davnleon
8/4/2013 12:31 EST
Is there any way to find out just what my medical care will cost in Ecuador? I am 75 and take a number of prescription medicines which my supplemental insurance will pay part of. I have been reading comments about how expensive medicines are and wondering if paying for them out of pocket will "break the bank" for me.
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mappam
8/4/2013 13:05 EST
Davnleon - I have also been wondering about the type of insurance is best? From what I have read here "part d"?? Is NOT needed but what about medicare? What about an international insurance - something that would cover you both in the USA AND EC?
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larryp
8/4/2013 13:18 EST
Once you have your retirement visa or pensionado...you will be entitled to your medication basically free. There may be some that the government does not source or supply and there are possibly other drugs or generics that you can take depending on your condition. Medical in general is cheaper here, however some meds are not. I hope that helped some.
larryp
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casadecuenca
8/4/2013 13:20 EST
Medicare is not available in Ecuador and drugs are abourt 25-35% less than in the US depending on where you buy them. PharmaSol usually has the lowest drug prices. If are a resident and you self insure you can always avail yourself of the free system instead of the payor system. I am 72 and I self insure, but I am in good health and take no prescription drugs. I was taking a BP and a statin when I moved to Cuenca. but after losing 50 lbs I threw them away. In the past 15 months, I have spent about $375 on medical care which included a complete physical with a nuclear stress test.
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OceanHideaway
8/4/2013 17:11 EST
The only way you will know is to actually price the medications in Ecuador at the location you will live in Ecuador.
Some medications are not available in all areas of Ecuador such as oral medication for pain relief based on opiod derivatives such as slow release morphine and oxycotin.
And narcotics must be purchased under a specific prescription provided by certain specifically licensed physicians.
In addition: not every medical insurance policy will cover persons over the age of 69 nor does every insurance policy cover pre-existing conditions nor do all insurance policies pay out well.
All this being said the very best advice as always is to come to Ecuador, visit the areas you wish to live in and see if, after you have visited and chose a spot, your medical necessities are available.
Also keep in mind the following;
Do you have a heart condition or pulmonary condition?
The altitude of Cuenca or Quito may be adverse to your quality of life.
Do you have an artificial heart vale or are you taking blood thinning medication?
The dangers of dengue fever infection are increased by anticoagulant use -- the Coast may not be a good choice.
Are you suffering the effects of bone density loss and will a slip and fall cause a bad break?
Sidewalks are not even and you will fall often until you learn where the steps and uneven curbs and pothoies are, can you afford a broken bone?
Does your companion have the signs of the onset of alzheimers or other form of dementia?
Moving to a new location is contraindicated -- it is best to remain in known locations to ease the anxiety of the symptoms of memory loss.
Ecuador is not the panacea of low budget living. Given everything -- it will cost you as much to live here as to remain in your current location.
Come to Ecuador because you Love Ecuador...do not move to Ecuador as an economic refugee or because you are running from what you believe the USA has become.
And for goodness sake ...do NOT believe the hype being spewed by International lying magazine or lying and invest overseas seminars.
For some honest in your face information -- do read Nicholas Crowders new book available on Amazon.com "1OO things to Consider..." it's about $4 and well worth the investment.
And of course be well...
Susan
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NancyC
8/4/2013 17:26 EST
Hey, Larryp, I recently received my cedula on a pensioner's visa. I have heard nothing about receiving my medications for free. Would you please enlighten me?
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GeoffreyLevens
8/4/2013 18:28 EST
Just reading Crowders' book on EC. Fairly frightening but then again, so is the U.S. Check the stats on this link
http://www.nationmaster.com/compare/Ecuador/United-States/Crime
In my experience, people tend to see a pretty accurate reflection of themselves "in the world".
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OceanHideaway
8/5/2013 02:20 EST
There are a lot of different stories of health care in Ecuador and the situation for health care and specifically de la tercera edad remains in a state of flux.
Whatever you hear, you may want to ask yourself if health care is something you want to gamble on...
Keep in mind that even the working poor subsidize their health care by seeking private doctors and pay extra for health care services.
There are more rural clinics, and district clinics and more provincial hospitals and more emergency services, but take the time to speak with people in your area -- both the locals in your neighborhood and the expats you know and find out who they use and where they go in case of emergency.
Find out what is available to you in your location -- what is available in Manabi or Guayas is not going to apply in Santa Elena or Azuay.
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GeoffreyLevens
8/5/2013 11:38 EST
Strange, I just had email notice of response to my last post on this thread, read it and clicked to respond. It seems to have vanished. Can't figure out why as I don't think it was offensive to anyone...???
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GringoinQuito
8/5/2013 11:49 EST
I moved to Quito about 1 1/2 yrs ago. I immediately got med insurance through Co-op Seguros. Costs $110 per month. When I see a doctor I am charged $2.00. For a months worth of prescriptions (lisinopril, diliatazem, atrovistatin, Coumadin, acetominephen) I pay a total of $2.00.
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mappam
8/6/2013 12:06 EST
Okay first = if hubby and I give up all of our Medicare/part# - what is the best med insurance for Cuenca?
What if you travel back to the USA or EU - does "travel insurance" cover you?
Like ANYWHERE medical care depends on WHERE you live - if you are in a amall town in north in Georgia you may need to travel to Atlanta for GOOD CARE = same in EC (from what I have read and researched). Cuenca (again I have read) has very good MED CARE - a number of hospitals and VERY qualified Doctors.
So back to insurance - what is best? Thanks
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casadecuenca
8/6/2013 12:39 EST
If you move to Ecuador you have to cancel Medicare Part B and D. If you return to the US you can re-enroll for a small penalty of $5-6 for every month you are out of the system. Part A, which pays hospital bills is free and you cannot cancel it. You will have look at the various insurance plans available and choose on that meets your needs. Nobody can do that for you.
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NancyC
8/6/2013 14:16 EST
Please check before you cancel any parts of medicare. I was told the penalty for reinstatement was 30% of the premium which right now would be approx. $30.00/mo. That could make a big difference to you in the future if you think you may go back. In other words double check everything you read online.
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sueb4bs
8/6/2013 14:57 EST
IMO, it is nuts to burn your bridges re: Medicare. In years ahead, the penalties will only get larger. Lived in Quito almost 2 years and think I know a little about this...And yes, I insure with Travel Guard each trip which covers my out of pocket expenses (the last claim filed was for $400. ) through the year or half-year until the next trip. I recommend TG.
sueb4bs
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lional
8/7/2013 07:05 EST
Medical care in Ecuador is, for the most part, much less expensive than in the US. I say for the most part because some drugs are more expensive and some are not available. Doctor visits here in Cuenca are generally 20-30 dollars depending upon the doctor. Blood work, x-rays and so forth are also much less expensive. For most things you will probably spend about what your would have payed as a deductible for your insurance. That said, there are insurance policies available that cover your medical cost here in Cuenca. Most are associated with a hospital and pay up to 90% of the costs for medical procedures performed at that hospital. If you use a different hospital or doctor your coverage drops to 80% or less. There is a small deductible at the beginning of the year. Most if not all of these policies have a max age threshold for joining and generally a max age for expiration. Generally it is either 65 ir 70 to join and 75 or 80 as a ending age. My policy covers up to $20,000 per incident.
Several insurance companies have combined these policies with an additional policy that provides coverage for travel and a higher limit for insurance coverage. I have one of these policies that is provided by Bupa, has a $20K deductible and provides coverage up to $1,000,000. My coverage expires at 75. All of the information provided here is based upon my experience in Cuenca. I believe such policies are available in other cities but have no direct knowledge that they are.
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