusing! some say hospitals are free while others say no they're not.

-Hospitals are free (but no one really wishes to go there)
-IDSS Hospitals, aka Seguros, are not free.
-Clinics are not free.

 

[AlterEgo]

This is confusing! some say hospitals are free while others say no they're not.

I *think* they're saying the hospital is free, but you'll have to pay for your meds and supplies, and someone will have to bring you food. Maybe even bring you sheets and a pillow. :ermm:

Clinics, on the other hand, you pay for. Even though you pay, it's nothing like the costs in US. My suegra spent a week in Clinica Abreu [sp??] and the bill was a little over 100,000DOP. $3,000US for what would have cost at least $50,000US in NJ.

Just the opposite of life in the USA, where hospitals have better facilities and clinics are for the poor.

 

[bronzeallspice]

Public hospitals provide free medical care and a free bed. You have to pay for xrays, stitches, plaster, medicines, drips, blood, and if interned need to provide your own sheets, pillow, food, toilet paper etc. If you have insurance it will usually pay for all or part of the medicines.

Matilda

Thanks for clearing it up.

 

[bronzeallspice]

I *think* they're saying the hospital is free, but you'll have to pay for your meds and supplies, and someone will have to bring you food. Maybe even bring you sheets and a pillow. :ermm:

Clinics, on the other hand, you pay for. Even though you pay, it's nothing like the costs in US. My suegra spent a week in Clinica Abreu [sp??] and the bill was a little over 100,000DOP. $3,000US for what would have cost at least $50,000US in NJ.

Just the opposite of life in the USA, where hospitals have better facilities and clinics are for the poor.

Thanks,AlterEgo,that way I know what to expect in case God forbid, I need to utilize one of these facilities.

 

[bhale]

I also paid cash for my triple bypass in June 2011. Paid $13,200 in a hospital in Wichita, Kansas. Where I live in Texas it costs more like $80,000. I got the medical tourism package. Even my itemized bill showed $42,000, but all I had to pay was $13,200. Good hospital, experienced heart surgeon. I was very lucky to find this place.

 

[Julia31]

I also paid cash for my triple bypass in June 2011. Paid $13,200 in a hospital in Wichita, Kansas. Where I live in Texas it costs more like $80,000. I got the medical tourism package. Even my itemized bill showed $42,000, but all I had to pay was $13,200. Good hospital, experienced heart surgeon. I was very lucky to find this place.

wow when I read this I am happy that I live in Germany..if I go to a hospital here I pay 10 Euros per day the rest is covered by my health insurance..and hospitals are pretty decent

 

[Castle]

wow when I read this I am happy that I live in Germany..if I go to a hospital here I pay 10 Euros per day the rest is covered by my health insurance..and hospitals are pretty decent

As far as I know that is true for many europeans country if you're a citizen of that country, which is good. I went to an ER in Paris as a tourist to get a couple of stitches. Attention was great, bill was high, but I don't expect the french government to pay for foreigners' health care.

 

[bronzeallspice]

-Hospitals are free (but no one really wishes to go there)
-IDSS Hospitals, aka Seguros, are not free.
-Clinics are not free.

I would prefer to go to a clinic instead of a hospital even if it means I have to pay.

 

[Castle]

I would prefer to go to a clinic instead of a hospital even if it means I have to pay for emergencies.

If you can pay there's no question about it. I friend of mine who was visiting got a high blood pressure crisis. I took her to a clinic, they controlled her pressure, gave her medication for headache, stayed there for some good 5 hours. Total bil: 2,000 pesos.
Keep in mind that some complex or high tech procedures are only available at some select semi-private institutions like CEDIMAT in Plaza de la Salud in SD.

 

[belgiank]

I do not know for other European countries, but for Belgians it is quite easy.

I am still covered by my Belgian health-insurance, and am of course still paying for it a well.

I also have a Monumental insurance here. Whatever Monumental does not cover, I sent the bill to my insurer in Europe, and they will cover it for the biggest part.

When I adopted my daughter in Vietnam, she became sick the first night we had her. We went to some Swedish hospital in Vietnam, where they took very good care of her, but the bill came to around 500$. At that time she did not have a Belgian passport as yet, only the adoption papers. Back in Belgium I went to the national health insurance to enter her as a member of the family, and just told them what happened in Vietnam. To my big surprise they told me this was covered by the insurance. I brought them the bill, and about 2 weeks later they refunded something like 400$

Luckily I have not had to try it as yet in the DR, but my national health insurance in Belgium claims that I just have to get the hospital to call them, and they will guarantee the payment. I have my doubts a DR hospital will accept this, but who knows...

BelgianK