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Put your trust in EPS?

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seoulguy
  7/25/2017 15:56 EST

As a prospective TP7 holder, I would have to put my trust (i.e., life) in the hands of Nueva EPS, being over 65 and doubtless uninsurable by the private insurers. Asking of those on EPS if their trust level is on a par with Medicare in the U.S. or if those on EPS are continuing to pay Part B just in case. That would tend to indicate a lower trust level in the case of serious, continuing, or intractable health issues. In any case, looks like Medellin would be the best bet for good care. For comparison, in Mexico, which I've given up on, there are three forms of "universal" health care: ISSSTE, IMMS, and Seguro Popular. For IMMS, you can have virtually no preexisting conditions, but for Seguro, it doesn't matter, but the services are, I would say, akin to Medicaid in the U.S. ISSSTE is for civil servants and does not apply to expats.

Calle2Will
  7/25/2017 16:50 EST

My wife is in health services and she states the Medellin does have good doctors. But she also states that Rionegro has just has good of services.

Prior to moving to Colombia, I had surgery for prostate cancer. I have to wait five years before I can be insured. Luckily, i am able to be covered under my wife's insurance.

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saiid20
  7/25/2017 17:14 EST

To more directly answer your question: I am over 65 and have EPS...Over the years, have had occasion to use, attempted to use system for Colonoscopy, endoscopy...and have had little if any success. Suegra who is in mid 70's has been waiting three years nw for authorization to repair her knee. There are other horror stories.
In short, EPS has been great at preventative care, meds for blood pressure, high cholesterol, are all free...generic nexium is a co pay charge...normally 10.000 per month.
I have come to the conclusion I'm self insuring here. There is no way I can be assured I will be taken care of...you get put off and put off again for specialist visits , then, actual procedures... dont seem to ever happen.
Never picked up part B from US...and guess have saved a lot of $$ over the months and years. If I ever decided to go back, the "penalty" I'd need to pay for B and C or D would be exorbatant (?) for me now.

jerryg
  7/25/2017 18:27 EST

The rules are changing almost on a daily here for EPS's. SURA won't take new people at all....if you are new you are going to pay 12% of your social security or retirement income.....for EPS. government mandated....I know this for fact because I just did it...by the way the 12% is for husband and wife combined....they make you show your income of both and they obviously take the higher one....it is getting more difficult everyday to get EPS insurance....a lot of the small EPS companies are going bankrupt and closing their doors. So the picnic is over for low cost per month ($93000). You will now as I said paying 12%.

tubes
  7/25/2017 19:02 EST

In my case I have only praise for the EPS (SaludTotal).
Apart from the instant treatment in cases of falls and infections, they set me up with the best care for a nasty variant of leukaemia.
The Colombian doctors and nurses are among the best that I have seen anywhere in the world.
The only inconvenience is the hours of waiting for authorisation and medicines.

jerryg
  7/25/2017 19:38 EST

No I am not saying the Doctors are not good here...but I would be careful Salud I have heard is going down, you should really do some investigating to make sure you are protected....as I said earlier that the small companies which salud is are having a terrible time...these are all government dictated...they are subsized...this is why prices are going up for the monthly rate...I just got into one and my wife and I are paying $185 per month for both of us, so I know the prices are going up. The cost of it was 30 for 2.

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seoulguy
  7/25/2017 21:18 EST

Thanks to all for the replies, thus far. It's an "eye-opener", as I thought EPS would be a "slam dunk". Calle2Will, are you saying that there's a preexisting condition restriction? Saiid20, you hit the nail on the head. I had a cancer in 2012, which was, luckily, spotted early and dispensed with, but have had two follow-up colonoscopies, last one, a 3-year, just last week, again, luckily, it was OK, but I'll need these, so your reply is timely. And jerryg, you're so right, companies and governments can drop the dime anytime, anywhere. This is exactly what's happening here. They're trying to kill Medicaid, and they will succeed. Next is Medicare and then SS. I have a high deductible supplemental w/original Medicare, so the premium is only $80.00. Looks like ESP might be iffy with premiums that could inflate at any moment. I'm disappointed, but grateful for the insights! Could be cheaper to go to Kona, HI, bite the bullet and pay the ridiculous rents and have Kaiser.

