| Message/Author |
|
|
Rambo
Member posted on Friday, October 30, 2009 - 06:49 pm
|
|
Post Number: 5753
Registered: 06-2006
|
|
|
Jamaican Health Care is the same price as anywhere in the world,............. the more money you got, the quicker the action, deeper the investigation,and the quicker you get back to Health.......
Nothing is FREE.....nothing...
"I learned during the 60's, that the greatest discovery of my generation is, that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes"
|
|
|
jajewel
Member posted on Friday, October 30, 2009 - 08:17 pm
|
|
|
Post Number: 526
Registered: 07-2007
|
|
|
When you go to a "free" clinic in Jamaica, it has been my experiance that it ia an "all day" ting (6 hrs.) make sure to pack a lunch!
JAMAICA....NOTHING is as it seems!
|
|
|
jajewel
Member posted on Friday, October 30, 2009 - 08:23 pm
|
|
|
Post Number: 527
Registered: 07-2007
|
|
|
As someone else pointed out (Rhonda, I think) meds are free IF the hospital has them in stock, if not, they must be purchased at a pharmacy.....sometimes the dollas just don't stretch far enuff. The actual cost of a doctors visit in Ja. is about $2,000. much less than in the US, but if you don't have the money, it really doesn't matter.
The clinics are free but you do have to get there & then spend the better part of the day waiting...it is what it is.
JAMAICA....NOTHING is as it seems!
|
|
|
Rob Graves
Moderator posted on Friday, October 30, 2009 - 08:44 pm
|
|
Post Number: 2152
Registered: 08-2006
|
|
|
As mentioned earlier, the government is still in the process of "fine tuning" the public health care in Jamaica. Just this past August the government has decided to include prescriptions at no cost for what is referred to as vital essential and necessary drugs (VEN). This service will be available at all public sector pharmacies and some private ones as well.
Once again, you will need to have a health card to be able to qualify for this and other health services.
Those with family and friends in Jamaica should be aware that the health care situation is changing often as the government refines the program. Please keep checking the Jamaica Gleaner website for the latest news. Here is a link to this new program's news article in August:
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090821/news/news9.html
RealNegril.com - Live webcasts and chats from Jamaica!
|
|
|
suzen grace
Member posted on Friday, October 30, 2009 - 08:52 pm
|
|
Post Number: 176
Registered: 12-2008
|
|
|
Begin. of Oct. I had a pretty good motorcycle accident while in Little London(sprained ankle,lots of deep scrapes,etc) Not too serious but enough to go to the clinic at Hi-Lo shopping center and see Dr. Grant..I waited about 30mins,the clinic has nothing high-tech but was clean and the Dr had excellent bedside manners.I got a shot and scribe for 3 prescriptions-
the cost was about $50USD and the 3 scripts (at the pharmacy in hi-lo center) was about $40.USD..Not bad at all(and I work in the health care field)
I will say that I always purchase travel insurance -that extra $40. spent is peace-of-mind,had my injury been more serious it would have got me out of Jam. and to the states (Mia.most likely.)
I also will add that many Jamaicans(and total strangers at the the time) came to my aid and went out-of-their way to help when I was injured-and even checked up on me on the following days.. |
|
|
Expert
Member posted on Friday, October 30, 2009 - 10:10 pm
|
|
|
Post Number: 388
Registered: 03-2008
|
|
|
Dr. Grant is very nice. Her 'new' clinic is not 'THE REASON', as stated here, for the old one closing on Norman Manley Boulevard. That was just Dr. Radomski way of telling people where else they can go if they show up at his former clinic and need help.
Monk stated very nicely-all strong and valid points.
You cannot use the health card anywhere-just at certain 'public' hospitals, or clinics as they are called. If a clinic, there is no true organization. You get there at some ungodly hour in the morning, take a ticket, wait all day-and I mean all day. Then you get precription written. If it is for example past 2 or 3:00 pm, the pharmacy will tell you it is too late and you have to come back tomorrow. ('too busy'). Also, they may not even have the product and you are SOL. You get it where you can and that means paying for it.
The hospital is a whole another disaster-You know what? Ask any of your Jamaican friends their thoughts on the matter. I am not lying or comparing. I wish it was different but right now it is not.
The doctors, especially specialists are completely blocked up. Sometimes (like once per week or once per month) a specialist will come down to SAV or Royal or something. So..you wait.
I mean if anyone really reads the papers, recently Jamaica's own elected officials flew off the island from Kingston to Miami for health matters-turned out to be gall stones.
