Cost of Medical Treatment in Costa Rica can be a 70% saving from that of the U.S.
With the cost of medical on the rise, medical tourists from the United States, Canada and Europe should definitely compare the cost of medical treatment in Costa Rica to what it would cost at home. You can reach Costa Rica from just about everywhere in the U.S. and Canada in 12 hours or less; from Europe in well under a day. Costa Rica has eminently qualified doctors, excellent hospitals, attractive recovery centers, affordable costs, and provides an opportunity for a memorable vacation. Places like Costa Rican Medical Tours offer package deals for both vacation and treatment.
Here are just a couple of reason why Costa Rica is becoming a desire place to have medical treatment. Read more... (470 words, 1 image, estimated 1:53 mins reading time)
- The cost of medical treatment in Costa Rica can range from a third to even a fourth of what it can cost in the United States and Canada.
- As required by law, medical practitioners carry liability insurance at all times, giving patients protection and coverage from malpractice.
For the first time Costa Ricans will be able to see 3-D movies
IMAX (short for Image MAXimum) is a motion picture film format and projection standard created by Canada’s IMAX Corporation whose technology is geared to the 3D. So there is lot of excitement about the new IMAX theater going in Escazú, and no one is more excited than Repretel, the theater operator. Repretel runs several Costa Rica television stations, and viewers have been hammered with lengthy news stories about the new theater. In fact a bit of overkill when Channel 11 and Channel 6 ran lengthy segments including discussions about the how good is the popcorn going to be. Some were a bit embarrassed about the over hype of the theater.
It is the sixth IMAX in Latin America but the first in Costa Rica. México has two, Guatemala has one and Colombia has two.
Already expats and Costa Ricans are anxiously waiting in seeing the movie “Avatar,” a science fiction fantasy in 3D. Read more... (412 words, 2 images, estimated 1:39 mins reading time)
Costa Rica will host the first Medical and Well-Being Conference.
The cat is out of the bag for Costa Rica Health. This week the Central American country found out it will host the first Medical and Well-Being Tourism Conference in late April, 2010. This will reunited some 350 plus operators of health services from more than 20 countries, including insurance companies, self-insurance companies, medical tourism and wellness agencies and investors in the industry. Many U.S. insurance companies are taking a hard look at what Costa Rica and other Latin countries are going to offer to help reduce or provide alternative services with the troubled health care in the U.S.
The conference will focus their attention on health centers throughout Latin-American and visit local hospitals, wellness centers and doctors. They will also be very much interested in the growth of online well care services, who offer their expertise in providing medical tourism packages. Obviously this has gotten much support from government agencies, like the Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Competitiveness and Regulations Improvement. Both heads of these ministries are excited about the conference. Read more... (624 words, 1 image, estimated 2:30 mins reading time)
The Villalobos brother’s Ponzi scheme is said to be one of the top 10 scams of all time.
Since about 1984 I have pretty much followed the infamous Villalobos brother’s Ponzi scheme of high investment returns who defrauded clients–mostly American and Canadian retirees–out of $400 million in a 20-odd-year unregulated loan scheme that started in the late 1980s. They promised interest rates of 3% per month on a minimum investment of $10,000.
Villalobos moved money through shell companies before paying investors. Its staying power had to do with the fact that margins were low, the brothers were disciplined, and the outfit just barely skirted past laws. Prosecutors have estimated the loss at $600 million. It has been said it was one of the top 10 Ponzi scams of all time.
A while back I wrote how the government was getting sued by Villalobo Investors for about $200 million by an informal group, which is going under United Concerned Citizens, Residents & Friends of Costa Rica. The group claims the government knew of the Ponzi scheme for years and failed to act according. Read more... (497 words, 1 image, estimated 1:59 mins reading time)
Costa Rica and Canada try and continue to better their relationships, with free trade and visas
It’s no secret that North Americans are the dominating foreigners that live in Costa Rica. And because of that, Costa Rica also would like to increase Canadian tourism. It is estimated that some 100,000 Canadians come to Costa Rica each year and about 10,000 Canadians live there, compared to 10 times that amount of Americans.
And because of the Canadians tourism and expats, both governments want to increase revenue from it. However, there is this, Do this for me first and, I will think about doing this for you second, mentality will probably stone wall any reasonable agreement between the two countries if they don’t wake up to reason.
Last week, Michaëlle Jean, the Canadian governor general, met with President Óscar Arias Sánchez to help develop a better relationship. However, Jean is only a representative of Queen Elizabeth II in Canada, at most, a ceremonial post, but does have a tad of influence. How much? Humm … interesting question.
There are a lot of major hurdles to accomplish a better relationship, we will write about three that we consider have to be overcome if either government wants to develop a better relationship and make some more bucks while doing it. Read more... (469 words, 1 image, estimated 1:53 mins reading time)
