The Cozumel Sun News October 10, 2017

In this issue information relevant to part three of the U.S. Consulate General Town Hall Meeting and Passport Fair held on September 22, 2017.

In attendance where representatives from International Hospital, Cozumel Islamed Hospital, San Miguel Hospital, and Cozumel General Hospital. There was a problem hearing all the names and who they represented, among the attendees where familiar faces like Deborah Bollag, Dr. Willma Padilla Barbosa, and Dr. Eduardo Garcia Magaña. Also in Attendance were our two Cozumel English speaking Insurance Agents Cecilia Desire Sanroman Aranda and Irma Portilla de Cantarell.

There are three important things everyone needs to do regardless if you are a visitor, part time resident or full time resident.

• The first important thing to do is to make certain that you have medical insurance that will provide coverage to you in Cozumel.  (It is a must to have DAN insurance coverage if you are a diver, they cover everything and all the hospitals accept them.)
• Once you have insurance coverage, be very clear what it covers and where it is accepted. Pick your provider in Cozumel! This is the hospital that you designate an ambulance to take you to in emergencies.
• Have completed Emergency Contact Cards in strategic locations and keep them and your contacts updated on any changes.

Cozumel Hospitals and Clinics

All doctors, hospitals or medical facilities, public or private, will require full payment for services to be rendered, in cash or by credit card, at the time of service.  Most are NOT able to bill your US insurance company for payment.  At least one is affiliated to a United States Chain and will accept United States insurance.

Some will charge your credit card as a guarantee of payment by your insurer. Some will require that you pay in full and request reimbursement from your insurance carrier; be sure to get an itemized bill.

Have knowledge of what your health insurance covers and where. Many insurance companies will provide coverage in a foreign country, but only on an emergency basis if you are on vacation. If you are a part time resident, they might not provide coverage.

We have had many cases of U.S. citizens not allowed to discharge from local hospitals until payment is made in full or acceptable payment arrangements.

Check out the many options of insurance that are available in Cozumel. Contact one of the two insurance agents listed in The Cozumel Sun for the private insurance companies.

Cozumel Insurance
Calle 14 Entre 15 y 20
Cecilia Desire Sanroman Aranda
Independent Licensed Insurance Agent / Asesor
desiresanromanda@gmail.com
987-872-6212

CP Seguro Insurance
Irma Portilla de Cantarell
Asesor en Seguros
Calle 11 between 25 & 30 Ave. No. #598
ima@seguroscantarell.com
987-871-9415

There are two Government funded insurance options available Seguro Popular (Free for low Income Residents) and IMSS Insurance. Check out Cozumel Health Insurance in The Cozumel Sun at https://www.thecozumelsun.com/cozumel-business-directory/health-insurance/.

If you believe you are being charged unfairly, you may contact the Mexican government consumer rights protection agency, PROFECO or call 01-800-468-8722 and ask for an English-speaking operator).

Medicare and Medicaid will NOT cover medical expenses incurred outside of the U.S.  For more information, please visit the Official Medicare website and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Many policies do NOT cover costs of air ambulance service. Additional insurance that will cover air ambulance/medevac service is strongly recommended for all travelers. It is a good idea to get a 24/7 phone number from your insurance carrier.

The area code for Cozumel phone numbers is 987. To call from the U.S. to land lines in Mexico, dial 011-52- and the area code and number. For example, to call the BMM SSS Clinic from the U.S. dial 011-52-987-872-1430. To call from the U.S. to cell phones in Mexico, dial 011-521- and the area code and number. If the call does not go through, dial 011-52- and the area code and the number as it may be a Nextel cell phone, which acts as a land line.

All clinics listed (except Centro de Salud and Cruz Roja) have at least one English speaking doctor on call for tourists. Most hotels will have a list of these doctors at the front desk or have a particular doctor that they can call for you.

 

Amerimed Cozumel Islamed
Calle 85 Esq. Adolfo Rosado Salas
Colonia Ricardo Flores Magon
987-869-5555
www.amerimedcozumel.com

Centro Medico de Cozumel (CMC)
1st South & 50th Ave.
987-872-5664

Clinica de Issste
1 South & 60^th Ave.
987-872 0359
You must have Issste Insurance

Clínica Médica San Miguel
Calle 6 North #132 entre 5 y 10 Avenida
987-872-0103

Clínica Villanueva
10 Ave.# 19 at 6 North
987-872-0395

Cozumel Cruz Roja Mexicana
65 Ave. & 25th Street
987-872-1058
Treatment for donation

Cozumel General Hospital
11 Sur y 20 Ave Sur
987-872-5182

Hiperbárica de Cozumel
6 No. Entre Aves. 5 & 10
987-872-3070

IMSS
11 Ave. between 30^th & 35^th
987-872-0222
You must have IMSS Insurance

International Hospital
5^th Street South between Avenues Melgar & 5^th
(52) 987 872 1430

Cozumel Emergency Contact

The Emergency Contact Card is totally different than the arrangements that you make in your will in the event of your death. The arrangements that you make in case of your death is to make things easier for your loved ones, and to make certain that your assets are distributed per your instructions. This is more important, what happens if you are ill and incapacitated, can affect the quality of the rest of your life.