I think it was Renee who asked if we are really comparing first to 3rd world? I am not.. There are many times in many aspects that '3rd world' is better..just not in health care department. Although my point was not to compare them anyway. There is a huge problem with it that some just want to pretend it does not exist.Bringing it to the surface can only make it better-as I said take a page from Shaggy'sr recent benefit in Kingston where all of the who's who and more got invovled and raised 4.5 mil JMD to buy needed equipment. You can find links to the commercial should you choose to to see I am not just blowing smoke out of my mouth. It was not a case of just being generous-it is about necessity. It was based on the Imagine Helping principle (imagine yourself not having standard equipement).
Finally someone sweetsop-said the heatlh system is better in Jamaica and they would prefer to be there for it. First, I would say to experience it first before you say it. (in terms or a serious problem). You asked how can I or anyone be critical-I live it, know it and have friends that work in it. I have had myself lived it as well as family and friends live it. But I will say, I do agree with you about the US in some parts of the country. THen again, if one lives in the sticks, it is to be expected. Distance.
I agree it is better in some ways-IF YOU go to a private doctor (if one is around). You get better time spent with you, cost is less, etc. But, for anything that is not run of the mill or a true true emergency....don't kid yourself. I've had experience with multilpe systems/countries....and since this is a Jamaica board...take the first world out of the picture (which I never brought up anyway-) Jamaica unfortunately needs alot of work...
Again, I am not talking scrapes and broken bones, for example. I have no problem with it in those cases. If you read the observer, whenever this comes up read the comments from locals...
anyway, enough ranting tonight. I won't sugar coat anything about it though. |
|
|
AlexandraB
Member posted on Saturday, October 31, 2009 - 01:02 am
|
|
|
Post Number: 1
Registered: 10-2009
|
|
|
Some parts of the health care are good and some not so good, just like most benefits!
My Husband got a hit by a car in 2006 right outside of Alfred's, along with 15 other people. It took the ambulance 35 minutes to show up, and then it didn't even want to take anyone to the hospital! My Husband was knocked unconscious, dislocated his shoulder and broke his arm.... after he came too, the ambulance had already left and he had to hitch a ride from a friend all the way to Sav. Where they made him wait for 12 hours (in thriving pain mind you) before they even looked at him! Once they looked at him, they made him stand against a wall, and the doctor threw his entire body weight into my husband's shoulder to knock it back in place, with no pain medicine, resulting in my husband urinating all over himself from the pain. Because keep in mind, that same arm was broken in half. After the Doctor put the shoulder back in place he HANDED, please read that again HANDED, my Husband an ACE bandage and clips and told him to have a friend wrap up his broken arm!!! And sent him home, with no pain meds or anything!
I sent him to Mo-Bay Hope, where they told me that my husband's arm would never heal without an $18,000 US surgery where he would need tons of metal plates and screws in his arm. I then sent him to Kingston, please remember that no one gave him any pain medication and his broken arm is swelling more and more with each day, and it's in a fricken ace bandage. In Kingston, they told me the same thing that Mo-Bay Hope told me.
So I called the Consulate at the US Embassy ( I had already filed for him 4 months earlier) explained the situation to them and had his paper's expedited. He arrived in the US 2 weeks after his accident, I rushed him to a hospital that same night, explained everything to them, only to find out that the bone that he broke is the EASIEST BONE IN THE BODY to heal without surgery!!! Isn't that bizarre? They put the bone back in place, which NONE of the doctors in Jamaica even ATTEMPTED to do. Then gave him a very tight brace that velcroed shut and told him to keep it straight down to his side. It healed in 3 and half weeks.
My second story... When I had a UTI, I was in and out of a Clinic with meds cheaper and better then the ones in the US! But when my 6 week old child got horribly ill on a Sunday morning, well we were out of luck. Every place was closed, we called 6 doctors, she had some light pink fluid coming from her ears and had this horrible sounding cough coming from her, we ended up having to drive to MO BAY, where they prescribed some bizarre medication that gave my daughter hives, thus resulting in me going to Sav on Monday...
I'm sure people have wonderful stories about health care in Jamaica. There are goods and bads, nothing is perfect. But the truth is better then trying to sweep it under the rug. They still need help. They aren't nearly as developed as we are used too, which why would they be? It's a 3rd world country.
