medications

I have a medication that is only in U.S. and Canada. I may need it shipped monthly to me in Zihua. I first don't know what the rules are and secondly how you go about it. Before I use Google, I thought might see if anyone had a similar need.

I have a medication that is only in U.S. and Canada. I may need it shipped monthly to me in Zihua. I first don't know what the rules are and secondly how you go about it. Before I use Google, I thought might see if anyone had a similar need.

You can't ship prescription medications. You should try to locate the same or similar medication here. Perhaps a local doctor such as Dr. Grayeb can help you with the prescription.

So true. They will not arrive.

Ok thanks, Rob. I thought that might be the case about sending Meds. I couldn't find much online about it. It is Ofev which is unbelievably expensive Without insurance I have seen online upwards of $12000 a month.

I had two heart medications that I needed in Zihuat and could not get neither. Not surprising as sometimes I have trouble here at home in Montreal. It s not covered by Medicare and made by a private company but it s the only medication that halts my AFIB all generics failed...

I had that same problem. It was resolved by working with my Dr. and the pharmacy and I got a vacation supply ie and extra month supply. Explain the dilemma to your Dr and I bet he can work something out for you.

Given the particular Med and it’s usual uses have you looked at the medical resources available in Zihuatanejo both in terms of hospitals and local specialists should you have a flare of your condition?

Have you contacted the pharmaceutical company that makes Ofev to find out if it has a representative in Mexico? For the past 20 years, I have taken heart meds that have no generic so I needed to continue with them here. I went to every pharmacy in Zihua and also other pharmacies in Mexico city and discovered that one has it available at about $300/month. Thus, a matter of contacting the Mexico City and make arrangements to send them here within 3 days.

I am lucky to have found Farmacia Koyuka on Nicolas Bravo who can order them from Mexico City. At times the meds are backed up, so I try to stay at least one month ahead. As an expat from US, I have no health insurance here so I pay cash. I have no alternative.

The Drugs I Need!

$12,000 for a drug. Laugh or cry? I usually do both, often at the same time.

People like us are in between a rock and a hard place. We have no alternative to pay these high amounts but have to think of the people who cannot afford these medications because they are not covered...

I will do it when I get there in December.Thanks

One of the reasons costs are so high is "cost shifting." Companies charge more to those who can pay to cover for those that can't. Single payer insurance would go a long way to fixing this. It really doesn't matter if it is administered by the government of a private carrier. If everyone had coverage, there would be no cost shifting and costs would go down, assuming, of course, congress would act on drug prices. (Since many of them on both sides of the aisle line their campaign pockets with drug company contributions (Thanks Supreme Court and Citizens United) this may be wishful thinking.

If European countries can provide medical care to all, why is the US so retarded in this regard? As a young man in Vienna, I came down with the flu. Our doctor came to the house. No charge.

If you want to go the official route, you can jump on this paper chase:

Health Permit for Import of Medications Intended for Personal Use

One copy of this approved permit must be in the package containing the meds when it arrives at the first Port of Entry. If sent via FedEx, DHL, etc., it would be the airport in CDMX.
No permit?
The package will be detained until you obtain a copy of the permit and send it to Aduanas de Mexico in CDMX.
Can't get the permit?
If you're lucky, the package will eventually be returned to the sender. If not so lucky, it will be destroyed.

I don't know where the nearest COFEPRIS office is (Lázaro Cárdenas?), but they could probably help you.

HTH...

I had that same problem. It was resolved by working with my Dr. and the pharmacy and I got a vacation supply ie and extra month supply. Explain the dilemma to your Dr and I bet he can work something out for you.

My Canadian public service health plan pays for a three month supply of prescription drugs, which is the standard GP prescription. With a simple phone call, and our GP's assistance, we easily get six months supply, for those long Zihua stays we used to enjoy.

For those Americans frustrated by Joe Manchin's opposition to lowering prescription drug prices, our most recent purchase of a 3-month supply of the
nine prescription drugs my wife and I regularly use goes as follows:
---Total price $249.76, less the approx. 70-80% our healthcare insurance covers, less the $4/prescription discount our local pharmacy provides = net out-of-pocket $19.58
On an annual basis, that's $999.04 for $78.32

"If European countries can provide medical care to all, why is the US so retarded in this regard? As a young man in Vienna, I came down with the flu. Our doctor came to the house. No charge."

File under : Medical Industrial Complex

I have AFIB and can't find anything that stops it when it starts. What drug are you talking about? I live on Metoprolol to hopefully help prevent the occurrence in the first place but would love to have something that STOPS it. Thanks.

Hi Connie,
I take Metropolol 50mg breakfast and supper, the other drug is MULTAQ 400mg the same breakfast and supper.. without MULTAQ I suffer from Afib.. Sanofi-Aventis is the company box is market Not for Export... check with your doctor... 1 800 265 7927 is their number, it s made here in Montreal Quebec Canada...

Bit when you were a kid he didn’t have to put gas in his horse.

I had talked to DHL and that's what they said, it should accompany the package. I can look into it and see how far I get before I quit. I have asked my pulmonary doctor's staff person about getting vacation scripts,will see how that goes. I really don't know how long these future trips will be as one of our knowledgeable members pointed out to me.Thanks

If European countries can provide medical care to all, why is the US so retarded in this regard? As a young man in Vienna, I came down with the flu. Our doctor came to the house. No charge.

The stark differences were result of the way the two systems handled health care during World War II.

The United States System An Accident of History

The European System War and Trauma

During World War II, United States companies began offering health care as an incentive to hire workers because they were prohibited from raising wages. After World War II, there was a movement in the United States to copy what Europe had done. However, the U.S. companies said, "Not to worry. We will continue to provide health care to our employees. If you have a job, you will have health care!" Ah, and the unions and workers believed them. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.

What is the history of the exorbitant
Fees for medical treatment in the US?
I got a small keratosis lasered
Off my back in Mexico and it cost $28.
The sheer number of hospital administrators
And insurance goons must factor in.

Hay was cheap and water was free.

What is the history of the exorbitant
Fees for medical treatment in the US?
I got a small keratosis lasered
Off my back in Mexico and it cost $28.
The sheer number of hospital administrators
And insurance goons must factor in.

This is indeed one of the major weaknesses of the U.S. system. Roughly 25 cents out of every dollar goes to administration whereas in single-payer systems about 1 cent out of every dollar goes to administration. Administration includes the costs of the "insurance goons" as you so generously called them.

Insurance Company Rules