Medical Care and Insurance
Posted By: Panama Expertos on 09.04.2007
Views: 3689, Published in sections: Panama-Expertos ::
Let us first say there is no shortage of competent physicians in Panama. Panama itself has two medical schools and two dentals schools and please bear in mind that the country only has 2.7 million people.
Panama has specialists available in all the specialties to be found in the USA, Canada or the EU. The differences between these countries and Panama when it comes to seeing a specialist are vast. Let me explain. I went to see an ENT doctor once in a clinic in Panama and he spent almost one full hour with me and I was only charged $25.00. Yes he was able to talk to me in English just fine. In the USA, I would have been charged about $100.00 and would've been lucky if he spent 15 minutes with me. Some Panama physicians have studied abroad (particularly the U.S.) until time to serve their internship. Then, if practicing medicine in Panama is important the Panamanian government requires intern to complete their residency in Panama. Some Panama doctors are American Board Certified in fact and some even have American Medical Licenses. It easy to correctly assume, the doctors in Panama are excellent. Unlike in the U.S., where medicine has become 'Big Money Game' the doctors in Panama are afforded the luxury of still being able to CARE about their patients rather than their medical malpractice insurance rates.
We have experienced being able to take our empty prescription bottles into the local pharmacy and have them refilled without any questions, hassles or unnecessary and costly trips to the Doctor for a refill. The only exception to this is serious narcotics like heavy pain meds, antibiotics and it seems most other medications can be bought over-the-counter. Are you aware that soon in the U.S., most vitamins and supplements will require a doctor's prescription? For example, Vitamin C of more than 200 mg will be a prescription item as it is already in the U.K. Our experiences with the ease and availability of refilling prescriptions added great comfort to our lives. My husband's eye medicine runs around $90/month self insured state side costs and is about 1/3 the cost in panama for same medicine, same manufacturer. Many medications will run about 30% to 40% of what they cost in the USA with no difference in the medicine.
In addition to the already much reduced price as compared to the prescription costs in the U.S., not to be forgotten is the 10% discount given for many services to individuals with Pensionado visas, plus not having to keep paying the Doctor for refills.
As with most things in Panama you can spend as much or little as you like. The same rule applies to a great extent with physicians.
Most doctors in Panama besides being in private practice also are required to work at the public hospitals (Seguro social). The problem with using the Seguro social system isn't related to the quality of care but is related to being at the hospital clinic at 6:00 a.m. and waiting most of the day to have your turn for an examination. Then, this is a life style decision. You can choose see a physician in the public hospital for $10-15, or you can choose to make an appointment with him in his private practice $35. With that said, what follows are rates and fees at the private practice level in Panama.
I had a broken tooth that I needed to have repaired. My office visit, x-rays, and composite filling were $89. A root canal would have been around $70 with an additional $25 for the filling.
A surgery in the states that would typically run $40,000 would be around $15,000 in Panama. Remember, no AMA and no U.S. insurance companies. In the U.S. coronary surgery is running in the $50,000-60,000 range. In Panama the same surgery will cost in the $10,000-15,000 range in Panama's finest hospitals. In addition, the rates of success and complications are comparable to U.S. rates. Most of the elective surgeries will run about 25% to 40% of what they cost in the USA.
An initial visit to a Mental Health Care Professional will run you about $25.00. Doctors are by U.S. standards very inexpensive with $35 being a good average price for office visits. Remember, as stated early our ENT doctor was $25 for an office visit. And hold on to your hat, while we have not checked on the price yet doctors still make house calls. And it's not unusual for your attending physician to call you at home, even on the weekend to see how you're progressing - imagine that. Some of you probably can remember Doctor House Calls in the States going back about 40 or 50 years.
Overall large differences in price such as the one written here exist in all areas of medical and surgical procedures.
Medical insurance in Panama is offered by insurance brokers much like in the U.S. They basically offer two types of insurance and under these two types fall a variety of companies and benefit packages.
You can buy a) hospital or catastrophic insurance via international companies, b) you can subscribe to a particular hospital's private plan. If you have a pre-existent medical condition you will most likely be able to get coverage that excludes the pre-existent condition.
MSA (medical savings accounts) are common proto call in the Panamanian banking industry.
Another idea is to self-insure since health care is so inexpensive and excellent. You can bypass most U.S. proto call in Panama. For instance, in order to be able to have a blood test in most U.S. states a physician must write you a prescription to take to the lab for your blood work. In Panama if you want to walk into a lab and have your levels tests for you can do so without first having to see a physician and pay an office call fee, then take the results to your doctor to read. Ever gone to get a refill on your 'etrogene' or some other maintenance prescription just to find out you don't have any refills left and will have to obtain an appointment with the doctor to have a refill written? In Panama this is much, much less likely to happen.
We are not advocating not having physical exams or self medicating, however; being able to be more hands on in your own health care is easy to achieve in Panama.
One last thing along there lines: U.S. Social Security plans A & B do not work in Panama.
In Panama medical insurance after 60 years of age becomes challenging, but not impossible. As almost always is the case, but especially after the age of 60; pre-existing medical conditions will most definitely be excluded.
You can be insured and will probably have to have a more extensive medical insurance exam. You may have to wait a period of 90 to 120 days for insurance coverage to begin. At the time of this writing, once approved your insurance is not subject to cancellation as long as the premiums are paid.
Hospitals in Panama will not take you if you don't have insurance or cash/credit card to pay a deposit in advance. We have heard stories of people waiting on family members to raise the money needed to pay the required deposit for medical treatment.
The bottom line is you are going to pay more for insurance after age 60, but when compared to the rates in the U.S. it's a bargain.
Johns Hopkins International's projects team also coordinates training on the latest medical procedures through on-site programs and continuing medical education courses held in Baltimore or via video conference. For example, Hopkins radiologists, nurses and technicians teach health care professionals from hospitals around the world how to perform minimally invasive procedures. In Panama, what began as a consulting project has given birth to an affiliation agreement with Hospital Punta Pacifica that will offer state-of-the-art diagnostic and clinical care to patients in the region, as well as educational and training opportunities for those who care for them.
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/dome/0206/whats_happening3.cfm
Alternative Health Care Acupuncture - Panama has many acupuncturists. Some are from Chinaand do not
speak Spanish or English so you might need a translator or just let
them
diagnose and treat off of your pulses, tongue, body odor and
appearance. We know one who does speak English. The acupuncturists
know how to use the herbs to make special teas which are used
medicinally.
Here is an English, and Spanish speaking MD that does Acupuncture
(Acupunctura) who trained in China and is located in Panama City.
He happens to be a Medical Doctor licensed as such by the Republic
of Panama. He also does Homeopathy (actually Homotoxicology which
is a type of modern homeopathy) and can do spinal adjustments
combining the adjustments with homeopathic injections (Biopuncture)
into the appropriate acupuncture points - effective. He also
practices allopathic medicine but prefers alternative health care
best.
Free consultation by e-mail:
omega3 [at] cwpanama.net
Dr. Enrique Chial
507-260-3700
Centro Commercial La Alhambra
Via Ricardo j. Alfaro
Eldorado Neighborhood
Panama City
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