Hospital Info

I have developed a leg infection and may need IV antibiotics. Any information on the good, the bad and the ugly of the hospital and physicians on the island? Any info is greatly appreciated.

On the Dutch side there's a medical center in Belair.
Off GA Arnell Blvd. Coming from Simpson Bay at Welfare Rd round-about go right, then up hill towards P'Burg. AJC Browerd Rd. At next round-about bear first right off rotary GA Arnell Blvd. At 3rd rotary 3/4 around bear right. You'll see it on your left side.

On French side: Fleming Hospital in Concordia. Tel # 0590 90 1313.
Thru Marigot right turn onto Rue de Concordia. You see a sign to Concordia. Follow hospital signs.

Hubby has used the Dutch facility emergency room and found it to be adequate but you pay cash. It cost us $50. Then at home we filed a claim with our health care (not all will cover). He was given 2 scripts which we filled at the facilities pharmacy at a cost of $3 . He was very satisfied with the treatment he received. But some have said they don't like the place.

We were told that at the French hospital it's mandatory you hire a translator (even though I bet they speak English.)

Good luck. Hope you're better soon.

Rosemary

I'm sending you a PM in about 5 minutes based on some personal experiences here on island.

Watch for the "flashing envelope".

Thank you for the information, very appreciated.

PM sent after your reply above, so there was no way you received it yet.

You need to be signed on to get a private message.
Then you can go to "My Home" and then click on received Private Maessages.

I spent the night in the Emergency room in the Dutch hospital. Insurance at home covered it 100%. Very knowledgeable doctors.

good insurance you got scuba, i think mine would just laugh at me and hang up!

Paid for all meds, crutches, CT scan, MRA, overnight stay, ambulance and follow up consultations on island. I just had to present the bills when I got back home.

Most insurance plans would NOT pay, at least not in full, because it is out of network. That's one of the big reasons to get insurance that covers medical bills.

MRA? I presume you mean an MRI?? How long ago was this? As when I hurt my shoulder a few years ago and went to SMMC, I understood them to say that they didn't have an MRI machine there. Perhaps it was broken at the time.. ...or they knew that my regular insurance would NOT pay for it. I had travel insurance, which thankfully paid for everything except a $50 deductible. My regular medical insurance would have paid about 50%, AFTER I had satisfied my deductible. ...which would have meant they would have paid ZIP.

"In Network" or 'Out of Network" does not apply when the care is for an emergency. My wife's plan (not Medicare) covers emergencies worldwide and treats out of network charges at in networks costs.

My Medicare plan covers emergencies worldwide as well and costs are covered at in network rates.

mine does not unfortunately, that is why, like Carol said, i get travel insurance. While i am fairly (but not getting younger) and i would most likely not need it i dont see how spending relatively few dollars to know i would not have to spend thousands if i did have an event

Yes. MRI. Was about 10 years ago and if I remember right it was a portable unit but can't say for sure.

Depends on your insurance, I guess, as mine most definitely did NOT cover my trip to the SXM ER. As I said, thank goodness for travel insurance in my case. This was in 2011, but I am pretty certain my coverage out of the country is still the same today.

I was in a huge amount of pain, so maybe I didn't understand exactly what they said, but there definitely was NOT an MRI available on the day I went in. Could have been a temporary unavailibility, as in, broken or no tech to operate it, I don't know. They took an exray, didn't find a break, so they put my shoulder in a sling made out of a DIAPER and told me to get an MRI when I got home. It was not a particularly good experience.

that is funny carol! so many uses for a diaper but i would not have thought of that one. Very Maguiver

Carol

Pretty easy enough to make sure of coverage if you have a members book or just visit your insurance company website.

Well, one would think so. However, insurance companies are MASTERS at NOT paying claims. I am dealing with just such a case right now. Treatment should have been covered but insurance is denying coverage, for same treatment I have had in the past, same insurance policy, same physician. Travel insurance is cheap enough, I just buy it and don't worry about it.

I actually still have that diaper, for some reason! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> It does seem kind of funny now. At the time, not so much..

It was only available on certain days of the week. Had to book an appointment to get in.

May be wrong but I dont think Medicare will pay for anything out of the US. We always buy the trip insurance. Have a friend that broke his ankle in a couple of places in Israel two years ago. He refused to have surgery there, and Allianz paid for everything including 1st class back to the
States, with a nurse (they would only pay for his wife in coach, so they had to pay the difference for her).

perfect and he couldnt be blamed for not visitin her since he had the broken ankle. Sounds like a very peaceful flight! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

I don't know about Medicare. We have Blue Cross.