It's exciting that they are trying to implement a free health care system in JA, but it is not available to everyone. It is only in Kingston as of right now from what I heard from my Sister in Law last week. My 1 year old Nephew stuck his hand in boiling water on the fire last week, and they were over in the Trelawny area, and there is no where for my Sister in Law to go, the child has been in the hospital for a week with 3rd degree burns, and they are refusing to further treat this child until they get more money... so believe me it needs more then "tweaks". |
|
|
jessa
Member posted on Saturday, October 31, 2009 - 01:50 am
|
|
Post Number: 1484
Registered: 05-2009
|
|
|
My God that is horrible. I only hope and pray that more people get involved in order to try and make things better. Sometimes one can only do what one can do, but if that is all one can do, then do at least that.
http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5801
|
|
|
wit
Member posted on Saturday, October 31, 2009 - 09:00 am
|
|
Post Number: 551
Registered: 12-2008
|
|
|
suzen....my point exactly...$50 plus $40 is TWO WEEKS WAGES there. Cheap? not for them.
We make a Living by what we get, We make a Life by what we give.
|
|
|
jajewel
Member posted on Saturday, October 31, 2009 - 12:25 pm
|
|
|
Post Number: 529
Registered: 07-2007
|
|
|
The hospital in Falmouth is free, at least that has been my experience in taking my husband there....also meds that are gotton from the hosp. pharmacy are free IF they have them and they DON'T have everything, so sometimes you have to go to a pharmacy and pay....remember to ask for the "generic" brand which is usually cheaper.....and also, when you go to a free hospital or clinic it IS an all-day affair, no matter how early you get there (appointments really seem to mean nothing)
For the most part Dr. visits at a private Dr. are much cheaper than US prices (In the US, my son's school physical would have been $160....in Jamaica, it was only $50)
JAMAICA....NOTHING is as it seems!
|
|
|
rhonda
Member posted on Saturday, October 31, 2009 - 12:46 pm
|
|
|
Post Number: 504
Registered: 07-2006
|
|
|
wit on: Saturday, October 31, 2009 - 08:00 am, wrote:suzen....my point exactly...$50 plus $40 is TWO WEEKS WAGES there. Cheap? not for them.
this is a great point!
thanks to all who make a point of trying to show the truth of the situation
Monk, JaJewel,Expert,Wit etc
and thanks Rob for answering my questions to the best of your ability
I too have dealt with illness in Jamaica
many years ago
I was in St.Elizabeth, planning to go to Rebel Salute, when all of a sudden I came down with some kind of horrible stomach bug... sick all night until the next day when my friend carried me back to Sav to a clinic
at that time there was no "free" so I did pay
and yes, it being relative, it was not as much for me as if I were to pay at home, but for a local, it was still a lot of money
as JaJewel mentioned, I sat there for the better part of the day until I was seen
that would occur no matter what you came there for
no matter how sick you were
last time I was sick,a bout with food poisoning, never so sick in my life, I this time opted for healing with the bush medicine alone
that is a real plus for some sickness in Jamaica
that, along with a few days rest, healed me
I do hope that soon in time the medical system on the island can undergo some changes to make for better health care
and yes, we here in America need the same as well
lets also hope for preventive measures as well
more education in what one should do to try and avoid these health issues
okay
nuff from me now
good day to all |
|
|
AlexandraB
Member posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 12:55 pm
|
|
|
Post Number: 2
Registered: 10-2009
|
|
|
jajewel on: Saturday, October 31, 2009 - 11:25 am, wrote:The hospital in Falmouth is free
I thought that too, I told my Sister in Law to take her son there after the burns... I have to check with my Husband and see exactly which hospital they are at. All I know is they are having a hell of a time with them, as they are telling her they can't do anything more for the child until they get some sort of payment from her... |
|
|
Expert
Member posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 01:28 pm
|
|
|
Post Number: 389
Registered: 03-2008
|
|
|
Seems like the only ones benefitting from the free health care in Jamaica will be the morgues.
Alexandra I certainly hope your family is at least not in Sav. They will sit there for days. |
|
|
goldilocks
Member posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 01:57 pm
|
|
|
Post Number: 756
Registered: 12-2006
|
|
|
| Oh Alexandra, your poor baby nephew (and Andre! what a nightmare!) Healing prayers and hope baby can get treated soon. |
|
|
debbied
Member posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 02:02 pm
|
|
Post Number: 680
Registered: 09-2006
|
|
|
I visited Dr. Grants office recently and received excellent service and also good follow-up. I would recommend Dr. Grants office and the cost are reasonable. Course the prescriptions were a bit costly, but her charge was very reasonable.
