A while back, Bill needed an assessment on a minor matter. There is a free clinic (donation basis, that is) and received ok care, though one prescription he received made no sense and we did not fill it.
If you're into self-diagnosis and care, you can actually walk into a pharmacy and get whatever you want (that they carry, anyway)! No prescription needed! And there are some sources here or nearby that can provide oils and herbs that many friends here find helpful. Other times, people try to find a way to get their favorite products brought down from the states.
I know of one family that was thrilled with local care. Their son had an emergency and a local private hospital took excellent care of him for almost a week maybe, and it only cost them about $1000 as I recall. Another family's son had an emergency appendectomy and recovered very well.
There are also public hospitals in Guatemala. I believe that they are free to anyone, even foreigners. Medicines need to be paid for by the patient. My physician in Guatemala, Dr Zully Arroyave, works at the hospital in internal medicine, and I like her and respect her a lot. I belong to a social network group of people who live in the area who report many positive experiences in the public hospitals.
And one interesting feature of health care here - you need to maintain your own 'chart'. You keep your lab tests, sonograms, and so on, and share it with your doctor when you go for a visit. It's actually a good idea, since it keeps the burden of responsibility for one's health care on oneself.
I found more information about medical care around Lake Atitlan in case you're interested.
But...
Very recently we had something come up. Bill had a medical issue arise that needed urgent attention. We'll spare you the details. Suffice it to say that as Bill ages, now 70 years old, it's just 'one of those things'.
I give the local healthcare system a grade of C. We could have gone to Guatemala City to get very experienced doctor, but at a cost of a hotel (or staying with generous friends) and cash for doctor visits and tests and medicines. Much cheaper than private uninsured care in the US, but more expensive than insured care in the US. Plus we just hate going into the city.
As it is, we went to a local doctor across the lake who has an ultrasound machine. It turns out that the ultrasound isn't the newest model, but the doctor said he detected a clear problem.. The doctor warned about some symptoms that Bill may develop, and the doc did minimal treatment since we'd decided already to go to the US for further treatment under Medicare.
The cost of that one appointment was almost $200 for sonogram, doc visit, medical supplies and medicine. Quite a bit higher than we'd expected. Plus the inconvenience of climbing in and out of the boat two days in a row to cross the lake to see the doctor, not easy under any circumstance much less if you don't feel well. So if we had continued to get local treatment, visit by visit, it would add up for repeated treatment.
So we've come back to the US to get attention under Medicare. It's likely he'll have surgery. And we'll get some other complaints looked at as long as we're up here.
We had his first appointment here yesterday. It is frustrating to have to go to one doctor to get a referral to a specialist, and then you have to wait for that appointment, or be told that the appointment will be in middle of March and then I have to sweetly persuade them to help us out. But I have to say it is reassuring to be able to walk into a Walgreens and get products you need or want. And to have a thorough screening under sanitary conditions.
We now have to consider... will similar health events become more common? I've joked that now that Bill turned 70 (and I turned 65), our 'warranties expired' and things are breaking down. What if next time it is a life-threatening emergency? A heart attack? Do we continue to live in a country we love so much, but which may provide less than optimal healthcare as we age? We remain prayerful as we consider what's next for us.
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