Our Partner Costa Rica Cardiologist, a Specialist in Intervention Medicine, Recommends New Technology

Press release by Richard Jordan, PR Coordinator for NC Medical Travel
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kathy Jordan, 336-608-5636

San Jose, Costa Rica: August 28, 2015 –  The technology is the coronary calcium score, which allows doctors to measure a patients' risk of heart problems with an unheard of degree of accuracy. This test also enables the doctor to pinpoint the diseased area and apply targeted treatment. It takes the power of the CAT scan and directs it toward heart disease.

I accidentally had lunch with Dr. Vladimir Putvinsky today. I was working in the breakroom on my laptop, and he rushed in for a quick lunch between patients with the respected national soccar (futbol) league. (As an aside, that's a beautiful illustration of why NC Medical Travel does something special here -- interacting with doctors daily on behalf of USA patients)

He was telling me all about his prize of preventative medicine. It's the only such machine in all of Latin America, and its potential for prevention of heart disease is outstanding. He has a right to be proud.

This technology is not completely new. It is merely new enough that about half of USA insurance companies do not recognize it was a valid expense, despite its life-saving potential. It is also certainly not experimental. Basically nothing in Costa Rica is. USDA-standard medicine is the hallmark of Costa Rica, with so many of their doctors trained in the USA or Europe. 

In the USA such a test runs a person about $1,500, according to get.smarter.com as reported in U.S. News and World Report (as of 2015). Moreover, there's usually a hefty co-pay.
In Costa Rica, the same test is around $300.
Our partner hospital DOES accept insurance! It just requires an upfront deposit.
For $300, that's no major thing. Unless it saves someone's life.

Dr. Putvinsky's video showing off his prize equipment is at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_d5U7GC_8Q

Learn more about USA prices here:
http://get.smarter.com/qa/health/much-ct-heart-scans-cost-3180f7c458e4204e?ad=semD&an=google_s&am=broad&ap=google.com&o=33310#

About NC Medical Travel to Costa Rica:
NC Medical Travel (internationally known as DentaRica) is a USA-based company with an open-to-the-public office in Clemmons, NC. They help both individuals and businesses to significantly reduce costs for healthcare. They make the cost savings of medical travel convenient and much safer than unaided medical tourism through various means, including finding trustworthy Costa Rican partners, performing background checks on these partners, setting up appointments, answering questions from USA residents, and when needed guiding their guests personally.
Their website is www.ncmedicaltravel.com/

About Unibe Hospital:
Clinica Unibe is a hospital located in sunny Costa Rica, in the capital city, San Jose. Their facility has all the required Costa Rican Ministry of Health permits, plus they have had the AAAASF accreditation since 2010. Unibe Hospital was the first such facility in Costa Rica to receive the honor of AAAASF accreditation.

Their website is www.clinicaunibe.net/

Good Samaritan's trip just concluded

Press release by Richard Jordan, PR Coordinator for NC Medical Travel
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Richard Jordan, 336-608-5636

Clemmons, NC, March 7, 2015 –  Staff from NC Medical Travel took five USA citizens on a medical trip to Costa Rica and their healthcare partners. Many of the travellers arranged their travel on the same flights, and along with CEO Kathy Jordan left March 3, 2015. For Kathy, this trip was very much about being a Good Samaritan and helping people in need.  This was not a cost-effective venture for the company, but it was the right thing to do, and in the end she made a tangible difference in people's lives.

One patient had personal difficulties and needed a travel companion (she and Kathy ended up driving to the airport together). Kathy re-arranged her schedule to accommodate these needs, despite the fact it reduced the trip for Kathy to one night in Costa Rica. Another patient needed a artificial limb, which the company's partners did not do. Kathy found this man a Costa Rican provider with a good reputation, and made him part of the group, although he was not actually doing business with NC Medical Travel, per se. Another patient had a nursing infant, and Kathy made sure her arrangements included an hotel room on the first floor and with room for a crib. The other patients, while doing valued business with NC Medical Travel, did not in themselves create a cost-effective trip.