Carol, Tony's BCBS supplemental plan re-embursed us about 90% of his pneumonia French-side hospital charges. Yes, they must be paid up front. He was there 7 days, and I paid on a daily basis. They now have a wonderful FREE service of a liason person, who helps coordinate your UD insurance with the hospital, and official translation (all bills must be in English to be re-embursed). She also arranged Tony's release to SkyMed when we flew back to the States.

From 1st hand experience re: the Dutch side hospital

Insist everyone washes or sanitizes their hands before they touch you

Be sure the bed or stretcher you are on is clean

MDs run the show - the nurses do not have any autonomy & really are not very knowledgable about your plan of care

ED MD was good, never saw the MD on the unit, he wouldn't talk to me at all

I would be in & out as fast as possible. If you have a cellulitis you really need IV antibiotics - can a MD office do that instead of the hospital?

PM me if you want more info.

My Medicare Advantage plan covers me worldwide for emergencies. Co-payment is $75.00 for ER and $250.00 for medical evacuation.


Original Medicare does not cover outside the USA. If you have anything other than Original Medicare check your plan benefits book for more information.

Have had to use Dutch side Hosp. two times for I Vs for infection in wifes arm Each trip about 1 hour in emergency and out for 100 cash

There use to be a portable MRI machine on the south side of Airport Road.

I thought you guys were on Medicare for the last 10 or 20 years! I guess you may be younger than I thought.



_{Just kidding <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" />}

Yes, well, Eric IS older than I am, but neither one of us is eligible for Medicare, YET!

Yes, I think part of Medicare eligibility is that you actually worked and lived in the U.S. and paid taxes.

The work part eliminates most lawyers, doesn't it? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />
(maybe the paid taxes part too?)

Ah, my friend, I work pretty long and hard!!

Carol I too have Blue Cross Anthem, a PPO plan on which my hubby is a dependent and it paid for his visit to the Medical Center in Belair.

I have federal BC&BS and they have always paid for the , what seems like yearly, trips to the Dannaway Clinic. Just be sure you get a complete receipt. The have a form on line. Also paid for trip to ER including X-rays and meds. I tell the pharmacy that I need a receipt for insurance. No problem.

Here is a recent event that my daughter is struggling through.
Her first day on the island we went to dinner and a crown on her front tooth that had just been done a couple weeks before broke off. She found a dentist in Philipsburg that repaired the tooth (temporarily) until she was able to see her dentist back home. She had travel insurance but needed to get denial from her insurance coverage through work. This happened in early January 2016 and she is still trying to get denial letter from United Concordia. They continue to ask for additional information and have lost her claim ("it must have deleted itself"). Just love insurance companies.

Don't know what to tell you, other than that our Blue Cross did not pay, because it was a) out of network, so they would have paid maybe half and b) we hadn't satisfied our deductible for the year, so they paid nothing. Since we're self employed, we have a plan that we pay for.

Hi, back to the original post from THOS

Were you able to get help?
Any recap on the process involved

Hope all went well

J&B

I had a medical emergency and saw the Doctor in Cul-de-Sac in the office next to the pharmacy (top of hill). He was educated in Paris, Ecole Polytechnique, and was very thorough. Cost was $35 or so. Highly recommended.

Carol,
We have federal BC and they always paid for service down there. Out of network is about 70%. It was so inexpensive. The MRI was $750 at Dannaway's clinic and I had several.
Film electronically submitted to radiologist in US to read.
Would have been thousands in the US.
Cheers
irina

Don't know what to tell you, obviously federal Blue Cross is better than what I have.

Blue Cross has many different plans; they don't all have the same coverage.

I know that. My point really was that the tests were inexpensive compared to here in the US.
irina

Our neighbor in the next unit was sick during the night on the French side and was able to wake us to get him medical care. He was transported via ambulance to the hospital in Concordia and was given very good care. He did not mention a translator was used. He was given a thorough cardiac exam and was released early the next morning with a diagnosis of dehydration. His bill was $182.00. The taxi back to the rental was expensive. Several important notes from his experience. We do not drink enough water while we are on the island and we do not have ready access to emergency phone numbers. Most of his symptoms were were cardiac related. I was trained for CPR but no longer certified. Far too much time was wasted in this instance if he actually had a cardiac problem. Is there a place on this site to post emergency numbers and maintain them for the future? The Daily Herald lists some emergency numbers but does not address the issue of whether you have a US phone or a Dutch or French phone as this is important information. It also would be of service to identify dental clinics for everybody's.

Bob

That is a good point. We can post some numbers in the FAQ section, if someone could compile that list.