Hola Amigo!
Ever since Pamela Thompson “invited” me to take on selling health insurance to my fellow expats, I’ve felt a little guilty. I help people get insurance, then I pray they don’t need it!
What makes it worse is that, although I’ve always purchased health insurance for myself and my family, I’ve never come close to meeting my deductible.
Until a week or so ago, the last illness that had me seek medical attention was the chickenpox I got from my kids 35 years ago!
But…
Okay. I’m mortal and lately I’ve been bugged by a bug. High fever, nausea, joint ache and a brain-fog are the symptoms.
Being brilliant, I called Pam Thompson to get an appointment with a qualified medico ASAP.
The next day, I met with Dr. Antonio Matilla at CMQ Premier in Pitillal.
The good doctor prodded and poked and asked a bunch of very personal questions. He ordered a bunch of tests of my blood and other bodily elements.
(Try getting an immediate appointment with a doctor in the States if you’re not bleeding or having a cardiac issue!)
(Try spending 45 minutes with the doctor for less than $45 USD in the USA!)
At 9:00 AM the next morning ,I presented myself to the Laboratory at Hospital Medasist in my hometown of Amapas.
The test results came back later that afternoon! Unfortunately, the results were inconclusive, so more testing was ordered.
(Try getting your lab work back the same day in the USA.)
(Try paying less for your lab work than your lunch in the USA.)
My bride feared that I might have dengue fever and took me downtown to Salud (the Health Department) were they took more blood.
I knew that I didn’t have dengue fever, my symptoms weren’t that serious, but when the bride asks, I answer, “Yes dear.”
Before we received the results of my lab work at Salud, they came out and fumigated our condo building to make sure I don’t infect anyone else.
(When was the last time the Health Department back home doubled as vector control?)
(Did I mention that the dengue fever test was FREE?)
(Did I mention that the fumigation was FREE, too?)
The most important thing I learned from my first-hand experience of the medical community in Puerto Vallarta was not that its costs are nominal.
What is really cool about the medical community is that the people are W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L!
Right across the board, from a great doctor and his support staff, the fabulous folks at Medasist’s lab and at Salud, they related to me as a person never a “patient” or a “case.”
I have a great doctor in the USA and my daughter is a nurse at Kaiser, but the medical care in the USA can’t compare with the humanity we receive in Puerto Vallarta.
I’m feeling much better now. Still don’t know what bug was bugging me, but I know that Vallarta is blessed with caring medical professionals and that’s part of why we choose to live here.
The brain fog has lifted enough for me to finally launch the PV-Health.com website. Please check it out and let me know how to make it better.
Everybody deserves medical insurance and I can help (nearly) everybody get it. If you know of anyone risking their nest egg being uninsured, please give them my name. I’ll try to be as helpful and human as the people who helped me.
Ever since Pamela Thompson “invited” me to take on selling health insurance to my fellow expats, I’ve felt a little guilty. I help people get insurance, then I pray they don’t need it!
What makes it worse is that, although I’ve always purchased health insurance for myself and my family, I’ve never come close to meeting my deductible.
Until a week or so ago, the last illness that had me seek medical attention was the chickenpox I got from my kids 35 years ago!
But…
Okay. I’m mortal and lately I’ve been bugged by a bug. High fever, nausea, joint ache and a brain-fog are the symptoms.
Being brilliant, I called Pam Thompson to get an appointment with a qualified medico ASAP.
The next day, I met with Dr. Antonio Matilla at CMQ Premier in Pitillal.
The good doctor prodded and poked and asked a bunch of very personal questions. He ordered a bunch of tests of my blood and other bodily elements.
(Try getting an immediate appointment with a doctor in the States if you’re not bleeding or having a cardiac issue!)
(Try spending 45 minutes with the doctor for less than $45 USD in the USA!)
At 9:00 AM the next morning ,I presented myself to the Laboratory at Hospital Medasist in my hometown of Amapas.
The test results came back later that afternoon! Unfortunately, the results were inconclusive, so more testing was ordered.
(Try getting your lab work back the same day in the USA.)
(Try paying less for your lab work than your lunch in the USA.)
My bride feared that I might have dengue fever and took me downtown to Salud (the Health Department) were they took more blood.
I knew that I didn’t have dengue fever, my symptoms weren’t that serious, but when the bride asks, I answer, “Yes dear.”
Before we received the results of my lab work at Salud, they came out and fumigated our condo building to make sure I don’t infect anyone else.
(When was the last time the Health Department back home doubled as vector control?)
(Did I mention that the dengue fever test was FREE?)
(Did I mention that the fumigation was FREE, too?)
The most important thing I learned from my first-hand experience of the medical community in Puerto Vallarta was not that its costs are nominal.
What is really cool about the medical community is that the people are W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L!
Right across the board, from a great doctor and his support staff, the fabulous folks at Medasist’s lab and at Salud, they related to me as a person never a “patient” or a “case.”
I have a great doctor in the USA and my daughter is a nurse at Kaiser, but the medical care in the USA can’t compare with the humanity we receive in Puerto Vallarta.
I’m feeling much better now. Still don’t know what bug was bugging me, but I know that Vallarta is blessed with caring medical professionals and that’s part of why we choose to live here.
The brain fog has lifted enough for me to finally launch the PV-Health.com website. Please check it out and let me know how to make it better.
Everybody deserves medical insurance and I can help (nearly) everybody get it. If you know of anyone risking their nest egg being uninsured, please give them my name. I’ll try to be as helpful and human as the people who helped me.
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