It's been a minute since I've updated this blog. Unconventional retirement/medical tourism. I was set to fly to Thailand on March 17th, 2020 for my 60th birthday physical (and colonoscopy - yay!). But that's all in the rear view mirror (so to speak). I cancelled that trip on March 16th, at the very last minute, to the immense relief of my parents. This blog was all about retiring early, without Medicare. We still haven't cracked the insurance nut in the U.S. We've been on COBRA, and it's pricey for two people. The ACA (aka Obamacare) is our option after that expires and it offers plans tied to your income. Gwyne's business has been doing so well that our premiums would more than twice what we pay for COBRA.
So here’s a story from my last medical tourism trip to Thailand trip and from my current trip in Turkey. The first part began where I always like to start out, at Bumrungrad Hospital.
It’s like a visit to a 5 star hotel to get your physical. I’ve done more than a few physicals there because when you get older, it makes sense to get things checked out. I knew to stop by one day ahead to get a container for the stool sample. The first time I had a physical there, I was surprised when I was asked to produce a stool sample on demand (c’mon, who can do that?) so I planned ahead on subsequent visits. The process is extraordinarily well choreographed. Station to station, vitals, blood draw, vision test, EKG, stress test, chest X-ray, ultrasound of internal organs and then you are directed to the buffet breakfast, because you had to fast for the blood work. Eat a pleasant meal, read the Bangkok Post and hang out for about a half an hour because then you get to visit a doctor who has reviewed all of your tests. That day. They review everything with you, maybe make some recommendations and ask if you have some other concerns. I did. I had two cysts on my head. My doctor felt them and said they are cysts, and they are benign - do they bother you? Yes they do. Would you like to get them taken out? If so, you’ll have to go to surgery for that, they’re on the 18th floor, I can let them know you’re on your way up. And just like that, I hopped on the elevator and was talking with the surgeon. He felt my bumpy head and said, “They’re cysts. Do you want to remove them?” I said, “Yes.” He asked if I had time to do it now, I replied, “Why yes, yes I do.” Before he did anything further, he sent someone to get a cost workup to let me know exactly how much it would cost. We had insurance that would cover it, but still, here’s how much it will cost, do you want to go ahead? And just like that, a few pricks of a local anesthetic and a few slices and stitches and they were out.
Just for reference, when I was back in the U.S. and had a skin flare up, I called my dermatologist and asked for an appointment. They asked for my name and DOB and said, “We’re not taking new patients for at least 6 months.” Then I told them I was an existing patient (Bumrungrad would have never missed that) and they looked it up and said, “Oh. Yes, there you are.” But there was still a 6 month wait. I thought that was batshit crazy, but wait, there’s more!
I had some discomfort with a tooth and went to get it checked out. Some facility was running a $99 check up for new customers, so I bit (again, so to speak). Nice place, modern and they got me in quickly. They recommended I have two crowns replaced. Cost? $1700+/crown. I had been planning a trip to Turkey for a while to take advantage of their currency/inflation crisis and I contacted a few dental centers there. Literally within minutes, the WhatsApp messages were flying, all super, super responsive. Price to get a crown replaced in a posh modern facility there? About $250. So it will be about the same price to fly to Turkey, have an interesting vacation and get some dental work done that I would have had to get done in the U.S. This includes flying business class because I'm old and I also think flying economy on long haul flights is inhumane.
A caveat, some of the many dental centers in Turkey are pushing what they call the ‘Hollywood Smile’ treatment, which would turn your teeth into a smile that matches Donald Trump or Joe Biden (veneers/crowns) and they will do it at an incredible price, but that holds zero interest for me. I’m okay with my imperfect, coffee stained smile and teeth. Gives me character. As I update this right now, the call to prayer is blaring out from the speakers at the Blue Mosque (and every other mosque around), that’s a plus for the tourism side of medical tourism, but wait, once again, there’s more! I also had a visit with a Doctor here to get recently diagnosed hypertension checked out. The Doc-in-the-box in Alabama gave me a cursory examination and some medicine, which I took for three days, and today was my appointment with the physician in Istanbul. Extremely modern and clean facility. I had been in email/WhatsApp communication with the hospital, so they knew what I wanted checked out. I had brought my health records from Bumrungrad along and the doctor questioned me about exactly what I wanted evaluated. She reviewed my records, made lengthy notes and comments and then gave me a thorough exam. This type of medical service does not exist in the U.S. I have to go back twice more for a form I need filled out, but it will be my pleasure. When I went to admissions, I gave them my passport and insurance card and they said Cigna wasn’t in their system, I’d have to pay cash and I could submit that to the insurance company. This was before I saw the doctor. They pushed a thin, small square paper towards me with the fee for what would be the 55 minute evaluation. 1,642 Turkish Lira. In USD? $88.40. Color me pleased (so far) with this medical tourism trip.
