Quality Healthcare in Panama

News from Panama / Thursday, December 31st, 2020
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Slide 2 of 8: Medicare coverage typically ends when you move outside the U.S., so you’ll need to budget for medical expenses in your adopted country. According to the U.S. State Department, many foreign medical facilities require cash payments and don’t accept U.S. insurance plans. People often buy health insurance policies that will cover them during their time abroad. In some countries, the cost of medical care is so reasonable that many expatriates decide to pay out of pocket, says Dan Prescher, who writes for International Living and lives in Cotacachi, Ecuador. Throughout the world, the closer you live to major metropolitan areas, the more likely you’ll be able to find quality medical care, he adds. While small towns offer a lower cost of living, they typically have fewer medical facilities. Prescher notes that many countries that provide government-supported health care benefits allow foreigners to participate once they’ve met residency requirements. Be sure to check out the government health care regulations of the country you choose to retire in.

One of the things I posted last week  in “7 Crucial Questions to Ask Before You Retire Abroad” was “How will you find Quality Healthcare?”

I can speak from very recent experience!  The day after Thanksgiving last year, I checked into the Emergency room at our Regional Hospital for surgery.  My doctor told me the day before that if I did not get the surgery, I might die in short order!! Ok, it took me a second to see my life suddenly flash before my eyes and I was under the knife the next day.

Regional is one of Panama’s Social Security Hospitals that provides free healthcare to Panamanians and they can be very efficient.  I was born here and pay Panama Social Security payments so I qualified.   I awoke in a clean room with 2 other patients and my nurses were very attentive to my care.  During the week I was transferred a few times and what with this being a public hospital, I did not question why until the third shuffle when I asked the intern why.  He said the hospital was concerned about Covid and was testing and isolating patients with symptoms!  That was enough for me to realize that like other social security hospitals around the world, they have funds to support healthcare but there can sometime be a shortage of physicians.  Throw Covid into the equation and I decided to begin my healing in a private hospital nearby.

My friend Doctor Samuel Cattan is one of the physicians at Mae Lewis Hospital and one of the board members there.  That night was restless but as he promised, I was medevacked to his Hospital early the next morning.  As required, I had a quick Covid test and like previous ones, I had a sigh of relief when it was negative!  I was admitted and went to my private room where I was prepped for another surgery.  This time I was greeted by two of my Doctors who said “Welcome to Mae Lewis” as I was peacefully sedated. They cleaned up the wound and told me that the surgeon at Regional did a good job.

So, I began another week but this time under the care of three doctors, two of which were wound specialists who attended me with care and expertise.  My nurses were also of what you will find here in Panama.  Caregivers who really care!  Now I am at home recuperating and during the last two weeks, one of my wound care Doctors, came to my home here in Boquete, 45 minutes from Mae Lewis and attended to me!  With the help of my wonderful wife Susie, I am now up and about, albeit a little slower and still tired from this experience. In addition, Boquete has a wonderful organization called Boquete Health and Hospice and two of their caregivers who were former nurses also came to my home to tend to my wound.  Wonderful caring people!!

This is not my first experience with major medical care here in Panama and while I self insure, the expense is but a fraction of what I used to pay just for insurance back in the US.

God Bless my Country of Panama and I can assure you, starting from our local clinics here in Boquete to the public and private hospitals, you will receive quality healthcare.

Have a healthy and safe New Year!

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