Lack of 1st World Health Care in Belize(?)
-
My partner and I did an extensive 2-week, "boots on the ground" trip to Belize where we spent 4-5 days in Ambergris Cay, Placencia, and the Cayo district, respectively. The country checks sooo many boxes for us, but one key element seems to be missing that gets glossed over by entitites promoting Belize as a reirement destination.... access to quality health care.
I'm curious to learn from actual North Americans living in country who are over 60 as to how you manage your health care. We are both physically fit but are committed to proactive health care which means staying on top of scans, blood panels, meds, etc.. One has to be their own advocate these days!
I've heard that one measure is to schedule doctor visits for a predtermined visit stateside and knock it all out in one multi-week visit, but that just doesn't seem realistic. I'm a cancer survivor and require CT scans every 6-8 months. Surely, I can't be the only Expat with that circumstance?
I welcome any substantive input from bonafide Expats who are commited to proactive health care.
-
Hello Captain, I am Jane, the new Belize correspondent. I live in Placencia, coming up on our four year anniversary. You are correct that top notch health care is lacking here. My husband and I are fit and healthy in our sixties. We have no major health issues, nor do we take any drugs, but when I needed a neurologist for neck pain and my husband a dental specialist, we went to Merida, Mexico. We now go once a year for his dental and there's a blood test I can't get here that I will do in Merida next visit. We've had blood work here in Placencia and talked with the doctor and felt comfortable with our experience. I am a health coach, so I do know a lot about keeping us in tip top shape nutritionally and we both have our workouts. So I recommend anyone with major health issues to think twice about retiring here, but for those who just need checkups, go for it. And by the way, Cancun also has great healthcare, we just prefer Merida. It's fun to get to a big city now and then, so we do not mind the travel. Please let me know if you have further questions and I'm sorry you didn't get an answer sooner, but I just started recently. Thanks for reaching out. j