 |
| I apologize for the poor picture quality |
On December 2017 I went to Val Verde Regional Medical Center to get a quote on a mammogram. That year they purchased a new state of the art machine. The price I was given was $549.04 but the hospital offers 50 percent off for people without insurance so my cost would have been $274.52. Decided to pass.
The other day I had other business at the hospital and stopped for another quote. I just knew it was going to be higher but to my surprise, it dropped to $125.00 for an uninsured individual such as myself. The lady that gave me the quote told me about a program for women out of Eagle Pass, Texas that offers free to low cost mammograms and pap smears for women without insurance.
Back in 2017 as well my doctor gave me a quote of a little over six hundred dollars for a pap smear with no discount. Who would have thought a pap smear would cost more than a mammogram? Way too high for my budget so passed as well.
Del Rio lost their Social Security Office due to budget cuts a couple of years back. If you had business with them you had to drive to Eagle Pass, Texas an hour south of Del Rio. The commissioner of my district worked out an agreement and offered them free office space so Del Rioans would not have to make that trip. However, their hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
Got there at 8:15 a.m. before they opened and I was 28th in line! Once inside it was nice and cool. We lost power twice and it was so funny when everyone moaned in unison. In the waiting room, there is an armed police officer who takes your name and gives you a number. He is also in charge of the television remote. On both occasions, I noticed the signal came back right away while my television at home takes 8 to 9 minutes to reboot.
So I asked him who was their cable provider and he just smiled and said they did not have cable they get their television for free from Ciudad Acuña who gets theirs from the channels beamed to the border from Mexico City. Glad my taxes are not going to waste on cable.
If you are planning to drive down to Del Rio this week please do not use the Amistad Dam Port of Entry as it will be closed until Sunday as they are making repairs on the bridge. Use the Main International Bridge to come and go to Mexico.
OK, think I went a little long on this post.
Good night. May you all have Terlingua Dreams.
$2.45, I paid $3.09 today, that was down a dime from the day before.
ReplyDeleteAt least you saved a dime per gallon. I am sure that adds up when you pump as many gallons as you do.
DeleteWe are running the same on gas here that is a first, your gas is usually cheaper than ours.
ReplyDeleteThe price of medical care is out of control and no matter what ins. you have it still crazy for certain test so I just don't get them. One test was to walk on a tread mill to check cardio Tell me where they bought the tread mill that this test should cost me $250. up front. No Thank You!
Yes, we usually are cheaper than you guys so it is about time you enjoyed the same price.
DeleteGreat to see a new post! Was worried about you. Keep 'em coming.
ReplyDeleteAndy, I am not a daily blogger but thank you for being concerned.
Delete$600 for a mammogram is outright robbery. They are no doubt including a percentage of the cost of doing business, i.e., rent, utilities, water, etc., the person running the machine as well. I quit getting them years ago even though my insurance covered them.
ReplyDeleteThe one I was surprised by was the cost of a pap smear a little more than six hundred dollars. At least the mammogram is affordable now compared to 2017.
DeleteAmazing how the health care costs can vary from place to place. I guess waiting in line is worth it.
ReplyDeleteYou are so lucky to be from a country that has health care coverage for all its citizens from the time they are born to the day they die.
DeleteI am paying close attention to our Democratic Presidential Debates and what each candidate is offering in terms of health care which at least for me is the most important topic.