I strongly encourage you to read this recent article I found, even if you are only considering a visit to beautiful Costa Rica. It gives you a good idea of the conditions there!
http://www.ticotimes.net/More-news/News-Briefs/Costa-Rica-ranked-best-Central-American-country-for-elderly-retirees-new-report-says_Tuesday-October-08-2013
When you read this article, please keep a few things in mind that they don't mention.
Mostly, these tips I have all boil down to: moving isn't for everybody, and certainly should not be undertaken without a good amount of personal research first, including a few trips there!
DentaRica is pleased we can offer "trial run" trips to Costa Rica as simple vacations, plus perhaps a doctor consultation or a tour of a hospital (on days when you are not visiting a rain forest or museum). This is a great resource, whether you are considering a move or merely wanting to see medical and dental facilities before you decide.
According to AARP, most Americans who move to Costa Rica move back home within one year, but for those willing to adapt to a change in climate and culture and lifestyle, it can be a very beneficial move (in terms of health, happiness, low stress, and even public safety). In my travels around Costa Rica as a tourism destination specialist and medical tourism facilitator, I have met people from the USA (even from my hometown area) trying to "escape" to Costa Rica for a variety of reasons --bad debt, bad marriages, lack of retirement savings, lack of health coverage, etc.
People who are irresponsible and who have poor family relationships in the USA are not likely to have a greater level of personal happiness or improved health in Costa Rica, or anywhere else for that matter.
People who have never traveled to an under-developed county in the past may be dissatisfied. The electrical service goes off at times, and some services such as mail are virtually non existent. The roads are congested and in ill repair partly because of the heavy rains and runoff, and the pedestrian does not have the right of way. The desserts are not sweet, the language is different, and the country is not handicap friendly. Consumer goods (such as appliances) are very expensive, nearly twice the price as in the USA. Real estate is very expensive.
People who have a low degree of mobility or some existing health issues may not be comfortable. As I said, the country in general is not especially handicap friendly. Getting around may be tricky. The health care system there in not entirely free for residents, and most citizens in the USA will have lower payments under the Affordable Care Act if they have a low income. Advantages are the fresh fruit and vegetables, but my local supermarket sells Costa Rica pineapples and bananas, in addition to the locally grown collard greens and cool weather crops. There is a lot of hype about moving to Ecuador, Costa Rica, Brazil, Spain, and any number of countries.
This all being said, one can have a good life in Costa Rica, but no one should read an article and sell their home and move there, as did one senior I recently met from Oregon when I was last there. She needed mobility devices like a scooter, and had health issues, did not speak Spanish and had no family for support. Basic activities for her were extremely difficult while there. These types of people read online articles and then leap into a change of lifestyle with false assumptions and information. Some tour companies will capitalize on someone's ignorance and charge fees to "show them around; introduce them to Costa Rica" and "help them find housing and move" through seminars that cost thousands of dollars.
What needs to be remembered here is that the Tico Times article is addressing which of the Central American countries is best for retirees, and is not looking at the entire spectrum that compares it to elsewhere in the world. I often have to be brutally honest in my business of DentaRica, explaining to people that if they live in the USA, then they are better off living in America and traveling to Costa Rica as a tourist to take advantage of their high quality, low cost healthcare and dental treatments, and to tour around and enjoy Costa Rica as a tropical paradise destination, then go home. The country of Costa Rica also does not need gringos that are fleeing bad debts, bad relationships or criminal backgrounds.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Would you try medical tourism for 10 THOUSAND dollars?
I just updated the "Prices" link above to link to our newest price guide, which reflect a discount plan we have negotiated on behalf of our customers. Check it out and prepare to be in for a shock.
I realize a lot of people are extremely hesitant to try something like this.
But let me ask you.
For 10 THOUSAND dollars, would you get on a plane (by a reputable airline of your choice)
and fly 4 to 6 hours internationally?
For 10 THOUSAND dollars, would you go to the trouble of getting a passport?
For 10 THOUSAND dollars, would you stay at a fine hotel in a luxurious exotic setting?
For 10 THOUSAND dollars, would you get world-class, high-tech, healthcare by U.S. certified doctors and dentists?
For 10 THOUSAND dollars, would you get better recovery healthcare than in the U.S. (with a better nurse ratio and better healthcare system)
For 10 THOUSAND dollars, would you go on an unforgettable tour to, say, a waterfall garden, a volcano, or a rain forest?
We are not offering a ten thousand dollar bonus for people who'll try our service. We are simply saying that these are the probable savings for a person with a $12,000 medical bill in the U.S. (which is sadly very realistic, or even a low estimate).
$12,0000 U.S. or $2,000* in Costa Rica?
