[A+] [ A ] [A-] []

Articles

American Patients See Mexico as a Better Health Care Alternative

By Dr. Paul Johnstone

Plastic surgery in Mexico is getting a bit more organized. Due to the demand for lower cost plastic surgery and consumers demanding savings for medical care, affordable plastic and other elective surgeries in Mexico are on the increase.  Healthbase chose the country to be part of its health care network.  It provides U.S. patients plastic surgery in Mexico with over 500 satisfied patients with a 97% satisfaction rate so far this year.

As of now plastic surgery in Mexico is at the height of fame, thanks to medical tourism. Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Mexico offers the same medical care quality as the U.S. but goes out with rock-bottom plastic surgery costs.

Some U.S. companies are now sending employees to Mexico for their annual checkups. Some experts also find Mexico as a definite answer to treat the aging and under-insured Americans at a time when the retirement of baby boomers will further tax the U.S. health care system. An estimated 43 million Americans, about 15 percent of the population, are uninsured, according to a Census Bureau study.
According to Peter Maddox, Christus Health senior vice president for business, strategy and corporate development, "Our country will go broke unless we find a health care alternative." He sees Mexico as a wonderful alternative with incredible potential.

Dr. Paul Johnstone is an analyst and medical care expert.

Medical Vacations: The Health-Care Solution?

The debate over U.S. health-care reform rages on. But why wait for someone else to dictate your future? You have many options -- if you're willing to take a vacation. If recovering from a medical procedure while lying on a palm-swept beach, relaxing by the hotel pool, or shopping for terrific bargains sounds good, then medical vacations may be exactly the right solution for you.  From hip replacement to heart surgery, more people are discovering the advantages of traveling abroad for their medical needs.

A big growth industry

In just the past few years, medical vacations have gone from a tiny niche market to an impressive growth story with substantial market-share gains. From Mexico to India, Argentina to Thailand, hospitals are taking advantage of this global trend. And U.S. companies are taking note as well. Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina are among the health-care companies tailoring their corporate health insurance plans to give employees the opportunity to head offshore for surgeries such as knee replacements and the more modern, less invasive approach to hip replacement - hip resurfacing.

In the Western Hemisphere, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur Mexico is currently the "in" destination for travelers, especially for dental and cosmetic surgery needs. You can schedule online and receive a custom-made package, appointment and prices in your email response.

For years, people in the American Southwest have capitalized on the high-quality dental work available south of the border for a fraction of U.S. prices. Now more people are traveling further south to Cabo for body augmentation and other surgeries too. Many of the doctors there are U.S.-trained, and the equipment is top of the line.

Is it safe?

Many people interested in medical tourism are concerned about the quality and safety of going abroad for technical and complex medical care, and how to get post-operative care once they return home.

Many hospitals in Mexico use the latest equipment and are either internationally accredited facilities or have U.S.-trained physicians on staff. The one thing that sets these hospitals apart from many of their U.S. counterparts is their attention to customer service -- they are professional and courteous in a way you rarely see at home anymore.

Sounds good, but what's the cost?

The attraction is straightforward. The costs for everything from facelifts, dental implants, or hormone therapy to reverse the effects of aging can be one-half or less for comparable procedures in the States. Have your surgery, then recover and recuperate in a beautiful seaside resort hotel.  And when it's time to recover, don't forget your suntan lotion.

Cabo Opthamologist says: Eye Checkups Are Important! You have 10 fingers and 27 teeth, but only 2 eyes....

Discover Los Cabos News – 2007

"Normal" sight for this 50-something year-old young man had become over the years - sight polluted by tiny black spots, amoeba-like ‘floaters,' and strange flashes of lightning. I hadn't had an eye exam in 10 years. Not willing to trust blind luck (no pun intended), I asked around for the name of the best eye physician in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, and was immediately referred to Dr. Antonio Serrano located in nearby San Jose del Cabo.

The doctor speaking perfect English, welcomed me to his clinic for an exam and treatment. Being un-informed about eye care, I queried him about his medical specialty and what kind of eye problemas he encountered here in Mexico.

