[tonerman]

[quote=”Scott”]Getting this information on the telephone is not easy.

I just called CIMA for you and got the run around for ten minutes and nobody was even willing to give me a ‘range of prices’ for an MRI.

For two years I had CostaRicaHospital.com with a U.S. Registered Nurse and this ‘poor communications’ was the main reason I got out of the medical tourism business.

When you find out the prices, please do report back and let us know …

Scott[/quote]

Hi Scott;
I thought you would be interested to know I have a referral from my orthopedic surgeon for an MRI in Panama City. The normal price is $340, but he had a discount coupon which he signed and it will cost me $170. Oh yes, the surgeon’s fee for consultation was $20.

Also you might find this interesting. My significant other had a wire sliver in her foot which became severely imbedded. She had a 2 hour surgery at the hospital in Las Tablas, with all the sophisticated equipment you would find in the finest hospitals anywhere. It took 11 stitches. She’s healing nicely, gets it dressed and cleaned and antibiotic put on every day, cost of which is $1 each time. The actual surgery, by the way, cost $25 and the x-rays were free.

And, a few years ago I severely burned my leg with a hot oil spill and the skin actually fell off. My emergency room fee was $3 and subsequent cleaning and re-dressing, antibiotics and pain pills were $1 each day for 3 weeks. Today, you cannot even see any evidence of the burn. And this was all done at the clinic here in Pedasi, about 15 minutes from where we live.

I had a sonagram 2 weeks ago to check for osteoperosis which cost $42.50 and $20 for consultation (turns out I have it). Thought these costs might make a person think about where to get health care. Also, note, I am not a resident of Panama, we just live here most of the time except when we have to renew our visa (every 180 days) and then we just visit our home in Manuel Antonio, which we rent out to vacationers when we’re not there.

[tonerman]

Scott;
Thanks, I really appreciate your effort.

Based on the 2010 price of $400 at CIMA I imagine it may be substantially higher now. We’re going to our home in Manuel Antonio in a couple of weeks, so maybe I can try for more info while there at a local doctor.

We live mostly at our home here South of Pedasi Panama, and you might find these prices interesting. Chitre hospital $400, specialized clinic in Panama City $170. So, it looks like this is going to be the place.

Thanks again,
Larry

PS I will let you know once I actually have it done…it may take some time as I will probably have it done when we get back here in April unless I find it convenient and economical in Costa Rica.

[tonerman]

[quote=”pranaspakeywest”]I know it may seem crazy to want to heat a pool here, but we do.
I am familiar with “SolarCostaRica” as a company, but they have closed their business.
I’m looking for any names of companies here that carry and install solar panels specifically to heat swimming pools.
We’re in Manuel Antonio.
Any ideas?
Thanks, Mark.
BTW, still looking to share a container from South Florida if anyone is interested……[/quote]

We used to heat our pool in WI with large packing bubble wrap that came from new furniture shipments to the store. It worked like a charm and all free. Here, even the dark lightweight netting might suffice if it floats or maybe a cheap lightweight plastic canvas with empty water bottles underneath to hold it up?

[tonerman]

[quote=”maravilla”]i know someone who just paid this tax on a corporation that owned his house and he only paid the C67,000.[/quote]

But, where do you pay it? Same place you pay your corporation held property tax??

Wait, never mind…to many different threads to check. I’ll wait and see too.

[tonerman]

[quote=”sandymae”]Once you decide you wish to move here start the residency process. Do it while you are in the states. Leaving the country every three months is inconvenient and costly. A couple can expect to put out a minimum of $400 just to cross the border by bus and stay at a so-so hotel for three days. A great way to sight-see but once again a hit on the $1700 budget.[/quote]
Our regular trip from Manuel Antonio to David, Panama cost the two of us $159 last time…total. We take the bus, stay at a very nice hotel just off the square in David for 3 nights. A lot of it is knowledge. Eat in sodas, don’t pay anybody at the border for extra help, use buses not taxis, and it’s cheaper if you have gray hair!!! We even traveled to other places while there, including Boquete. The largest expense, or course is lodging, so check around, ask for discounts. You can rent a nice house for $250 a month just North of David and food is so cheap, we always over-budget for it. We’re going to stay a month this time, and our savings will allow us to spend more when we come back home to Manuel Antonio.

We own our home (European style 2 story villa, not Tico style, in case you’re thinking cheap) here, but, easily live on what I used to pay in property tax for a year back in the U.S.. Of course we don’t own a car (though we rent one occasionally and have an ATV)and only eat out 2 or 3 times a week. Also, we don’t use AC. That and a car will eat up a big chunk of colones.

[tonerman]

This is a portrayal of our gradual/unplanned move to Costa Rica.
I’m 66 this March and my partner is 60. She and I have been traveling for the last 15 years. Prior to that I have worked on construction in Japan, mucked sheep in Australia and owned a cattle farm in WI. We both owned several business’s from which we squeezed out a decent living despite our government’s greedy hand. These business’s allowed us to travel for 2-3 weeks at a time every 2 or 3 months. We mainly visited Mexico and even made an offer on a property in Lo de Marcos, which we didn’t get. 9 years ago a customer came into my partner’s tanning/coffeeshop/salon and said what a great place Costa Rica is. We started visiting Costa Rica every couple of months for the next 5 years and crisscrossed the country, backpacking with my 2 older daughters or just my friend and I in better lodgings. 4 years ago (now 9 years later) we decided we needed a permanent place and bought a home in the Southern zone “near” the beach. Now we live here 7 months of the year. We have found a fantastic home a little further south and are planning on buying this now for eventual full year living.
I doubt anyone needs that kind of time to decide on moving here, but a full year of traveling the country and dealing with the Costa Rican “event oriented society”, no time orientation here, you should know if this is your place to settle down. It’s a trade-off of pluses and minus’s. When it’s 30 below zero in WI, it’s never too hot here!

[Author]

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