But Kathy knows she did the right thing. Samaritan members are frequently missionaries and church workers who contribute so much to others, and so Kathy feels blessed to be of service to them. She further enjoyed the fellowship and joined the travellers for eating out and shopping.

Four of the five travellers were members of Samaritan Healthcare Ministries, a cost-sharing alternative to the healthcare marketplace often referred to as ObamaCare. In this case, these Samaritan members did not have healthcare needs which would be cost-shared according to guidelines of the ministry. They were effectively self-pay patients, and in the USA were facing challenging costs. Challenging is a generous term, as the simple truth is many people end up choosing to do without healthcare they need badly.

By travelling to Costa Rica, all these patients (Samaritan or not, dental or medical, North Carolina or South Dakota) saved large sums, obtained medical they might otherwise have done without, and received world-class healthcare for a fraction of the cost compared to the USA.

About NC Medical Travel:
NC Medical Travel (known internationally as DentaRica and MediRica) is a USA-­based company
with an open-­to-­the-­public office in Clemmons, NC. They make medical travel convenient and
much safer than unassisted medical tourism through various means, including finding trustworthy
Costa Rican partners, performing background checks on these partners, setting up appointments,
answering questions from USA residents, and when needed guiding their guests personally.
Their website is www.ncmedicaltravel.com.

About Samaritan Ministries International:
Samaritan Ministries is a cost-­sharing Christian group whose members volunteer to help fellow
members with medical bills according to Guidelines adopted by the members. Building on a
foundation of trust, compassion, and Christian values, Samaritan is an eligible option under the
national health care law.
Their website is www.samaritanministries.org.

Helping with Medical Costs --­ Health Care Ministry Publishes Article about NC Man's Surgery in Costa Rica

Press release by Richard Jordan, PR Coordinator for NC Medical Travel
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Richard Jordan, 336-608-5636

Clemmons, NC, Feb. 4, 2015 – An article in the February issue of the Samaritan Ministries
Christian Health Care Newsletter details NC Medical Travel staffer Richard Jordan’s cost ­effective
major surgery ... in Costa Rica.

The article, by newsletter assistant editor Jed Stuber, chronicles Jordan’s kidney stone surgery in
December 2014. It also explains how his medical bills were processed and approved as publishable
by Samaritan Ministries, a health care sharing ministry.

You can read it here:
http://www.dentarica.blogspot.com/2015/02/we-are-published-read-online-version-of.html

Jordan’s PCNL surgery at UNIBE Hospital in Costa Rica was performed by Dr. Roy Lopez and his team. In the U.S., the procedure would have cost around $38,000. His Costa Rican bill, including flights, recovery center stay, meals and lodging for 5 nights, and fees, was $12,000. Just as important, if not more so, Jordan says the quality of the health care was excellent, especially since he sacrificed nothing except time and "leg­work."

Hopefully Richard's experience will bring an option to the attention of many Americans that they
may have not considered. He is grateful for the opportunity and outcome. As a staff member of NC Medical Travel himself, he was already confident in Costa Rican healthcare and UNIBE Hospital. He had not expected the personal involvement, however.

About NC Medical Travel:
NC Medical Travel (known internationally as DentaRica and MediRica) is a USA-­based company
with an open-­to-­the-­public office in Clemmons, NC. They make medical travel convenient and
much safer than unassisted medical tourism through various means, including finding trustworthy
Costa Rican partners, performing background checks on these partners, setting up appointments,
answering questions from USA residents, and when needed guiding their guests personally.
Their website is www.ncmedicaltravel.com.

About Samaritan Ministries International:
Samaritan Ministries is a cost-­sharing Christian group whose members volunteer to help fellow
members with medical bills according to Guidelines adopted by the members. Building on a
foundation of trust, compassion, and Christian values, Samaritan is an eligible option under the
national health care law.
Their website is www.samaritanministries.org.

http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/6662275511.html

For publication at www.christiannewswire.com

Helping with Medical Costs - Samaritan Healthcare Ministries Publishes Article about NC Man's Surgery in Costa Rica
Press release by Richard Jordan, PR Coordinator for NC Medical Travel

Clemmons, NC, Feb 4 2015 -- In December 2014, Samaritan member Richard Jordan decided to have a major surgery performed in Costa Rica. In January, his medical bills were processed and approved as publishable by Samaritan Ministries Christian Healthcare Newsletter. In February, an article has been released in both print and online written by Jed Stuber.