Dr. Serrano spent 6 years obtaining his M.D. at the University of Guadalajara graduating in 1985, another year interning in a hospital, another year doing his Mexican government required social service in a clinic, then another 3 years at the Institute of Ophthalmology in Mexico City to be an eye surgeon. That's 11 years if I counted right. He's been practicing in San Jose del Cabo for over eight years.
The doctor has performed 1,000's of Lasik (Laser) surgeries, treats eye diseases, and routinely performs Cataract, Strabisum (lazy-eye) and Glaucoma surgeries. According to the doctor, allergies affecting the eye are common in this desert-dust, semi-tropical environment - causing redness, itchiness and eye discharge. Eye examination, treatment, and medicated eyewashes will alleviate these symptoms.

You may want to reconsider your daily intake of alcohol, sugar, sugared cereal, pastries, soft drinks, candy etc., as diabetes is the leading cause of blindness. An annual eye check-up is critical for adults in avoiding more serious problems. Especially for people with diabetes, high-blood pressure, a family history of glaucoma, eye surgery or other serious eye problems. Often people become used to having a virus in their eyes without knowing its presence is not normal and can be cured. Prevention is most important according to Doctor Serrano.

The doctor does complete eye exams - as opposed to others who appear to be more interested in selling designer frames than providing healthcare. Hint.... If you walk into a boutique eyeglasses clinic and see hundreds of designer frames on the walls - Be careful, as you may get expensive frames with an economy eye exam. Many eye clinics here an in the USA have technicians dispense glasses or don't give you a thorough medical eye exam.

A complete exam, also called a Dilated Eye Exam is where the doctor using special ophthalmology equipment, widens the pupil allowing the doctor to more closely inspect the inside of the eye. It's painless, and takes the doctor more time - but is much more thorough. Remember, you're not going to the eye doctors to buy a purse - you're going there to keep your eyes healthy. Fashion glasses are secondary.

Prevent Blindness America recommends you see a doctor immediately if you have any of the following symptoms: Trouble adjusting to dark rooms, difficulty focusing, unusual sensitivity to light or glare, change in color of the iris, red-rimmed, encrusted or swollen eyelids, recurrent pain around the eyes, double vision, distorted lines and edges, excess tearing or "watery eyes," dry itchy or burning eyes or see spots and floaters as I did.

Emergency medical attention may be required with any of the following serious symptoms: Sudden loss of vision in one eye, Sudden hazy or blurred vision, flashes of light or black spots, halos or rainbows around light, curtain-like blotting out of vision and loss of peripheral (side) vision.
Accidental injuries to the eyes happen. Injuries caused by fireworks to the face, eye and hands are entirely preventable. In Mexico, fireworks are legal. But that doesn't make them any less dangerous. According to Prevent Blindness America, in 2005 over 12,000 injuries were caused in the USA by fireworks - 3,000 to the eyes, face, hand and ear, with seemingly innocent sparklers accounting for half the injuries to children under 5 years of age.

Bottle rockets were responsible for all surgeries where the eye had to be removed while fireworks were directly responsible for 56 million dollars in property damage. All fireworks "Safe and Sane," legal, or not so, should be avoided at all costs. I can remember as a youth, being close to being renamed One-Eyed Jack due to my mishandling of cute Ladyfingers fireworks. Every 4th of July in the USA and September 15th (Mexican Independence Day) - hospital emergency rooms fill up injured fireworks victims.
I'm happy to report that immediately after my treatment by Doctor Serrano, all my vision problems were cured. I was amazed how painless and thorough the treatment was. Doctor Serrano said my symptoms were a result of aging, (who me?) but correctable. I vowed to make annual eye checkups part of my personal healthcare program.

Doctor Antonio Serrano can be reached at: (from the USA) 011 52 (624) 142 6465, Cel 044 624 355 3433. Email:  drserrano@prodigy.net.mx

Writer David Mandich, has been living, and writing about healthcare in Cabo for 10 years. He can be contacted at: www.davidmandich.com 

Dr. Serrano

Cosmetic Dentistry - A Much Used And Abused Term These Days.