saiid20
  7/26/2017 09:44 EST

Rereading my remarks...a bit too pessimistic...yes, needed to go outside the EPS for those procedures but...the last endoscopy (2015) cost exactly 300.000 pesos...and when I made a special request for anesthesia for my first proceedure, combo colonosopy and endoscopy, I needed to dig into my wallet for another 40.000 pesos.
A bit different than the US..and I was completely satisfied with everything. Very professional.

seoulguy
  7/26/2017 16:09 EST

So, let me get this straight. EPS = primary care "light", i.e., essential services. Otherwise, you need to self-insure for "involved" diagnostic procedures and treatments, hospitalizations, to include out patient, and surgeries. That could be a big roll of the dice. I'm also on the Kona (i.e., Kailua Kona, HI) forum. Was surprised to learn that even Kaiser makes you wait up to two months for specialists. In Tucson, the wait time is a little ridiculous, but not that bad. I did my second colonoscopy F/U last week, which I wanted to do before making any big moves. It was all negative, but like I said, it will be an every 5-year thing, and the hip arthritis may also be a problem.

saiid20
  7/26/2017 19:41 EST

Todays 2 month checkup showed perfect example. Dr said its been awhile, you need another ekg. Gave me the formula and went to front desk for authorization only to be told..we dont have anyone at this moment. Try again next month.. The start of another runaround.

jerryg
  7/26/2017 20:25 EST

Wow

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Calle2Will
  7/27/2017 11:09 EST

Seoulguy,
When I first arrived here almost two years ago. My Colombian wife tried to sign me up for my own insurance. We checked with two insurance companies and was told on both occasions that I need to wait five years because of my preexisting cancer.

seoulguy
  7/27/2017 17:27 EST

Thanks Calle2Will, which I guess Will who lives on Calle 2 (Cali?). Anyway, yes, a cancer was found after my first colonoscopy in 2012, and it was excised with no further treatment. Came the 2014 f/u, all negative, then the 3-yr f/u just last week, still all negative. But you've succeeded in "scaring me straight". Wanted to get all the dental and health issues, including the usual physical, taken care of before deciding next year what to do. But leaping into CO without a good long immersion period would be dumb. It's good to know.

WhoaNellie
  7/28/2017 18:31 EST

Not all Colombians are happy with EPS - just recently a woman who turned 111 is now being denied medicine because they only allow any up to the age of 110!

This comment caught my eye, suggesting it's better to just pay for it yourself:

Definitivamente, el sistema de salud de este país es una desgracia, todo está diseñada para que la minoría que maneja el negocio se quede con el dinero de los aportes que hacemos (que no es para nada poquito, es mucho lo que mes a mes le quitan del salario a las personas), pues siempre sale mejor ir al médico y pagar de manera particular que tratar de usar el maldito sistema de salud.

seoulguy
  7/31/2017 09:13 EST

WhoaNellie,

Again, thanks for the insight. The quote is particularly useful and underscores the risk of relying on the Colombian government, or any government, for that matter, for health care. Do you get CNN? Have you seen the mess in Congress on this issue? I rest my case.

SunsetSteve
  7/31/2017 17:23 EST

"Any government" is too broad, actually. To hold the US fiasco as a metaphor for any other government is a miss.

Elexpatriado
  8/2/2017 10:00 EST

Ja ja ja..I was just driving through Pereira with a taxi driver about 7:30 AM this morning.

I saw this gigantic líne about 3 blocks long

I asked *what is that?"

*People waiting for a cita at EPS"
"They have been lined up since 4 AM"

Apparently , he said, this is quite common, regardless of EPS provider.

I have Medicina Prepagada, dont have to wait in lines, but doesnt cover prescripcións , and expensive, with extra costs.

If I cot really sick, would go to Saskatchewan.

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