You can read it here:
http://www.dentarica.blogspot.com/2015/02/we-are-published-read-online-version-of.html

Richard had his PCNL surgery at UNIBE Hospital in Costa Rica performed by Dr. Lopez and his team . In the U.S., he could have expected a bill of around $38,000. His Costa Rican bill (including flights, recovery center stay, meals and lodging for 5 nights, and fees) was $12,000.  Just as important, if not more so, he feels the quality of the healthcare was excellent (and he sacrificed nothing except time and "leg-work").

Richard's experience may be able to offer an option that many Americans have not considered. He feels very grateful for the experience. As a staff member of NC Medical Travel himself, he was already confident in Costa Rican healthcare and UNIBE. He had not expected the personal involvement, however.

About NC Medical Travel:
NC Medical Travel (known internationally as DentaRica and MediRica) is a USA-based company with an open-to-the-public office in Clemmons, NC. They make medical travel convenient and much safer than unassisted medical tourism through various means, including finding trustworthy Costa Rican partners, performing background checks on these partners, setting up appointments, answering questions from USA residents, and when needed guiding their guests personally.
Their website is www.ncmedicaltravel.com/

About Samaritan Ministries Christian Healthcare newsletter:
Samaritan Ministries, Intl, is a cost-sharing Christian group, whose members volunteer to help fellow members with medical bills according to Guidelines adopted by the members. Building on a foundation of trust, compassion, and Christian values, Samaritan is an eligible option under the national healthcare law.
Their website is www.samaritanministries.org/

UNIBE offers advanced prostate treatments; only 3 such machines in USA

UNIBE Hospital in Costa Rica has recently acquired one of the most advanced pieces of medical technology available. They are proud to have a device only seen at 3 sites in the USA.

It is the Greenlight Laser, used in the Greenlight Laser PVP (Photoselective Vaporitzation of the Prostate). It is described here:
http://www.roboticoncology.com/greenlight-laser/

This advanced treatment for enlarged prostate conditions is available to USA patients via their travel consultants at NC Medical Travel (also known as DentaRica and MediRica).

NC Medical Travel helps remove the guesswork from the lives of international patients from the USA. With an office in Clemmons, N.C., they are just a phone call away with no hassle internationally. A patient who is worried about a prostate problem (or many other medical worries) does not have the time or luxury for travel mistakes.

We are published! READ online version of print article!

For their February 2015 edition, Samaritan Ministries Christian Healthcare Newsletter has published TWO excellent articles this month about their members going to Costa Rica for affordable quality healthcare. They all went through our company, NC Medical Travel, who has now become experienced with the Samaritan system of processing needs.

READ: Member saves by having kidney stone surgery in Costa Rica (by Jed Stuber)
 http://samaritanministries.org/fly-little-save-lot-keeping-monthly-share-low/
and
READ: Members combine medical tests with Costa Rican vacation (by Jed Stuber)
http://samaritanministries.org/members-combine-medical-tests-costa-rican-vacation/

and
WATCH: Richard's Kidney Stone Surgery Trip to Costa Rica
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHfE1k64_Jo

Samaritan YouTube and podcast links for UNIBE hospital in Costa Rica

Richard's Kidney Stone PCNL surgery in Costa Rica (5:01)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHfE1k64_Jo

Cathy's Samaritan patient testimoney (7:19)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S9IVVZZiX0

One Family's Story with Samaritan - NOT Costa Rica (2:06)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yInC9lng2HQ

Samaritan helps Biblical Companies and Ministries - NOT Costa Rica (4:25)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKOEdnuE1Jk

Listen to podcast - Steven's patient testimonial
http://healthcareelsewhere.com/2014/05/20/32-traveling-to-costa-rica-for-annual-checkups-with-steven-strotman/