It's your choice.
That's generically $600 flight + $400 hotel + $800 medical/dental + $200 tours/expenses
*All prices of course vary for many reasons. Traveller preferences and medical needs are the biggest variables.
What about a smaller U.S. bill?
The same idea applies, with savings all the way to the $2,000 level.
$8000 U.S. or $2000 in Costa Rica?
$5000 U.S. or $1,800 in Costa Rica?
$3000 U.S. or $1,600 in Costa Rica?
Just a few cosmetic procedures (which are not usually covered by insurace) can quickly add up. And often, and tragically, "cosmetic" healthcare is actually a matter of actual health and well-being. But the insurance companies doen't care. That's why we are here to help.
The prices I imply here are not the same for everybody, and I encourage everyone to take responsibilty for their health, whether they are a traveller with DentaRica, someone else, or someone who chooses medical care here in the U.S.
I realize a lot of people are extremely hesitant to try something like this.
But let me ask you.
For 10 THOUSAND dollars, would you get on a plane (by a reputable airline of your choice)
and fly 4 to 6 hours internationally?
For 10 THOUSAND dollars, would you go to the trouble of getting a passport?
For 10 THOUSAND dollars, would you stay at a fine hotel in a luxurious exotic setting?
For 10 THOUSAND dollars, would you get world-class, high-tech, healthcare by U.S. certified doctors and dentists?
For 10 THOUSAND dollars, would you get better recovery healthcare than in the U.S. (with a better nurse ratio and better healthcare system)
For 10 THOUSAND dollars, would you go on an unforgettable tour to, say, a waterfall garden, a volcano, or a rain forest?
We are not offering a ten thousand dollar bonus for people who'll try our service. We are simply saying that these are the probable savings for a person with a $12,000 medical bill in the U.S. (which is sadly very realistic, or even a low estimate).
$12,0000 U.S. or $2,000* in Costa Rica?
It's your choice.
That's generically $600 flight + $400 hotel + $800 medical/dental + $200 tours/expenses
*All prices of course vary for many reasons. Traveller preferences and medical needs are the biggest variables.
What about a smaller U.S. bill?
The same idea applies, with savings all the way to the $2,000 level.
$8000 U.S. or $2000 in Costa Rica?
$5000 U.S. or $1,800 in Costa Rica?
$3000 U.S. or $1,600 in Costa Rica?
Just a few cosmetic procedures (which are not usually covered by insurace) can quickly add up. And often, and tragically, "cosmetic" healthcare is actually a matter of actual health and well-being. But the insurance companies doen't care. That's why we are here to help.
The prices I imply here are not the same for everybody, and I encourage everyone to take responsibilty for their health, whether they are a traveller with DentaRica, someone else, or someone who chooses medical care here in the U.S.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Ongoing professionalism: SHRM 2013 Annual Conference
http://annual.shrm.org/
DentaRica staff (myself included) visited the 2013 SHRM Annual Conference in Chicago last weekend (June 2013) as part of our continuing commitment to professional conduct and making our staff even more valuable to our travelers. We joined the Costa Rican delegation, and greeted Human Resource Managers and attendees at the PROCOMER booth (Trade Promotion Agency of Costa Rica).
I am very disappointed I did not get to meet Hillary Clinton, the keynote speaker. A photo with her would look great alongside my photo with the former president of Costa Rica taken at the PROMED Summit this past spring. But I had obligations to attend to.
DentaRica was a vender also, and was actively promoting our business-to-business sales program, the DentaRica Discount Card. We are very excited about it, as it is already running strong in Costa Rica itself, with over 25,000 already sold to companies there.
The DentaRica Card, closely associated with Dr. Retana and Salud-Dent, offers discounted services only available with membership in the Card program. These are discounted prices on top of the already unbelievably low Costa Rican regular prices.
The Card is also available to individuals (with plans including dependents) , and offers the same discounts. Our original business model still applies, but we have added to the options we offer.
Unibe Hospital in Costa Rica also sent delegates from Costa Rica, and I was able, as CEO of DentaRica Travel, to negotiate incredible discounts for DentaRica Card Holders for medical treatments at Unibe Hospital. $10 for an EKG! I got one here in the states for $300 not too long ago. Since the hospital in Costa Rica meets USA standards and has the same equipment, it is easy to see why going to Costa Rica makes sense, or should I say "cents."
DentaRica staff (myself included) visited the 2013 SHRM Annual Conference in Chicago last weekend (June 2013) as part of our continuing commitment to professional conduct and making our staff even more valuable to our travelers. We joined the Costa Rican delegation, and greeted Human Resource Managers and attendees at the PROCOMER booth (Trade Promotion Agency of Costa Rica).
