Experience with private health insurance?

Hi wilf1
sorry for taking so long to respond but I was waiting for some info before responding which I now have.
To be truly 100% honest the only Med. Insurance in Py which I know of that's worth it is the Mennonite's own Med. Insurance, but fat chance of me or you getting in there...

A fellow countryman's wife of me just spent the last 6 days here in Asunción in the medical insurance company Promed's hospital called AMSA They have the regular medical insurance package with them, not the most expensive but neither the cheapest on offer. In the end they still had to pay G2.500.000 for those 6 days.Room was basically the only thing that was free...

I would venture to say the best medical insurance company's here are OAMI and MEDICA S.A. always as-long as you get the most expensive package with them...

Medical insurance directly with private hospitals are also a option and there I would say the best are Hospital Bautista and Sanatorio Migone always as long as you take the most expensive package with them.

About if any of them includes Dental, I don't think so, but I don't know.Maybe MEDICA S.A. does but it will for sure be another med. plan that will be more expensive. All I can say is that my wife only goes to their dentist's when in need and because we don't have any form of medical insurance with them it costs a small fortune every time but the work she's gotten done there has only been of the highest quality every time.
And as for "naturopathic dentist's", sorry but I didn't even knew they existed

Good luck.

I've heard that San Roque has excellent medical insurance and care, and that is where many of the super wealthy go for hospitalization.

this one is very good and cheap too sps.org.py/ but you need to be member of the Coop first.

this one covers dental care up to some limits eg: does not cover breaks etc

other options:
Assismed San Roque
Migone
Santa Clara
Medicina Familiar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_in_Paraguay

Health care funding from the national government increased gradually throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Spending on health care rose to 1.7 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2000, nearly triple the 0.6 percent of GDP spent in 1989. But during the past decade, improvement in health care has slowed. Paraguay spends less per capita (US$13−20 per year) than most other Latin American countries. A 2001 survey indicated that 27 percent of the population still had no access to medical care, public or private. Private health insurance is very limited, with pre-paid plans making up only 11 percent of private expenditures on health care. Thus, most of the money spent on private health care (about 88 percent) is on a fee-for-service basis, effectively preventing the poor population from seeing private doctors. According to recent estimates, Paraguay has about 117 physicians and 20 nurses per 100,000 population.

More doctors than nurses!?

I'll bet that in the US' health-care system there are more nurses than doctors.  And I'll bet there are are more profits in the health-care insurance industry than in the health care industry.

Thanks all,
            my computer was down all week thatŽs why I didnŽt reply earlier.

Mike.M - these wiki stats are out of date, I think. looks like someone of the Colorado party added a 1 in front of 17.
Venezuela was in front of Py with 20 at the time. Thanks to Cuba Venez is upt to 80 now, and Py has got an agreement with Cuba for a thousand docs for the free health system.

TomVacaville - let the super wealthy be blessed with chemo and radiotherapy at San Rogue. Lugo obviously could not afford it and went to Brazil.

Capelo - interesting, so there are COOPs running health insurance in spite of the free health system.

NicŽoPy - unfortunately I am not a Mennonite either, but I am pretty sure they do naturopathic dentistry as they do it in other parts of the world.

There were quite a few naturopathic dentists in Argentina, they had learned in Germany where it originates. I paid US$20 for 2 treatments, so any kind of insurance would be a waste of money. IŽve not been able to find a nat dent yet, so I thought if they are any they may work with insurers and I can check insurers to see if they list any.

cheers,
Wilf

According to http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_p … 000-people, Paraguay had 1.11 physicians per 1000 back in 2002.

Cuba is #2
US is #52
Paraguay is # 104

It takes so long to grow a doctor that 8 year old numbers don't
bother me.

I'll be looking for more info on the free health care and naturopathic dentistry sounds interesting.

"TomVacaville - let the super wealthy be blessed with chemo and radiotherapy at San Rogue. Lugo obviously could not afford it and went to Brazil."

That's true, largely because the President of Brazil extended the invitation to Lugo and sent a plane from Sao Paulo to get him. 

I know some upper class Paraguayans in Asuncion that have used San Roque for surgeries and some other pretty serious treatments, so I wouldn't discount their services. 

I have to admit though, that if I were faced with lymphoma I'd probably head back to the U.S. for treatment.

Mike M.: naturopathic dentistry is also called Probiotic dentistry. There are a few in US also.

TomVacaville: you are obviously not aware of the medical fraud of the cancer industry in US (and elsewhere) or you would never head back there.

Any form of cancer is easy to cure and has been since the thirties. Otto Warburg received the Nobel in 1931 and 1944 for discovery of cause and cure,in his last famous speech of Konstanz 1968 he begged to stop this evolving cancer fraud for the sake of humanity. As we all know he begged in vain.

Cure of cancer was only eliminated from curriculum in 1946 in Germany. You can still find many docs in Germany who know how, true knowledge never dies. It is up to you as a patient to find these, the National Insurance covers it.

