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I
wisely quit asking then and think she may have had well over a dozen or
more since, but who’s counting? Just this week I went to the same eye Doctor.
I’m past my 30th birthday too, and my vision has been getting worse lately,
especially when reading. After a thorough exam I was given two prescriptions,
one for reading glasses and one for distance. Haven’t had them filled yet,
but the total cost of the exam was Bs. 50,000. ($20.) Once I get the new
glasses, it’s KC’s time to worry about what she will look like when I can
really see.
Last I remember,
she looked pretty good for a lady with all those birthdays. A normal Doctor’s
visit is usually Bs. 50,000, or about $20. Downtown at a clinic it’s less
than half that price, and the doctors don’t rush you. During my last appointment
with our general practitioner he spent about 25 minutes with me, wrote
orders for some lab tests and said to return to his office in 3 days with
the lab results.
The first visit
was $20 and the lab tests cost another $20. The two follow-up visits to
the doctor were free. If I need a prescription refill, I just stop by his
office and pick up the prescription - no charge.
Dental
I needed some
dental work last year and some cosmetic dentistry. I had checked with my
dentist in the U.S. and he estimated the cost of the work at about $22,000.
Here on Margarita I went to the most renowned and expensive dentist (he’s
a graduate one of the most respected dental colleges in the U.S. plus additional
schooling in Caracas, has given seminars around the world, and speaks excellent
English) and had all the work done for $5,800. This included two permanent
bridges, all silver amalgam fillings removed and replaced with white porcelain,
all ‘smile’ teeth capped and others crowned with German porcelain. The
entire process took 7 visits and numerous follow-ups until everything was
completed, all this included in the original estimate. I could have spent
much less at many other dentist but I’m not sure the quality of work would
have been as good...possibly it would have been.
Want To
Look Younger? Improve Your Figure?
There are a
couple of Plastic Surgery Clinics here that specialize in ‘buttocks augmentation’
surgery. Want a cute little Janet Jackson booty or Pamela Anderson breasts?
Since I haven’t needed either, I don’t know the rates, but I’m told that
these clinics are very reasonable. Butts are more expensive than boobs,
for some reason. If you want an extreme make-over, the cost would be much
less than stateside or Europe. The money you save would pay for your vacation
with money left over. Just think, you could get a “Stepford” wife or hubby
at a bargain price!
Other Medical
There is a
free booklet “Medi-Salud” available at most doctors, dentists, and clinic
offices that is published every month and contains ads for all sorts of
medical specialties and services. Of course, it is in Spanish but still
easy to read as most medical terms are Latin and similar in English.
Prescriptions
Most are a
lot cheaper here than in the U.S. My son has asthma and one inhaler he
uses costs over $30 in the States. t’s about $4.00 here. Another
inhaler he uses only occasionally costs $40 US, about $6 here. And you
don’t need a prescription for many medications here. You are responsible
for your own medical files and carry all your records with you when you
go to the doctor, clinic, etc. Then they are returned to you. If you go
to a lab for tests, you get your results and take them to your doctor -
the same with x-rays. Plus, you get to keep your prescription, except for
a few medications that are controlled substances. In that case, the pharmacist
does not return your prescription to you. Things like sleeping pills, Valium,
Codeine and other types of pain pills must have a doctor’s prescription.
If you do need
medicine often you can just call your doctor, tell him your symptoms and
he will tell you what to take, thus saving the cost of an office visit
- if it’s something simple that doesn’t require tests or an examination.
All medications come pre-packaged from the factory so there is no chance
of tampering or pharmacist error. All in all, we have found the medical
care quite good here, no long waits for appointments and very affordable.
Medical insurance is available here. The cost depends on various factors
such as age, pre-existing conditions, etc. Most ex-pats here self-insure
because the costs are so reasonable.
If your considering
any medical procedures you might want to check out Margarita as it is much
less expensive here. Where to stay well - We have a beautiful Condo/w pool
or a 4 bedroom house w/pool for rent within walking distance of Doctors,
Dentists, Plastic Surgeons, Ophthalmologists, Medical Labs, and Pharmacies.
The properties are located in one of the most prestigious areas on the
island. For more information about living and working on a Caribbean island
at a pace that won’t kill you before your time, check out my website www.retirecaribbean.com
To contact
Scott Click
Here
The following
is the first article Scott wrote for the magazine:
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