I am very disappointed I did not get to meet Hillary Clinton, the keynote speaker. A photo with her would look great alongside my photo with the former president of Costa Rica taken at the PROMED Summit this past spring. But I had obligations to attend to.
DentaRica was a vender also, and was actively promoting our business-to-business sales program, the DentaRica Discount Card. We are very excited about it, as it is already running strong in Costa Rica itself, with over 25,000 already sold to companies there.
The DentaRica Card, closely associated with Dr. Retana and Salud-Dent, offers discounted services only available with membership in the Card program. These are discounted prices on top of the already unbelievably low Costa Rican regular prices.
The Card is also available to individuals (with plans including dependents) , and offers the same discounts. Our original business model still applies, but we have added to the options we offer.
Unibe Hospital in Costa Rica also sent delegates from Costa Rica, and I was able, as CEO of DentaRica Travel, to negotiate incredible discounts for DentaRica Card Holders for medical treatments at Unibe Hospital. $10 for an EKG! I got one here in the states for $300 not too long ago. Since the hospital in Costa Rica meets USA standards and has the same equipment, it is easy to see why going to Costa Rica makes sense, or should I say "cents."
Thursday, May 30, 2013
useful links - exchange rates and holidays in Costa Rica
Please follow this useful link for exchange rates vesus the U.S.
http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/indicadores.asp
The Costa Rican money is the colón.
Our DentaRica staff have discovered what most Costa Ricans seem to know without talking about. It is easiest to think of the currency for everyday use the Mil, which is a bill for 1,000 colones. One MIL is about $2 at current rates, making 10 MIL about $20. Be careful you do not accidently reverse this doubling rule-of-thumb the way I have once or twice!
Also, while I am here please check out the Happy Planet Index, which is an independent survey and listing of the Happiest Places on Earth factoring in quality of life, environmental health, and prospects for a healthy future. Costa Rica is first on the list! And the U.S. wasn't even high enough on the list for a mention....
Here is a list of holidays for Costa Rica. Their festivals are a sight to behold! Maybe your trip could be planned so you are in Costa Rica at these times, or maybe you want to avoid all the hubub and confusion!
http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/indicadores.asp
The Costa Rican money is the colón.
Our DentaRica staff have discovered what most Costa Ricans seem to know without talking about. It is easiest to think of the currency for everyday use the Mil, which is a bill for 1,000 colones. One MIL is about $2 at current rates, making 10 MIL about $20. Be careful you do not accidently reverse this doubling rule-of-thumb the way I have once or twice!
Also, while I am here please check out the Happy Planet Index, which is an independent survey and listing of the Happiest Places on Earth factoring in quality of life, environmental health, and prospects for a healthy future. Costa Rica is first on the list! And the U.S. wasn't even high enough on the list for a mention....
Here is a list of holidays for Costa Rica. Their festivals are a sight to behold! Maybe your trip could be planned so you are in Costa Rica at these times, or maybe you want to avoid all the hubub and confusion!
Mi Cafe Arena
This is one of my favorite places to visit when I am in Escazu. It's a lovely little restaurant located very near our partner DentaVac and many of our partner hotels. It's also a lovely little restaurant with amazing homestyle food served with authentic Costa Rican spirit. And they now have a website besides their Facebook account!
http://www.micafearena.com/
It's not a very big cafe, and their internet presence isn't the fanciest, but you go there for the quality, not the advertising. They are more of a "mom and pop" type of business, like a huge number you'll find in Costa Rica, and you'll be very happy when you go there,
To share a story of mine, before I went to Costa Rica for the first time I read extensively in various travel books, and once I even read one published just a few months before my trip. They recommended this one restaurant for amazing food and authentic fun atmosphere. It was awful. I don't know why the book recommended them. Perhaps the restaurant owners found out the reviewer was coming, and staged impressive festivities. Maybe he was paid somehow, I don't know.
In any case, I've learned to trust those travel books only but so far. This wasn't the only time they led me astray. In this day and age, you can e-mail and speak to someone with personal experience and then compare to what others have also told you. At DentaRica, we pride ourselves on personal experience and our advice is part of our service. But my advice is also free.
It's not a very big cafe, and their internet presence isn't the fanciest, but you go there for the quality, not the advertising. They are more of a "mom and pop" type of business, like a huge number you'll find in Costa Rica, and you'll be very happy when you go there,
To share a story of mine, before I went to Costa Rica for the first time I read extensively in various travel books, and once I even read one published just a few months before my trip. They recommended this one restaurant for amazing food and authentic fun atmosphere. It was awful. I don't know why the book recommended them. Perhaps the restaurant owners found out the reviewer was coming, and staged impressive festivities. Maybe he was paid somehow, I don't know.
