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Prescriptions and doctorsThis forum post has messages dated from 09/16/10 through 09/21/10, please be sure to read all the messages. If you feel it is old or outdated, please follow up with a question or comment and someone may be able to update it, or reply with newer information if you have it.
| Prescriptions and doctors We were unable to locate information about medical care and prescription drugs on the site. Can someone direct us. One of us is in chronic pain and receives medication here, so we want to see how this would be handled in Uruguay. |
| "Drug prescription."
Kirk and Katheryn, most Uruguayans are member of pre-paid medicare, either individually or through the National Medicare System. Drugs prescribed by doctors at one's medicare institution (called "mutualista") are got at the mutualista's drugstore paying a fixed price ticket (same for any drug). It depends on the mutualista, but each ticket is about 5 dollars. One only buys drugs in commercial drugstores when the price is lower than that, or for drugs that don't require prescription and you are so sure you need it that you don't want the doctor's opinion... Uruguay is rather liberal (I think) in terms of what drugs don't require a doctor's prescription. A lot of atibiotics, for example, can be bought freely at commercial drugstores. Psico-drugs are the ones that are more controlled. You generally not only need to have it prescripted to you, but also goes with a special prescription note including your ID card number, that you have to show at the place you buy it. I guess some cronic pain drugs may fall into this cathegory. Doctors generally use to prescribe enough drugs for a certain period. The period may be longer for patients with cronic deseases with low variations, for example, diabetes. Anyway, in each visit to the doctor don't expect him/her to prescribe dosis more than 3-4 months. For non-cronic deseases, and for "controlled" drugs the period will probably be shorter. Take into account that joining a mutualista with a medical pre-condition will probably except medication and treatment for this condition out of coverage. However, some expats here have negotiated other agreements including coverage for pre-conditions in certain cases. |
| "Mutualstas"
Are the insurance options available for purchase by expats who are not yet residents? Are there age restrictions? |
| "Age and Residency Requirements"
Your residency status seems not to be an issue with any of them.Age, health, weight may be an issue. British Hospital originally refused me because I had an enlarged thyroid, and they refused an Uruguayan because he was "too fat" (his words not mine). They certainly have some age issues too. Some of the others like Espanola and Medica Uruguaya are apparently much more flexible in these areas. Expert Page: Quick Tips for Getting Settled in Uruguay |
Comment #409/18/10 14:05Rural east Colonia departmento | "Mutualistas seem to vary"
I joined CAMEC (a mutualista local to east Colonia) while still an official tourist when I first arrived. I had to be inspected by two of their doctors and was passed fit for membership in spite of being a 57 year old overweight smoker. I am told that CAMEC can be picky about admitting new members if they are over 60 but that the problem can be got around by registering yourself as a unipersonal tractor driver and paying BPS which earns you a "free" mutualista membership. Agricultural lifeforms pay a BPS contribution which is roughly equal to the mutualista subscription so in cost terms, there is not much difference. |
| "Mutualistas."
You don't need residence permit to join a mutualista. They just don't care about that. Pre-conditions and age will have and influence, but they could be negotiated. Patricks has informed about joining them through BPS coverage if you have any kind of work activity. The National Health System is also extending gradually, and will probably cover all citizens and, who knows, maybe also all residents. But nobody really knows what the future will be in this subject. However, I'll think expats will find that joining a mutualista as an individual woul be reasonably cheap. You can expect the monthly payment to vary from 60 to 100 dollars a month, plus the "tickets" you use. You pay drug prescriptions, doctor visits (from 3 to 7 dollars a visit), and also blood test and other studies (mos of them less than 10 dollars). Drugs and studies made during your stay at hospital, along with the stay itself, surgeries, ect., are free (condidered to be covered by your monthly pay). |
Comment #609/20/10 10:16Rural east Colonia departmento | "I'd agree."
Chris pays a monthly contribution of just over 1200 pesos (59 U$S) to CAMEC. He gets one free consultation per month. Any more than that costs him another 95 pesos (4.75 U$S) per visit.I've been lucky and except for administrative things like my Carnet de Salud, I've only had to call out a doctor once last year when I came down with pig 'flu. CAMEC was asking people with the complaint not to come in person to the policlinic so he visited me for free :-) Referrals to specialists are mostly done at the local CAMEC hospital in Rosario. Specialists from MVD, Bs As and other places visit the hospital weekly or fortnightly which saves the patient travelling to distant places for consultations. I'm generally delighted with the services we get. They are much better than those on offer from the British National Health Service. |
| "Haven't used yet, but"
from all I've seen, I agree with Alberto and Patrick completely. It is a better setup than the U.S. and England by far. Unless you want something addictive you can get it at any Pharmacy. If you need Dental, however, it isn't covered by any plan that I'm aware of. That said, Dental rates are low here and the Science seems to be about the same level as the States. If you're on a tight budget here you can go to the Facultad for Dental work. There, you only pay for the things you get and nothing for the students to practice on you, hehe. I've heard good things about Medica Uruguaya as a plan, and will likely get that one myself under my BPS option. It seems best since I'm in my 60's.~Peter |
Comment #809/21/10 12:43Rural east Colonia departmento | "Dental"
CAMEC offers subsidized dental services but the surgeries are in Rosario and Juan L Lacaze so I use the lovely Myrna who operates the local private surgery here in Colonia Valdense at VERY reasonable prices.A thorough teeth cleaning session costs 400 pesos, a filling 400 pesos and a difficult extraction c/w local anaesthetic 650 pesos. I had a couple of crowns done last year. Prices varied according to the poshness of the crown in question... a cheapo metal jobbie was 950 pesos, a tooth-coloured version was 1, 800 pesos and a 5 star color-coordinated one 4, 300 pesos. All in all, the costs are very reasonable in my view. |
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