A simple solution for making medical expenses less costly and much more pleasant, take your "medical vacation" in South Africa! Come here for the excellent care, and while tests are being done and procedures scheduled, enjoy the great views and low cost foods and the fabulous hospitality that is so much a part of this culture. REALLY!
We left Salone May 11th, were "stuck" two days in Accra Ghana, then missed all of our first week's appointments. No worries! When you explain to the Doctors here that you have less than two weeks to get everything done, they HELP rush you through the system!
And they take LOTS of time with you, talking about what is happening as we age, what changes to expect, ...think American Doctor visits from the 1960's or so, not rushed, not feeling like a number in their system.
I will try to post final costs if anyone out there wants to know, but to give you a hint of how much less it all costs, the lab fee for my PAPS was $35.00 US. Our dental visits with x-rays and cleanings were under $200.00 for both of us. Total!! Not co-pay, those are absolute costs! Something has gone seriously wrong with the insurance and lawyers in America keeping the Doctors and their patients so far apart! Nope, I do not believe the Government can fix it, I don't believe they have the know how to fix much of anything!
But back to my original premise, the best health care for the cheapest price is here in South Africa! I know hardly anyone will make the visit, but we feel so fortunate to have been able to do it this year. And we are leaving early enough to miss the World Cup crowd, but we have seen some of the mania! So happy for South Africa in it all.