In any case, I've learned to trust those travel books only but so far. This wasn't the only time they led me astray. In this day and age, you can e-mail and speak to someone with personal experience and then compare to what others have also told you. At DentaRica, we pride ourselves on personal experience and our advice is part of our service. But my advice is also free.
you've heard nightmare stories about medical travel?
So have I. I found this link to YouTube today, and I wanted to address it (and related issues) upfront.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgweBSQlR54
This poor lady had such a bad experience, but that's because she went to a bad dentist. Even in the U.S., that is a recipe for disaster.
I have not spoken to the woman above, nor do I know any more about her trip than is in the video. We do not know of this dentist mentioned, although we have encountered "dentists" like him.
It very much sounds like she just picked a dentist of the internet with a flashy website. A dentist who was not PROMED. Her "dentist" may not have even been an actual dentist in our sense of the word. Those "references" could well have been paid salespeople.
Look here to see the certified PROMED partners:
http://www.promedcostarica.com/certification
We have many people who call us wanting to travel, but their family members think they're crazy to consider medical travel. These family members have usually heard such nightmare stories as the link above, and just don't realize that DentaRica is different. Our partners in Costa Rica are chosen for their high quality. Costa Rica itself is shockingly modern and high-tech. PROMED is different and they are on your side in Costa Rica. Did you know that if there is dissatisfaction by a foreign patient PROMED requires it's member dentist and doctors to provide (at no cost) corrective measures? You can feel secure with a PROMED doctor or dentist, just as you can feel secure with DentaRica, a PROMED facilitator.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgweBSQlR54
This poor lady had such a bad experience, but that's because she went to a bad dentist. Even in the U.S., that is a recipe for disaster.
I have not spoken to the woman above, nor do I know any more about her trip than is in the video. We do not know of this dentist mentioned, although we have encountered "dentists" like him.
It very much sounds like she just picked a dentist of the internet with a flashy website. A dentist who was not PROMED. Her "dentist" may not have even been an actual dentist in our sense of the word. Those "references" could well have been paid salespeople.
Look here to see the certified PROMED partners:
http://www.promedcostarica.com/certification
We have many people who call us wanting to travel, but their family members think they're crazy to consider medical travel. These family members have usually heard such nightmare stories as the link above, and just don't realize that DentaRica is different. Our partners in Costa Rica are chosen for their high quality. Costa Rica itself is shockingly modern and high-tech. PROMED is different and they are on your side in Costa Rica. Did you know that if there is dissatisfaction by a foreign patient PROMED requires it's member dentist and doctors to provide (at no cost) corrective measures? You can feel secure with a PROMED doctor or dentist, just as you can feel secure with DentaRica, a PROMED facilitator.
Bone loss after teeth removal (including dentures)
Please look at this link: (our companies are not affiliated)
http://phperio.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/tooth_bone_loss.jpg
http://www.burbankdentalimplants.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-Shot-2011-10-19-at-3.26.35-PM.png
This is very real and worrisome. Have you ever seen an elderly person like the lady pictured above?
I hate to have such a negative thing on my blog, but this is important.
When a person looses their teeth (even for dentures), they are almost certainly going to suffer bone loss in the jawbone. This is especially bad when all teeth are gone. That results in a sunken face like in the graphic I linked to. Also, it will make dentures fit worse and worse over time.
Even though dental implants are expensive and troublesome, the consequences of not getting them are fearful.
With DentaRica, expensive dental is made possible to even a fixed income. Instead of $10,000 for a handful of implants, what about $4000? and that price is after airline tickets, nice hotels, and extravagant tourist destinations such as volcanoes or a coffee plantation or a rainforest.
http://phperio.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/tooth_bone_loss.jpg
http://www.burbankdentalimplants.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-Shot-2011-10-19-at-3.26.35-PM.png
This is very real and worrisome. Have you ever seen an elderly person like the lady pictured above?
I hate to have such a negative thing on my blog, but this is important.
When a person looses their teeth (even for dentures), they are almost certainly going to suffer bone loss in the jawbone. This is especially bad when all teeth are gone. That results in a sunken face like in the graphic I linked to. Also, it will make dentures fit worse and worse over time.
Even though dental implants are expensive and troublesome, the consequences of not getting them are fearful.
With DentaRica, expensive dental is made possible to even a fixed income. Instead of $10,000 for a handful of implants, what about $4000? and that price is after airline tickets, nice hotels, and extravagant tourist destinations such as volcanoes or a coffee plantation or a rainforest.
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