Any Advice On Getting An Mri In Buenos Aires?

[Noruega]

I have been to see two different spine specialists, one of them was Dr. Mereles at the Hospital Italiano: http://www.hospitalitaliano.org.ar/personas/vista.php?idpersona=11207 He was fine but each visit was very quick! Last year the initial visit was around 250 pesos without insurance.

Now I saw another specialist, Mauricio Carrasco, at Centro de Ortopedia y Traumotoogia Centenario, 4961-1825. I got an appointment there very quickly, so it might be worth calling them and asking what they charge without insurance ("en forma particular"). The doctor was fine but even quicker than the other one!

 

[Bajo_cero2]

So just to clarify. I am also looking to get an MRI on my back. Old injury from 20 years ago but back again. I will only be here for 2-3 months also debating this insurance thing. Had no idea you could get the insurance and then go get the MRI immediately.
So instead of going and paying the hospital for the MRI it is better to go get insurance and then go? I guess it's a pre-existing condition. They'll ask me of course no? I'm Canadian so not used to buying insurance. I'm 42 and otherwise perfectly fit (knock on wood).

I suggest you to look for other options.
There is a chinese médic specialized on pain control at Riobamba between corrientes and Sarmiento. He does accupunture.
Also i suggest you find a médic who follows the McKenzie method.
None of them are cover by the insurance.

You can do an MRI at Sanatorio Otamendi for today if it is ok for you to go after midbight.

 

[Killarney]

Thanks guys for all the advice. Feeling a bit better today.

For full disclosure I am a chiropractor and acupuncturist myself and I had to sell my clinic in Europe recently because it became just too painful to work. My girlfiend is Paraguayan and her family live here so we came back to Buenos Aires to give me a chance to heal and rest.
The nature of the injury is a spondylolysis which is a tiny fracture in the spine. I've had this for 25 years (mostly assymptomatic) but I have really suffered a lot over the last year but I put this down to working (chiropractic is a physical job) in a busy clinic.
But after about 6 weeks of rest the condition is no better and I want to see if there are new fractures or what the heck happened.

So truth be told I would like to get x-rays, MRI and a bone scan (which tells you if a fracture is new or old) to determine if I just need more rest (to let the fracture heal if there is a new one) or perhaps injections or a couple of screws put in to stabilize the fractures. (Would likely do the surgery in Europe).

Of course money becomes a small issue with each test being maybe 1500 pesos plus doctors visits perhaps I am guessing 6000 pesos for all of that.

So just deciding if insurance is the way to go. I would love to get some dental work also but just minor stuff.

I can pay all of this of course because the prices here are cheap but if insurance covers this I could wait and do it bit by bit. My flight back to Europe is middle of January after a quick trip to Paraguay.

I would feel a bit bad bilking the insurance company like that but not sure if it's even possible to do.

By the way if anyone has any spine related questions feel free. I'm not doing much here anyway.

 

[Killarney]

Ok so I have quotes for MRI ranging from 2300 to 2500. I feel much better just having rested for a number of days doing nothing.

But I still would like to check this out and now my plans may change and I may stay here for 6 months or more.

So I think I want to get insurance. Looking at the prices (there are a mind boggling number of options) I can pay for a month of insurance easy just with the price I would pay for an MRI easy and maybe 2 months.

I think I want OSDE and I live a few blocks from Billinghurst and Santa Fe. Do I just go discuss it with them there? Or should I know what I want before I arrive.

Also how soon after you start can you see someone? Or does that also depend on the plan?

 

[Sher BA]

Killarney, you just need to show up at the office with your passport and they will sign you up to a plan on the spot. After they ask for your details, any pre-exisiting medical conditions and if you have a preference for certain hospitals or clinics, they will recommend a plan. You can ask them to go through the different plans, but the final decision is yours. You can start receiving treatment the following day.

Just as a reference, I didn't have any pre-existing medical conditions, so I just signed up with the cheapest plan that was available to me and I pay a lot less than what they quoted for your MRI. It is a very simple process. I hope this helps.

 

[Killarney]

It helps immensely. Thank-you.

 

[Alicia karr]

Yes just go to their office on Billinghurst. Sometimes there is a waiting period before having certain procedures or elective surgery. But OSDE in my personal experience has been the best medical plan I've had in my life anywhere. I have their 310 plan. But I'm retirement age.
By the way I used the chinese medic that Bajo reccomended. Altho his treatments didn't work for my particular situation(and he knew that was a possibility when we started) I felt he was very competent and knowledgeable. He didn't try and sell me something that wasn't going to work. I would second that reccomendation if you're looking at acupuncture. Private health care here IMHO is excellent. Good luck

 

[Killarney]

Ok I've got my OSDE plan 210 at set up with the card. So if I want an MRI I just pick a name under Traumatologia y Ortopedia in that huge book and make an appointment? There are no fees when I arrive if I have the card?
So go directly to the specialist to request this? Or do I go to some regular GP (family doctor) to request this and then go to the specialist after?
Cheers

 

[Noruega]

Killarney, I don't know that specific plan but yes, you find a provider in the book (or online app if you have), call to make an appointment, and then the doctor will refer you to the MRI. You then call the imaging center and make an appointment for that and go there with the referral and your insurance card.

With these plans you do not usually need to go through a GP first. And no fees.

 

[Killarney]

Cheers!