The Ecuador Insider

This article is part 2 of a 3 part series on healthcare providers in Ecuador.

Caution, there are many health care providers and insurance companies in Ecuador, but many of the lesser known ones have been known to try to find small exceptions in order to skip out on paying the larger bills of their clients. For example, if you got in a car accident, they may say you don’t qualify for coverage because the car was speeding at time of accident, and is when getting help from professionals from the Cossé Law Firm LLC is essential to help getting this coverage even after accidents. This is great post to read more about accident attorney.

 To avoid this, I would only recommend working with one of the most established health care insurers of Ecuador: BMI, Salud S.A., Grupo Generali, Cruz Blanca, or AIG. While looking for personal injury lawyers to ensure this doesn’t happen to you.

In Ecuador, most health insurers have a maximum limit payout available per calendar year.

For example, as of the spring of 2010, for a male 18-31, the monthly premiums would be $35.77 for a maximum yearly payout benefit up to $15,800. For a female over 70, the monthly premiums for the same maximum yearly benefit would be $150.82 a month, for a male over 70, $211.15 per month (with Salud S.A.).

Now with the same company, Salud S.A., for yearly coverage up to $84,700, a male over 70 would pay $842 per month premiums and a female over 70 would pay $601.

The health insurance provider BMI offers interesting group rates, starting at $51.30 per month per person for groups from 5-24 people. The interesting thing about this coverage is they don’t have a yearly maximum benefit payout, instead a maximum per incident payout, which for the monthly premium mentioned would be $50,000 per incident.

Every health insurance provider in Ecuador has a list of affiliate clinics, where you will pay only a 10% deductible upon point of treatment. If treated elsewhere the deductible tends to be 20%. Some plans allow you to only pay the deductible, some require you to pay the full amount and then ask for a reimbursement.

With the reputable companies mentioned above, reimbursement is a harmless process that usually takes less than a day for small amounts, and less than 5 business days for large amounts. You will need to fill out a form, and have original copies of the prescription, receipts, bills, and other related documents.

One trick I have learned to ease the process of reimbursement is to work with one of the many insurance brokers in Ecuador.

For no extra fee, a good one will handle all your paperwork and be sure you get a reimbursement and treatment in a timely fashion. You could even call them when you have emergencies (and they would serve as a translator) and they will get someone over to you. For this, I would recommend both English and Spanish speaking Katty Mejer (her details are listed at the end of this report).

Now, if you are over 60 in Ecuador and looking for a new health insurance policy, things get a little sticky. (But that is why you bought this report, right?)

Yes, all the companies mentioned above will cover you for life if you get in before the age of 60, but if you are already over the age of 60, you only have one good option in Ecuador.

For part 3 of this 3 part series click here.

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For those looking for a place with cheap, but high quality health care options, Ecuador just might be for you, but it is vitally important to take into account the few pitfalls that persist and understand how the system works before you come.

In Ecuador there are two basic types of medical facilities, public hospitals and private clinics. The public hospitals are very inexpensive, but also the level of care is very poor, often with long waits, even in emergencies.

Rеhаbіlіtаtіоn іѕ a mеdісаl term thаt dеfіnеѕ a person’s рrосеѕѕ оf regaining lоѕt сараbіlіtіеѕ. When ѕuссеѕѕful, іt allows the patient tо rесоvеr frоm dеbіlіtаtіng іnjurу. Rehabilitation ѕеrvісеѕ саn also be used tо solve mоrе thаn juѕt physical рrоblеmѕ. Various оrgаnіzаtіоnѕ or rеhаbіlіtаtіоn сеntеrѕ wоrk tоwаrdѕ rehabilitating іndіvіduаlѕ ѕuffеrіng frоm аlсоhоlіѕm, drug аddісtіоn аnd mеntаl dіѕеаѕеѕ. Sоmе rehabilitation сеntеrѕ are actively іnvоlvеd іn thе rеhаbіlіtаtіоn of рrіѕоnеrѕ, prostitutes аnd dеѕtіtutе children. You can see this website for more detail about the Bridgeway Care and Rehabilitation Center.

A lоt of rеѕеаrсh іѕ dоnе tо identify thе fасtоrѕ undеrlуіng these addictions. Rehabilitation centers use different methods tо trеаt dіffеrеnt раtіеntѕ. There аrе plenty оf treatment mеthоdѕ to сhооѕе from. Trеаtmеntѕ аrе сuѕtоmіzеd ассоrdіng to a patient’s іllnеѕѕ аnd hіѕtоrу. Thе tіmе required fоr rehabilitation mау vаrу frоm person to реrѕоn. Outраtіеnt trеаtmеnt рrоgrаmѕ are hеlрful fоr patients in the іnіtіаl stages оf аddісtіоn. A раtіеnt wіth a long hіѕtоrу of an аfflісtіоn uѕuаllу rеԛuіrеѕ mоrе tіmе аnd specialized trеаtmеnt. Suсh a patient mау require аttеndіng аn inpatient residential рrоgrаm thаt оffеrѕ аrоund-thе-сlосk treatment in a rеѕіdеntіаl соmmunіtу оf соunѕеlоrѕ and оthеr раtіеntѕ.

