- This topic has 1 reply, 5 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 7 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
When I retire, I can keep my Blue Cross to cover my diabetic supplies that neither the CAJA nor the National Insurance will cover. CAJA because they only give you one kind of insulin and one needle per day and no testing supplies which is totally unacceptable for me and the National Insurance because my condition is pre-existing. So I will have to use my Blue Cross because the supplies are EXPENSIVE. Does anybody do this now for any of their meds or medical supplies? Where do you fill your prescriptions? Or do you have your supplies shipped in to a PO Box or ????? Thanks for any info.
The situation you describe is increasingly problematic. You are correct about the limitations imposed by the CAJA system and INS’ private medical insurance. The problem lies in the restrictions that Costa Rican Customs and the Ministry of Health are now imposing on the importation of medications and medical supplies.
In the past, transshipping companies based in Florida have been able to import medications on their customers’ behalf. That has come to a very abrupt end.
Now, in order to import medications (and presumably things like glucometer test strips), your prescribing physician in the U.S. must provide the supporting medical records that warrant the medication to a Costa Rican physician. (And, of course, your U.S. physician will have to provide the prescription to the BC/BS drug plan.) The Costa Rican physician must then write a prescription based upon those records and the U.S. physician’s recommendation.
With that, and with whatever forms, etc Customs requires, you supposedly are able to import your medications. That may (may) be limited, however, if the medication in question is not already authorized for importation.
Aerocasillas is one of the major transshipping companies operating out of Miami. They have informed me that they are flatly refusing to import medications under any circumstances. Right now, I’m awaiting Customs’ clearance of a new glucometer and test strips. We shall see . . .
Your BC/BS mail-in medication program is probably run by one of the big mail-in pharmacies, as is mine. If that’s so, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to get them to send your meds directly to Costa Rica via the U.S.Postal Service and the Costa Rican Correo. And if they did, the Correo would probably face the same problems that Aerocasillas does.
The practical alternatives are either to “mule in” your medications in your luggage or to find someone who is coming to Costa Rica and who will bring them. The former would be expensive if you had to return to the U.S. every ninety days to refresh your supplies. The latter, of course, would be iffy at best.
Another approach might be to have your BC/BS plan mail your meds to a trusted friend or family member who would repack and resend them. If you take that approach, have only small amounts sent in any one shipment. In the past, I’ve gotten one or two prescriptions through without problems, but when I ordered a refill of everything about three years ago, it got very snarled up. Small quantities only.
This situation has become difficult enough that I have decided to purchase my medications over the counter in the commercial pharmacies here in Costa Rica. It’s the only sure way to have a reliable supply. As for the glucometer and test strips . . . (Time will tell.)
[quote=”vriggle”]When I retire, I can keep my Blue Cross to cover my diabetic supplies that neither the CAJA nor the National Insurance will cover. CAJA because they only give you one kind of insulin and one needle per day and no testing supplies which is totally unacceptable for me and the National Insurance because my condition is pre-existing. So I will have to use my Blue Cross because the supplies are EXPENSIVE. Does anybody do this now for any of their meds or medical supplies? Where do you fill your prescriptions? Or do you have your supplies shipped in to a PO Box or ????? Thanks for any info.[/quote]
My wife has been supplied with the insulin from Caja and we purchase the syringes from the farmacy at anout 70 cents each. The syringes may be available from Caja after her first appointment with the endocrinologist.
The issue of the glucometer is up in the air since Caja only supplies test strips for the Accu-Check Performa device which is no longer available for purchase in Costa Rica.
Her appointment with the endocrinologist is set for May 2 and we will update on what she finds out.
For whatever this tells you, my incoming shipment of glucometer test strips (one box of 51) has cleared all the hurdles and Aerocasillas has informed me that it’s here in Grecia and ready for pickup. This clearance may be due to the fact that the package is very small, very light, and doesn’t contain much. A larger, heavier package might be more problematic.
The new meter that uses these strips is in the “Clearance Process” which is a normal step for any incoming package.
Stay tuned . . .
a neighbor of mine is awaiting a shipment of 6 different meds from the states that are coming through the mail. two of the drugs can’t be had here. but now the shipment is way overdue and she has run out of one of the drugs. if i had to take meds that couldn’t be gotten here, i would think twice about moving here. it’s just that simple. to depend on any other system to get them here is iffy at best and a real pain in the tuckus, if they get here at all.
maravilla, you have hit the nail squarely on the head. Costa Rica’s governmental priorities and attention are constantly shifting. What used to be commonplace, and what we [i]Amercianos[/i] take for granted, may or may not be possible in the future.
Not only is the importation of medications questionable but also some things that you’d never guess. Longtime readers of this forum will recall the horror story I told about trying to bring Nylabones for our dog into the country . . . Nylabones! fer Pete’s sake!
Ya jus’ never know . . .
then there was the guy who said he needed x amount of different anti-rejection meds that couldn’t be had here and how was he going to get them in-country? i told him point blank that he was not a candidate to live here, pure and simple. i also have a friend who was going to move here with her boyfriend who just had a quadruple by-pass and is on dialysis 5 days a week. i told her she was crazy to come here with someone with such a complicated medical history and ongoing problems, unless she just wanted to live right next door to Cima and drain her bank account til the very end. i just don’t know what people are thinking when they come up with these ideas of relocating to a foreign country and they already have one foot in the grave. but then, too, american doctors tend to overmedicate and i know a lot of people who ditched 75% of what their US doctor had them on, lost the 50 – 75 pounds that gave them type 2 diabetes, changed their diet, and started walking instead of driving around in the car, and their health actually improved!! one of my neighbors was on 9 different meds when she came here. after living here for a year and working with a CR doctor, she got it down to just ONE med.
Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that ones health will improve living here.
We are all getting older and our bodies change. Some put on weight because they are no longer working and sit about and of course others may start exercising now they have additional time on their hands.
Getting diabetic medication/supplies has been discussed many times on this forum and others, but unfortunately, most people asking the questions do not let us know what has worked or not worked for them. One important thing to remember that ‘the rules’ could change very quickly and often are not advertised very well.
Every delivery could require the use of a broker, if and when the items are shipped it.
I do know that I wouldn’t live here or recommend that anyone moving here, rely on being able to receive medical supplies through either a shipper or mail. It makes me uneasy to say the least.
I am at the other end of the weight issue, as I keep losing weight…and can’t seem to gain any.
I cannot even get Calcium supplements, which are not necessary to keep me alive…. but is required to increase my bone density for osteoporosis.they sell calcium supplements in the macro. but calcium supplements are not your best source of calcium — better to eat lots of broccoli and leafy greens and take mucho magnesium to help absorb the calcium.
Yes, I have purchased the calcium supplements available here, and I eat your recommended items, but one can only eat ‘so much’ broccoli 🙄
read the new research on the dangers of calcium supplements and how they increase your risk for stroke and heart attack. most calcium supplements are something your body eliminates 98% of because it cannot really be absorbed into the bones. if you have insufficient magnesium levels, you will not absorb any calcium. i wish i could get a tub of mag choloride shipped in because i use it to make mag oil. great for everything.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