Live Every Day Like There Is No Tomorrow
|
|
|
luvjamaicatexas
Member posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 02:41 pm
|
|
|
Post Number: 69
Registered: 10-2009
|
|
|
| i was told healthcare for children was free..... But this is a true story. One of my friends sons rode on the back of a motorcycle when he was 7 last year july of 2008 and he got his foot caught in the wheel somehow and it chopped his heel off. Well his dad drove him to the Sav hospital and he stayed there for 2 weeks and what they did was let it get infected. The little boy was always in pain. So then he found out that if he had paid some money under the table his son would have gotten better treatment. When he found that out he moved him to Mobay In mobay they CHOPPED a piece of meat and I kid you not the size of a new york steak out of his calf. They told him that it was a skin graph and they were gonna take of the heal and repair in with that. He was in the hospital 6 months. And when I seen the chunk of meat out of his leg I was horrified. It looked like they took a kitchen knife to do the surgery. As for his heel it looked like they just took a slab of skin and stuck it on and hoped it heeled. he got out of the hospital in jan 09 when both cuts were healed. I personally have gone to the clinic in Negril to just get a prescription refill and was treated very well. Iam one of those that will have to worry about health care. But i go through that now here in the US. My husband carrying our ins for 25 years and changing jobs. No one will take us. Son has had a heart condition and had surgery to correct in O2 i had a lump removed in 08 and have reumatoid arthritius. Husband became alergic to paint and has breathing problems so we are SOL anyway. So we just pray a;lot and leave it in God hands. On a good Note another friends mom had to have her leg amputated do to an infection, she also had it done in Mobay, the cut was beautifully healed and she was taken care of very well she stayed in the hospital 3 months and has continued to be doing very well. Maybe healthcare can have its good and bad days.... Sad but it happens everywhere!!!! Not just in Jamaica. Without ins. they will be quick to reject you here. With medicare, medicade welfare your treated like royalty. Sorry for venting |
|
|
AlexandraB
Member posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 03:51 pm
|
|
|
Post Number: 3
Registered: 10-2009
|
|
|
luvjamaicatexas on: Monday, November 02, 2009 - 02:41 pm, wrote:Not just in Jamaica. Without ins. they will be quick to reject you here. With medicare, medicade welfare your treated like royalty. Sorry for venting
So true! Unfortunately.
Expert,
She was visiting family in Trelawny/ St Ann area when this happened to my Nephew, so I am assuming they are still there, which is why I told her to try the Hospital in Falmouth... I'll have to find out more info and see which hospital he is in. He has been there now for almost 2 weeks. And she said his hand looks like it might "stuck in the curled up position" as she put it  |
|
|
jessa
Member posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 05:56 pm
|
|
Post Number: 1506
Registered: 05-2009
|
|
|
I'm sorry I don't want to sound argumentative,but in the past when my children were younger for about two years I was on welfare, and got MediCal, California's state sponsored medicaid. We were treated like anything BUT royalty, and it was nearly impossible even in a large city to find doctor's who would accept that form of payment, and even in an emergency when my son had to go to the hospital in an ambulance, we got to one hospital only to wait hours, and have to take a bus that took two hours to get to another hospital that would treat my son. They wouldn't even give him stitches at the first place, just bandaged him up and told us to go. Please do NOT assume that people on welfare/medicaid/medicare are getting better treatment than others, the exact opposite is true.
And now that I live in a very rural area, even with insurance, adequate medical treatment for any kind of emergency is over an hour away in any given direction. This is why I pray for no accidents, but don't think I will be that much worse off should anything happen to me in Jamaica.
http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5801
|
|
|
luvjamaicatexas
Member posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 06:13 pm
|
|
|
Post Number: 71
Registered: 10-2009
|
|
|
| jessa, I in no way wanted to insult any one. Its is My experience so sorry if you took it that way. Im just saying we had ins. for years and paid big bucks for it. And now NO ONE will take us. My mom Is completeley DISableed as in Paralized and does not (qualify) for ANY kind of help. So believe me I do know what some go through. I guess I just dont like it when you have to lie to get help. Im in the insurance business so I do know how ins. pays and doesnt pay. As for medicade or medicare (in my eyes) if you can qualify honestly your better off. During my first pregnancy I had a 500 ded. and a girl walks in with medicade 8 months preg and they treated her like a queen . Me they told me I must pay my deductable plus the firsts doc bill before I could see him again. and I payed over 500.oo a month on premiums. at My age at the time no one told us of the assitance I could of gotten. So no Iam not putting no one down just My experience sorry jessa an anyone else. I tend to vent a little to much thats why I stay off this chatting. Respect |
|
|
wit
Member posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 06:16 pm
|
|
Post Number: 579
Registered: 12-2008
|
|
|
"but don't think I will be that much worse off should anything happen to me in Jamaica."
ok...I cannot agree with that but I know you don't want to hear it anyways. 