For example, I recently had a facial skin treatment done with a local dermatologist, and $30 later, my skin looked and felt 5 years younger.

I also got a teeth cleaning and had a few cavities filled, and $60 later, my mouth never felt better. Never had it been so thoroughly treated in the US.

There are also best private health insurance UK option available, which are highly cost effective and easily available as well as provide coverage to all the serious illness.

Taylor Benefits has been providing Medicare Advantage Plans to people that gives them benefits in future. You will need to sign a contract, but you can opt out whenever you wish with no penalties and even get a reimbursement of prepaid premiums not used.

The Medicare supplement plans cover all types of illnesses and accidents except drug or alcohol related, or mental problems stress related.

In Ecuador, mental problems are not yet seen as real “health problems”.

Also, many plans don’t cover the cost of a wheel chair (if needed) and usually have a limit they will pay for fake limbs.

For people under 60, no medical exams are needed to begin coverage. For people over 60, the medical exam is not too rigorous, just a basic test making sure you don’t have some type of cancer or Aids.

Most health insurance plans also cover 100% of medicines, if issued under a doctor’s prescription, but only if the medicines are generic (not name brand).

In Ecuador, the generic medicines are in huge supply and tend to be identical to the name brand medicines, and at a fraction of the cost.

For part 2 click here… thanks…Domenick

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When the soon-to-be number 1 economy in the world takes notice in a tiny little country like Ecuador, you better listen.

Chinese and Ecuadorian officials announced this week that an enormous loan of $1 billion dollars has been approved and will be given from the Chinese government to the Ecuadorian government.

The money will be used by the Ecuadorian government for governmental projects and state spending.

One stipulation was set that notes that at least 20% of the funds need to be spent on oil projects that directly benefit Chinese companies in Ecuador.

The Ecuador government is notorious world wide for simply not paying loaned money back (aka a high risk play).

Personally, I don’t think the Chinese ever expect to see their money back.

But they are certainly not stupid, I believe they are simply buying friends and leverage (aka power) for some big future plans in Ecuador.

This deal certainly was good for Ecuador, some of the funds will go directly to projects that positively impact investors, like road and bridge construction. One big plus of the current administration NO ONE can deny is that a lot of $$ has been spent in those areas and great strides have been made. Ecuador is more accessible than it was 5 years ago.

So why do you think China is investing BIG in Ecuador? Please leave your thoughts in the comments below…

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Finding a volunteer opportunity in Ecuador is easy, finding one that doesn’t charge you is another story.

Volunteering is an outstanding way to get a look at Ecuador from an Insider’s perspective and really see how people live. It can help you learn Spanish, meet cool people, and experience new things all while helping someone.

The problem is that most foundations down here charge foreigners a pretty hefty fee for the “experience”.

In order to find a program that doesn’t charge you for the volunteer experience you will need to look a little harder.

I wouldn’t even bother looking on the net, the programs you’ll find there are likely to charge you, often around $800 per month for the whole package, food, housing, transport, etc. Not a bad deal, unless your budget is tighter.

In that case, I would recommend you wait until you arrive in Ecuador to look for a volunteer opportunity.

Once in Ecuador, ask your hotel to lend you a local yellow pages where you can find dozens and dozens of non profits and their contact info if you look under “Fundaciones”.

You can call around or visit until you find an opportunity you like that doesn’t charge…

Another idea is to visit the UNICEF offices in Quito. They regulate the non profits that work with kids and can help locate you in a serious organization for no, or a small, fee.

Their office number in Quito is 2 460 330 x2414 or x2413.

Two organizations I recommend in Quito are the PAE which helps street animals and the Fundacion Triangulo which helps kids with disabilities.

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For anyone visiting Ecuador that likes to bike ride, this one is a must!

Did you know you can ride 60 km downhill in one day (about 5-7 hrs) from high in the Andes to the mouth of the Amazon, then catch a bus with your bike back up?

To begin, you need to go to Banos, a beautiful spa town about 4 hours from Quito. There, there are many locales where you can rent a bike for the day for around $5.

With the bike, you need to go to the main road and start your downhill journey (no tour guide needed). Once the Best bike computer is affixed to your bike, you should have no worries of going astray.

80% is downhill, you will pass waterfalls, small pueblos and notice abrupt changes in the surrounding wildlife and vegetation. It is useful to take a poncho in case a sudden rainstorm hits.

The 60 km journey will end in Puyo, a town in the Amazon, where you can catch a bus for a few dollars back up to Banos, putting your bike under the bus. Puyo is located south of Tena and west of Yasuni National Park.

This is a MUST try for anyone who likes being outdoors and riding bikes!

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