By David Mandich

Cosmetic Dentistry is not recognized as a specialty in the United States.  Even so, due to public demand – many dentists in the USA have been quick to capitalize on the term using it as a marketing gimmick for their general dentistry practices much in the same way some dentists now call their clinics  “Dental Spas.”

Regular General Dentistry is traditionally concerned with drilling and filling pathologic (read cavities) conditions in the mouth with an emphasis on function. Cosmetic Dentistry is literally all about the art of the smile - going one step further in emphasizing aesthetics by creating perfect movie star smiles - often involving total dental makeovers with all new teeth.

A beautiful smile is a powerful, confidence boosting, attractive attribute to have. Celebrities, politicians and CEO’s all know it – and anyone can have it in as little as two or three visits to a good cosmetic dentist.

Some people are born with bad teeth. Some have crooked ones, teeth with humongous gaps between them, teeth stacked in front of others, or teeth that have deteriorated because of poor hygiene, smoking, alcoholism and drug abuse.

While an endodontist can do a root canal or make a new crown – it takes an experienced Cosmetic Dentist (also known as a Cosmetic Oral Rehabilitation Specialist) to be able to create a totally new smile when one has severe dental problems as noted above.

New porcelain crown tooth colors often have to match old healthy teeth, the arches need to be aligned and matched both aesthetically and functionally for proper bite and other considerations.

Often a makeover involves root canals, new crowns, some veneers, implants and perhaps a bridge so the Cosmetic Dentist has to be not only a multi-disciplined dentist but also an aesthetician as well. Whitenings become a challenge as new porcelain teeth do not react the same as natural teeth to the bleaching process.

In Cosmetic Dentistry – experience and proper training matters. In the USA – Cosmetic Dentistry is not recognized as a separate specialty by the American Dental Association. As a result - any dentist can wake up one morning, hang up a Cosmetic Dentist sign and begin practicing – on you.

In Mexico, cosmetic dentistry is a specialty and additional curriculum and certification for the specialty is offered in some dental colleges. Cabo Cosmetic Dental's Dr. Jorge Arciga is a Certified Cosmetic Dentist with additional university training in the specialty.  He has specialized in cosmetic dental makeovers for over 30 years.

Back in the USA, dental insurance often covers only one crown and root canal per year so if you need 7 or all 27 teeth done – you won’t be able to smile for many years. Typical full-mouth restorations in the USA cost between $40,000 and $75,000us depending on where you have the work done and what’s involved.

At Cabo Cosmetic Dental the cost runs from $10,000 to $20,000us for the same work, using the same materials ordered from the same dental supply catalogues as US dentists order from.

This season Cabo Cosmetic dental in partnership with Cabo Fiesta Marina Resort, Tesoro Resort and Cabo Cush Hotel, are offering Free Hotel or Flights to Cabo for Cosmetic Dental Makeover patients. Other hotel and flight incentives are available for smaller treatment patients as well. For details visit CCD's site below.

You can learn more about taking a Dental Vacation to Cabo San Lucas and obtain a Free Online Consultation at: www.cabodentalvacation.com 

Solving America's Healthcare Crisis - Outsource Dental & Medical Care Offshore

Leaving Cabo at daybreak to fish big game.

Medano Beach - Party Central

Sunset & Whale Watching cruises on a pirate ship

Restaurant in San Jose del Cabo

Chile en Nogada, - national dish celebrating Cinco de Mayo 

Angel Salinas wine steward at Don Emiliano restaurant

Riding on Palmilla Bay's Beach

'A Mexican Dentist or Doctor is Required to Perform a Year's Public Service...'

Here's One Way to Solve The Healthcare Crisis - Take a Mexican Dental or Medical Vacation

Thousands of people fed up with the high cost of dental or medical care back home, are now jumping on planes and going to Cabo San Lucas Baja California and seeing a Mexican dentist - making Cabo America's number one healthcare vacation destination. Healthcare tourists are the fastest growing group of the 2.5 million visitors Cabo receives each year.