We make a Living by what we get, We make a Life by what we give.
|
|
|
jessa
Member posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 06:23 pm
|
|
Post Number: 1507
Registered: 05-2009
|
|
|
Okay, yeah, it can be worse in Jamaica, will readily concede that. I won't let it stop me from coming though. ;)
And sorry if I came off too harsh, Luvs, was just sharing my experience as well.
I guess we can both agree that the health care system in the US varies widely, and no matter which version of it passes, some kind of reform is desperately needed, and that even if things are bad..they can always be worse.
I bought my travel insurance, as always, and can't even begin to imagine anyone who would travel to Jamaica or any foreign country (or elswhere in the US, for that matter!) without buying it. Even then, I don't plan on taking any unusual risks. I already jumped off the high dive area at Rick's so I don't need to do that again, lol!
http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5801
|
|
|
AlexandraB
Member posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 06:49 pm
|
|
|
Post Number: 4
Registered: 10-2009
|
|
|
jessa on: Monday, November 02, 2009 - 05:56 pm, wrote: and got MediCal, California's state sponsored medicaid.
Wow. See that was my point in my earlier posts, that some people have completely different experiences with the same "situation". My daughter has been on MediCal (we live in Los Angeles) since she was born, and I can say that we have never had any of the problems that you speak of. And she has been a pretty sick kid unfortunately. They even let me use it at an out of state hospital and doctors office!!! I've had nothing but great experiences with them. It's sad to me though how some people don't get to have such good experiences with it.
Where do you live in California? |
|
|
KLII
Member posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 06:56 pm
|
|
|
Post Number: 6
Registered: 10-2009
|
|
|
this entire thread has been completely unnecessary...there are those who want to believe all is well in Ja...well, all is not well...there are many wonderful reasons to visit...but ALL is not well..and health care is one of them. The fact is Ja is a 3rd world country. Its health care is 3rd world plain and simple......If you care for your personal health you do NOT want to get seriously ill there...despite the anectdotal(sp) commentary of great experiences.
Period..plain and simple...it is ok to recognize the shortcomings of the country you love..it is ok.........
Now..I sure hope we do not get a "this thread has reached its conclusion"!!!! |
|
|
jessa
Member posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 07:38 pm
|
|
Post Number: 1514
Registered: 05-2009
|
|
|
I lived in Sacramento at the time, and it was when MediCal was going through a 'transition' phase where you had to find a private insurance and sign into mediCal with that. I did better the months I had it in Ventura county since there was a clinic I could take the kids to to get their shots, and we had no emergencies.
Right now I live in rural Oklahoma and get medical coverage through the VA and the Choctaw nation, which my son gets too. We only get that if we live in certain parts of OK, so now that my daughter moved to TX, she has no insurance at all, and I do worry about that. She is looking for work, so has no health insurance through a job either.
http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5801
|
|
|
Rob Graves
Moderator posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 07:55 pm
|
|
Post Number: 2165
Registered: 08-2006
|
|
|
In this world, it is not "okay" to get seriously ill anywhere. Are not otherwise young, healthy, vibrant people dying from H1N1 even in the North America? "Seriously ill" is a nightmare anywhere, and sometimes the location means nothing. As others have stated rather bluntly, it is what it is.
As many have pointed out, the treatments that are currently available in the world's major cities in the 1st world countries are not always available in the remoter areas of those same countries. Just as the current treatments available in Negril are not the same as the standards of Kingston. This is just a reality of rural living.
I doubt that anyone here believes that health care anywhere on this globe can be described as "all is well", there is always room for improvement and new technologies. This thread to me sounds like some people have what they consider negative experiences and others have had what they consider positive ones. Neither are right or wrong, they are just relating experiences as they can relate to them.
Of course it is okay to reach the conclusion that any country you love, even the one you live in, has its shortcomings. Every country on this planet does have its shortcomings. There is nothing wrong with that. No country is perfect.
The reason this thread has remained open is that there are differing opinions, differing views of exactly the same reality. Some people find waiting all day in a clinic to be seen by a doctor as a major hassle, whereas some people without close access to many doctors find the same experience reasonable and are thankful that it exists. Some are finding out that health care can vary from place to place, even within the same country, parish, province or state. No one is right or wrong, it is as it is and people do have the ability now, thanks to people posting on sites like Negril.com, to find out what the realities are, especially with regards to continued safe travel to Jamaica.
Please maintain helpful, beneficial comments and this thread can remain open. Adversarial posts will close this topic. This thread can be informative to everyone, but only if it remains informative and not combative.
RealNegril.com - Live webcasts and chats from Jamaica!
|
|
|
| Back to top |