When you've had chemo and radio which always fails and the school medicine leaves you to die you can still be saved, again the Nat Ins pays for this "salvage treatment" if you know where to find it.

These old methods have been improved today by some to make them work even quicker. Dr Tullio Simoncini is one example, you can read on infoholix.net, category page on menu and also article in News Archive.

cheers,
Wilf1

Mike.M: just looked at the stats, Venezuela 1.94 per 1000 that makes it the 20/10k in relation to 11/10k for Paraguay.

Venez is now up to 80 thanks to Cuba. Numbers don't really mean anything in this industry, it's the kind of medicine you provide that matters.

The US is up to 750.000 allopathic docs and 800.000 CAM therapists. The fact that there are 800k CAM therapists that are not covered by any insurance and need to be paid out of pocket says a lot about the quality of medicine provided by the 750k.

And where 150k out of these 750k come from and what kind of problems this creates for the "donor countries" you can read on infoholix.net under "High intensity focused......"

cheers,
Wilf1

Interesting post wilf1.  Since I'm a cancer survivor (both spinal cancer and nodular carcinoma), I have a particular interest in the subject and will follow up on your advice.  How is it that you know about this?

I had a naturopathic dentist as tutor when I was a teenager.
I ignored medicine and went into business, when I had cancer incidences in my family I remembered what I had learned.
I retired from business and have studied different forms of medicine around the globe ever since - my vocation for the past 24 years.

How long since you had treatment and what kind?
Who diagnosed and with what method?

You can always send me a private email if you want to answer these questions, I'm interested to know?

cheers,
Wilf1

In July at Stanford University I had a spinal canal ependymoma tumor resected via lamenectomy at the L1-L2 level.   Neurological cancer runs in my family, so I have to get screened every 6 months now for the rest of my life.  In August my doctor cut out some nodular basal cell carcinoma from my face which he is now treating with imiquimod to kill any residue cancer cells in the surrounding tissues.  Cancer is definitely not fun and getting old ain't for sissies...

Cancerous cells are cells that have changed their metabolism from oxygen (correct O/CO2 mixture to be more exact) to glucose. This happens due to the environment the cells encounter. These cells are crying for help, the last thing you want to do is kill them. Change their environment and they will convert to normal cells.

wilf1 wrote:

Has anyone got experience with private health insurance?
Are there any?
What clinics do they cover?
Is dental care included?

I've lived in Argentina before, all health services are free just like in Wales, but you have to pay the dentist privately.

I found a good naturopathic dentist in Arg and I'm looking for one here - I've only found the usual plumbers so far.

I'd appreciate any info.

cheers,
Wilf

Referring back to your initial questions wilf1, have you had any luck finding doctors in Paraguay that practice the sort of medicine you describe?

Otto Warburg & his approach to cancer was the most interesting thing I read last week.  And I read a lot of good stuff.

TomVacaville: no luck so far.

Mike.M: I didn't realize there was anything on the web about Otto Warburg - but I've also not searched in the last few years. Can you give me any websites you have found?

My knowledge goes back from decades ago - books and live tuition.

I just read the wikipedia entry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Heinrich_Warburg

This is what I thought was 'so interesting':

In 1924, Warburg hypothesized that cancer, malignant growth, and tumor growth are caused by the fact that tumor cells mainly generate energy (as e.g. adenosine triphosphate / ATP) by non-oxidative breakdown of glucose (a process called glycolysis). This is in contrast to "healthy" cells which mainly generate energy from oxidative breakdown of pyruvate. Pyruvate is an end-product of glycolysis, and is oxidized within the mitochondria. Hence and according to Warburg, cancer should be interpreted as a mitochondrial dysfunction.

No, it's not "sugar."  It is the way cells burn sugar.  Oxidation is normal, glycolysis is not.  Cancer should be interpreted as a mitochondrial dysfunction.

Further in the article Warburg is portrayed as an extreme pollution-phobist ..... something we should maybe take to heart.

interesting wiki, but a bit short. It doesn't mention Wilhelm von Brehmer who developed the cancer cures based on Warburg, then Hitler shut him down because he refused to endorse chemotherapy that they had developed in Ausschwitz. Then Robert Bosch (car electrics) rescued Wilhelm v B and built him the Robert Bosch hospital in Stuttgart. All the treatment protocols in old German handwriting are archived there. In the early eighties they had a nice old curator who could read it all and was very helpful. They mention Joseph Issels. He run the Hufeland clinic in my home town and further developed the W v B protocols. Issels was attacked by the medical mafia (big pharma and cancer industry) and fully rehabilitated. J Issels stopped working in 1986 but the clinic continues. It is one of the few clinics licensed for "salvage treatment" after failed chemo and radio. You can also have primary treatment, both are paid for by the national insurance system - but you need to know that it exists.
In the Issels trials it was established that Issels cured over 80% of those left to die after failed chemo and radio. It was also established that nobody was ever cured by chemo and radio which causes remission for a short time (3 years at most), then the damaged cells turn cancerous, the patient is usually dead within 8 years. To hide this fact they only publish 3 and 5 year survival rates. I've written about this on infoholix.net.