This person or persons should live here on the island. There should be more than one, in the event you have an emergency while your first choice is on vacation, or was with you in the same car accident. (This will typically be the case if your emergency Contact is your spouse or significant other that lives with you in Cozumel).

Copies of an” In Case of Emergency Card” should be in YOUR CAR, MOTO, WALLET / PURSE, and taped next to the telephone in your HOME in the event the emergency happens at home. Do not forget allergies, blood type and medical conditions!

Add your hospital preference! Remember, in Cozumel we are having the ambulance drivers compete to get patients to designated hospitals. You do not want to have coverage at IMSS or General Hospital and wake up with a huge bill at a different hospital!  This in-case-of-emergency card should be typed in SPANISH & ENGLISH with the names and contact information of your emergency Contacts.

The EMERGENCY CONTACT should have the knowledge and ability to:

Contact your family back home, & your Power of Attorney, etc.

Schedule themselves and others to remain by your side until your family arrives from abroad. Family members and friends are expected to be with the loved ones in most Mexican Hospital to assist with the care of the patient. This is toileting, bathing, feeding, and changing diapers, etc. It is also important if there is a language barrier.

• Have knowledge and access to the whereabouts of all your documents.
• Have access to your home to care for or arrange for the care for your pets.
• Have knowledge of your home in case it needs to be locked up indefinitely or prepared for severe weather.

If this person happens to also be your Power of Attorney, they should have a means of accessing funds through a debit card.  If you have not designated a friend or Family member back home to be your Power of Attorney, with the legal document translated Officially and Notarized in Mexico, you better find someone you trust here to be your Power of Attorney. Here are some reasons why:

It is not uncommon in Mexico to have a patient’s family purchase medication not in-stock or have laboratory or other test done by another institution that requires pre-payment.

There are some insurance policies that do not cover all procedures. Those not covered will require payment.

In addition to hospital expenses, are there household employees (maid, gardener, pool guy) that will need to be paid? Will your pet or pets need money on hand for food or care?

If you are single and/or living alone:

Do you wish to stop all housekeeping, pool service, laundry service? These people will need to receive their final payment, or have someone in-charge of continuing to pay them in your absence.

What do you want to happen in your Contracted Services if you will be in the hospital long term or returned to your home country for treatment?

If instructed, the Power of Attorney will be able to turn off your cable service, telephone service, and internet service. These services will only close the account once they receive payment in full for what is owed to them.

Now, these are things that I have come up with based on a household only. If you have a business here in Mexico, you will need to think through and make arrangements to have all your bases covered within the business.

The Cozumel Sun Garage Sale

The Sun Garage Sale was started as a means to collect gently used clothing and goods to be donated to the poor and/or sold at low cost to raise funds for our many projects in Las Fincas and our immediate neighborhood.

WE ARE REMODELING:

I am in the process of remodeling our front terrace/entryway into a permanent area for the garage sale. It has been difficult finding storage space that does not disrupt the household. Bringing the merchandise out and setting up the display is hard, many times having to repack it due to weather. The work involved and weather condition has limited the number of days I can have the sale. (Mind you this is a one person operation.)

The remodeling will enable us to be open daily to the public. I am putting in a high roof and will need to remodel the front section accordingly for security. The rain has prevented us from making any progress in weeks, and preventing us from raising funds when we most need it. I have been attempting to sell larger items pn Facebook.

We have had so many families in the immediate neighborhood without the funds to pay for school supplies, uniforms, and enrollment fees.  We cannot turn down helping a child with educational expenses. We continue our effort to help as many people in need as our resources allow. We do not give money for food, we buy food and supplies, or right out feed anyone in need.  PLEASE assist us by donating your gently used clothing and household goods or make a cash donation.

Drop off the items you no longer use or need at our home/store #1081 35 Avenida between Calles 17 & 15 Bis. You can also call at 987-118-4453 or 987-120-5903 to arrange a pick up at your home. All Clothing, Housewares, Furniture, Appliances, etc. will be greatly appreciated. Your donations or proceeds from your donations are guaranteed to go towards a family in need.