My Doctors Visit in New Zealand
Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 5:49 pm
I had to visit a local doctor here in the village of Mapua, New Zealand last Monday for a cut on my forearm. It was a nice clinic staffed with three docs in General Practice that rotate the days that they are available. My doc Wood was a pleasant female that knew the doctor that I had visited in Christchurch two years ago. We spent 15 minutes together and she fixed my forearm up just fine.
Had I been a visiting Austrailan or a resident, the office visit would have cost me $31 NZD ($21.70 USD) instead I had to pay $72.00 NZD ($50.40 USD), still a bargain. I will keep the receipt and get reimbursed from my Supplemental US Heath Care Provider. Although I am old enough for Medicare, they do not pay outside the U.S. Several years ago I had my left knee operated on to remove torn cartilage. The surgery was performed by a very competent Orthopaedic Surgeon at about half the cost of what it would have cost in the USA. I paid for it with my Visa and was reimbursed when I got back to the U.S. by my private insurance carrier. I mention these two incidents (and there are others) not to critizize or compare NZ and US health systems. Bear in mind that a country of only 4 million people can and does operate a bit differently. One thing I have discovered in my travels is that there are always people complaining about their health care no matter what form it takes. The U.S. will undoubtedly have a major health care change at some point and there will be good things and bad things about it and you can bet your sweet a-- that there will be praise and complaints. Such is life.
Had I been a visiting Austrailan or a resident, the office visit would have cost me $31 NZD ($21.70 USD) instead I had to pay $72.00 NZD ($50.40 USD), still a bargain. I will keep the receipt and get reimbursed from my Supplemental US Heath Care Provider. Although I am old enough for Medicare, they do not pay outside the U.S. Several years ago I had my left knee operated on to remove torn cartilage. The surgery was performed by a very competent Orthopaedic Surgeon at about half the cost of what it would have cost in the USA. I paid for it with my Visa and was reimbursed when I got back to the U.S. by my private insurance carrier. I mention these two incidents (and there are others) not to critizize or compare NZ and US health systems. Bear in mind that a country of only 4 million people can and does operate a bit differently. One thing I have discovered in my travels is that there are always people complaining about their health care no matter what form it takes. The U.S. will undoubtedly have a major health care change at some point and there will be good things and bad things about it and you can bet your sweet a-- that there will be praise and complaints. Such is life.