The most important facts are missing on wiki: what cancer really is - the development mechanism - the cure and why we have an explosion in cancer now - and why Warburg, von Brehmer, Joseph Issels, and I can add a list of names are all systematically supressed today, but this would require a book now.

I don't have any experience with naturopathic doctors here yet, but we did do a lot of research on private health insuranc.

After checking into several different availabilities, we decided to go with Asismed.  We bought their Medical Plus option, which covers lots of things immediately and has a 60 day waiting period for more extensive studies or lab work.  They also offer the next step up, called VIP, which has only a 30-day wait.  The cost on the Medical Plus for one person is about 240.000 Gs. per month, for the VIP it's about 315.000 Gs.   For a family of four it's not much more, like maybe 200.000 more, but I don't remember exactly.  Sorry.

We also chose to add on the major surgery coverage.  The normal policy above covers most surgeries, but this extra policy would cover any of the other "serious" surgeries, such as brain or cancer-related stuff, at 100%.  It is an additional 88.000 per month.  To add major surgery coverage for the entire family is 110.000 per month.  That plan is called Alta Complejidad.

We also liked the Baptist Hospital plan. El Buen Samaritano. It was a little less expensive and covered things more quickly, but it ONLY applies to that hospital.  The plan we went with at Asismed has travel coverage, meaning when we go to the States, we have up to $12,000 coverage for things that happen there.  Granted, $12,000 there won't get you as far as here, but you know.  It's nice to have SOMETHING.  Also, they have other hospitals in other cities within Paraguay.

Hope this helps!

(PS-I had to stay overnight in LaCosta, and my friend recently delivered a baby there.  I've also used the public emergency rooms, and a few private "pay-out-of-pocket" places.  I'd definitely recommend the LaCosta hospital, and the stay is covered 100% if you're admitted.)

That's great info. Hagerman.

As a side note, on one of my first trips to Paraguay a large dog bit my arm leaving two large puncture marks above and below the forearm (a neighbor's dog got into a fight with my friend's dog).  Anyway, fortunately my friend took me right away to the University on Mariscal Lopez where they have a clinic for dog bites.  I think it's somehow related to the Vet. school at the University.  They stitched up my arm and gave me vaccines for about 10,000 guarani (U$S 2 mas o menos) including a follow up to remove the stitches, and they did a great job (on a Sunday afternoon)!

You've really done your homework, Hagerman100, thanks a lot for this info.

Does Asismed give you a list of providers that accept their policies? are dentists included?

TomVacaville, I had two very nasty sandflees operated out of my toes by the woman who runs the natural mecine shop Poha Esperanza in San Lorenzo. I paid for the alcohol, vinegar, needles and some "dirt" to stuff the wound with. She wouldn't accept anything for the operation.

Wilf1,

You did all that without local anesthesia?!  i'm a wuss.

BTW, as a completely unrelated sidenote, I like the plaza de comidas in SuperSeis in San Lorenzo.

TomVacaville,

I use NOESY therapy, so you don't feel anything.

I don't know super seis, I only ever go to the market to buy my handrolled cigars ~ Gs.6mil for 100.

Does one have to have residency status to get health insurance here? IŽm assuming that to be the case, but crossing my fingers it is not.

Well, I know you donŽt have to be a resident to go to a public hospital and be seen for free. You even get free meds. Of course youŽll have to wait 2 or 3 or more hours. But itŽs free. As for insurance I canŽt comment on that.

I also have AsisMed Plan VIP.  I have used it and it has covered everything 100% mamogram and ultrasound of the breasts, pap test and intervagincal ultrasound and colposcopy since I have a history of cervical cancer, and had a colonoscopy because I have a history of colon cancer.  Everything was covered except for the anethesia for the colonoscopy which was 100,000 Gs.  I pay 750,000 Gs for me, my husband my son and my daughter.  I had all the tests above done at La Costa and have also gone to walk in care there when I had bronchitis.  They don't provide meds but you do get a 35% discount on prescriptions at their pharmacy or at their approved pharmacy.  oh and I also had a complete blood and urine test done and it was covered.  I also like that they have the travel insurance that covers travel to the US, granted it is only $12,000. 

I also had to have xrays done when I was in an accident with a motorcycle and my car (don't get me started on what happened there but I have increased the policy coverage on my auto insurance this year because I had to pay and it wasn't my fault!).  Anyway all the exams and x rays at San Roque were covered 100% for that as well.  I have also used Sanitorio Internacional in Luque when I had problems with my eyes and the doctors fees and eye exams were covered.

I am happy with AsisMed and will probably move up to their highest plan in about 2 years.  That is 750,000 Gs per month for one person because I am 58.

I have a question -- anyone else retired  from the US in PY?  Are you taking Medicare when you turn 65?  I am not planning to because I don't plan to be in the states for more than a month or two in any one year.

Carol

Interesting that you prefer to pay privately for services that are available for free.

Don't you trust the free national health system?
Or do you think these private hospitals provide better services?