American Tourist Stabbed In La Boca.

[sergio]

My post is not meant as a commentary on the individual circumstances of the tourist who was recently attacked in La Boca.

In conversations I have had over the years with tourists from first-world countries, it continues to amaze me that they do not purchase insurance for stays under 30 days while traveling in Latin America. Many comment they believe it may be less expensive to pay out-of-pocket. In most cases that may turn out to be an accurate deduction.

Likewise many ARG frequent travelers do so without short-term med ins. I personally know of one who developed a high fever while in Paris last year. Requested the hotel to call a physician who came immediately. It turned out to be bronchitis. The culture shock hit when the spouse was presented with the bill for the visit + meds....$100 euros. Upon inquiring, the cost would have been slightly less had my friend got out of bed and sought care at a private clinic. Nevertheless, in this case, it turned out to be more expedient and cheaper than had they purchased travel ins prior to departure.

100 euros strikes me as cheap for a house call. Meds included too! By the way, couldn't he have gone to a public hospital free?

 

[gracielle]

Yes, I thought the fee was very reasonable. The physician, who spoke English very well, ordered the meds at a local pharmacy and had it delivered to the hotel. My friends are locals who earn in pesos so they were surprised at the cost but nevertheless quite grateful for the service. They are used to receiving medical care here thru Osde so they are not even familiar with private fees in CABA. I suppose she could have gone to a public hospital but didn't feel physically up to it. And they don't speak French.

 

[sergio]

Over a decade ago my mother went to my dermatologist in BA. He charged her $100 USD for the consultation.

 

[on the brink]

Top specialists and fashionable doctors now charge $4000 Argentine pesos per visit.

 

[sergio]

And what do normal MDs charge?

 

[Pensador]

Uruguay has free health "care" only for Uruguayans, who avoid public hospitals like the plague. They don't have doctors, medicines, bandages, or anything else. So, most locals choose to pay into mutualistas, private health care systems charging hefty copayments for everything.

This is not true. I went to free health care in URU more than once passport presented in the gates to free care opened right up. The care I received was of fair quality and without question of who or where I was from. They have doctors and the works and no there are not hefty co payments in their very affordable insurance plans for private medicine I lived there 5 years. This post is far from true. Yes medical cost more there in the private sector but still very affordable.

Example I am on a fairly large wave and get cut off in my first month there great wipe out land on my left side left arm pinned into ribs I thought I broke them again went to public health care broken or not it is not a big deal unless I have internal bleeding. x rays the works thank God just bruised them. The docs, nurse and interns were fine. X rays and more with just my passport. Later we joined Hospital Britannica for insurance. They were great and affordable first step free complete medical exam of A to Z then a very affordable monthly payment with no co pay and 500K emergency trip to US covered if you are serious need of the best medical.

Close friend there but poor serious moto accident public medicine put her back together including surgery with metal inserts and more. Hard part was she had the accident and we did hear from her for two weeks. I finally went around to hospitals looking for her and I found her.

 

[on the brink]

I stand by my post, at least as far as Colonia goes. I've lived here for the past thirteen years, am fluent in Spanish, and have daily contact with the locals.That's what I hear from them, both about public hospitals and about copayments at the private CAMECO clinic.

The fact that you yourself joined the Hospital Britanico, the most expensive HMO in Uruguay, speaks for itself. No need to do that if free public hospitals are good.

Do you read El Pais? I heartily recommend it - take a look at the reader's comments after one of the many pieces about the state of public health care.

 

[on the brink]

And what do normal MDs charge?

Anywhere between three and six hundred pesos.

 

[gracielle]

sergio - over a decade ago my mother went to my dermatologist in BA. He charged her $100 USD for the consultation.

That fee seems quite steep for so long ago. In 2004, the exchange rate was US$1.00=$2.86 pesos. Perhaps it was during the period of the $1-1 exchange in the late 90's.

on the brink - agree with your post. I have local friends who reside in Montevideo. Public medical care in the capital may be adequate for emergencies. But in general those who are not covered thru an employer, purchase plans thru mutuales (private ins).

http://www.elpais.co...cios-salud.html
In the midst of the controversy unleashed by the deficit of the National Health Fund (Fonasa), which grew by 38% and reached US $ 431.8 million from January to October 2016, a survey by the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) revealed that three out of ten users have had problems with access to the benefits that hospitals and mutuals should provide.......

 

[Pensador]

I stand by my post, at least as far as Colonia goes. I've lived here for the past thirteen years, am fluent in Spanish, and have daily contact with the locals.That's what I hear from them, both about public hospitals and about copayments at the private CAMECO clinic.

The fact that you yourself joined the Hospital Britanico, the most expensive HMO in Uruguay, speaks for itself. No need to do that if free public hospitals are good.

Do you read El Pais? I heartily recommend it - take a look at the reader's comments after one of the many pieces about the state of public health care.

First let me say please do not think I am calling you a liar or anything like that which was not my intention. We know all information we get down here can be sketchy. I went to the public hospital numerous times actually even when I was in Britannica. Why? Because living out in the sticks on the coast not far from Punta Del Este it was closer. I would use public medicine with out issue not being a Uruguayan. But you need to understand when and what you would use it for. Only minor things on my end such as are my ribs broken or not. Which if they had been I would have wanted to know the extent of what I was dealing with I found out for free.

I kind of look at this way public medicine is great for minor things or like a triage to find out what is wrong. Of course I got the best health care I could find there I have this lovely women my wife and there is history of cancer in her family I certainly do not want public medicine watching over that. But minor stuff public was fine, I found the staff to fairly good and helpful there problem is funding. So if you have something serious you could end up waiting some time before you what you need. Not great but you will eventually get what you need in most cases.

So really it is strategic use of medical resources at hand in URU nothing more. I did not mean to offend you or call your character into question if I did pardon. Once again we all know information down here can be sketchy as I said.