People often wait hours for treatment in hospital waiting rooms back in the USA, and even weeks to months for an appointment with a specialist. But they can see a doctor or dentist in the Mexican resort town of Cabo San Lucas the same day, save a bundle of money, and get a free vacation thrown in.  Cabo Cosmetic Dental and Cabo Cosmetic Surgery are even throwing in the air fare and hotel for many of their patients. Read on.

Cabo has much to offer the dental or medical tourist including miles of un-crowded beaches, sizzling nightlife, fine dining, sport shopping at malls, championship golf courses, grand resorts, boutique hotels, big game fishing, surfing, dinner dance show cruises, horse back riding on the beach, partying 24/7 and more!

Cabo features bi-lingual doctors, new facilities, state-of-the-art equipment and offers a menu of special benefits and services designed for the medical or dental tourist. Some hotels offer discounts to healthcare tourists.

Crowns and root canals here are only$400-500US vs $800-3,000 in the USA. The savings quickly add up covering ones airfare, hotel, dining, etc. Just one crown and root canal in Cabo can save as much as $1000-4,000 dollars vs. prices back home!  One can save $5,000-10,000 or more on breast augmentations or hernia ops.

Some patients arrive reeling from shock after have been quoted $40,000 to $100,000usd for a full-mouth (27 teeth) cosmetic restoration or dental makeover. In Cabo a full-mouth makeover will cost only around $10,000. to $25,000. You can pay for your vacation and buy a nice car with the difference. Plastic surgery, hip and joint replacements, angioplasty, weight loss surgery and more are available in Cabo at substantial savings. Go to: www.cabocosmeticsurgery.com for more information on elective surgery treatments.

Online Consultations allow the patients to email x-rays, their dentists Treatment Plans and even digital photos of their teeth to the doctors to review. Cabo Cosmetic Dental in Cabo has seen 1,000's of dental tourists in the 30 years it has been open. Dentist Dr. Arciga (are-see-gah), is a director of the Baja Dental Association, and certified cosmetic dentist who does everything from general dentistry to implants and full-mouth restorations.

His website www.cabocosmeticdental.com has a video and photo galleries of Cabo, plus facs and information on taking a dental vacation.

Over the past ten years, I've had consultations, tests and treatments for myself here in Los Cabos from cardiac and ear specialists, and an expert ophthalmologist with seven years of training. I've also had a fractured leg cared for, kidney stones removed, plastic surgery, a seasonal virus or 2, numerous crowns and a couple of bridges - all for a fraction of the cost back home. Brand name prescription medicines and generics - a pittance.

Why so inexpensive? Rents, salaries for medical assistants, little or no administrative costs, and the overall cost of living are low in Mexico. The Mexican government subsidizes medical and dental college tuitions eliminating a huge financial burden most new American doctors are saddled with.

Graduating doctors have to do a year service in a public clinic in repayment of their goverment's medical education subsidy - making basic healthcare free for all Mexicans. The US Congress should take note... After their year of public service they take additional specialist training or go into private practice.

In Mexico patients can choose to go to inexpensive government hospitals and clinics taking their turn in line or pay more at private facilities. Medical supplies and equipment come from the same suppliers that US doctors purchase from, so that's a fixed cost doctors on both sides of the border share.

Bottom line - You'll save time and money, on your medical or dental care, by coming to Cabo where the doctors are more than happy to see you. As one Cabo doctor told me: "I love American and Canadian patients - They show up on time, they pay, and they don't complain about the prices!"

For more info and a Free Online Consultation on plastic and other elective surgeries and cosmetic dental vacations go to: www.cabocosmeticsurgery.com or www.cabocosmeticdental.com

David Mandich writes for Discover Los Cabos Newspaper, Los Cabos Magazine, Los Cabos Guide, International London News-Luxury Avenue Magazine and many other publications. He may be contacted at: www.davidmandich.com