05 May 2012 8:01 AM:

Hi,

 

I have always been working the man who now has  a company named " Elexa" in El Campello

and so have all my neighbours & friends.

He is reliable, helpful and always had the best prices.

The cost ? this will depend from the system that you need. I installed a solarhart in 2004, panel with 180l tank. in summer I even use it to heat my swimmingpool with as I always have too much hot water. In 2004 it costed me 1800 € but they have become a lot cheaper now.

Thread: Solar Panels for water heaters

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25 Feb 2012 11:25 AM:

Hi Pingbosum,

You are retired, so for you it must be paradise as long as you do not have to be on a waiting list. For young people like her and myself who still have to work, Spain can be hell. I certainly had to cut my hourly Belgian rate in 2. And when I look at all my English neighbours...i feel pity. At 55 or more working in a bar f.e. at 5€ an hour to make ends meet... A shame !

I combine my private insurance with the NHS, as I am paying for both. When it's urgent I go to my private doc or specialist.

When medication is involved to the NHS. i need an acid in my knees which costs 300 € per injection, so....but downside is that I usually have to wait for about 4-8 months before seeing the traumatologist.

I had some heart trouble and with my private insurance all possible test including a Holter (24h ECG) could be done in 2 days. With NHS I had to wait for 3 months for just the first appointment with their cardiologist.

As I said before, I have seen people die because the waiting time was just too long. If they find some tumor cells in my blood tomorrow, I want them to act tomorrow not to wait until September 2012 to see the oncologist for the 1 time.

I was healthy and well when I arrived in the Costa Blanca in 2003. I have been lucky to have taken that insurance immediately, because today nobody would insure me anymore with the consequence of the accidents that I had.

And like the other one said, shop around, but most of all, read the little text !!!! that' s more important than the price :)

 

Thread: Just to say Hi - and ask a question about medical services :)

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25 Feb 2012 9:18 AM:

Well I have Mundisalud with DKV in Alicante (whom I know well by now) for about 1400 € a year. Only the rehab for my back and knees already costs more than that. If I go to the DKV docs I don't have to pay anything, and I can even go to any doctor in the whole world, they still pay me 80% back of that bill. I'm very happy with them !

 

Thread: Just to say Hi - and ask a question about medical services :)

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25 Feb 2012 8:49 AM:

I just read your story Johnzx !

Well, a friends father died just recently in December ...he also had a thrombosis but sent him home...saying nothing was wrong. He went back but it was too late by then.

So when I have the choice, I never go to an NHS hospital... I broke my back a few years back, and waiting for 6 hours for them to take the first RX (machine was broken), and then another 2 hours to see the doc,they said "get up, you are fine, you can go home". They pulled me out of bed with 3 people to then really see I could not stand up, so they put me back and decided to take new RX...

At 22h30 they came back "DON'T MOVE, don't move, your back is broken"... Well, wasn't that a bit too late ????

This was in the clinic in San Juan, Alicante.
 

 

Thread: Just to say Hi - and ask a question about medical services :)

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25 Feb 2012 7:58 AM:

Hi,

A good tip: Get "Private Insurance" as soon as you arrive :)

NHS might be good if you have the time to wait....3 months for an appointment at the gynecologist, 8 months for the traumatologist .... I know of people who died from heartfaillure & cancer...while waiting for their appointment.

I'm also self-employed (jurist & translator (no, not to English haha :)..be prepared for the crisis over here, don't expect to find new translation work over here unless you are prepared to cut your prices in 2) and I have both insurances.

I can tell you about my experiences over here (not living so far away from Benidorm) if you want.

Take care & think twice (10x) before moving here. The "working" climate is at his worst at the moment.

Thread: Just to say Hi - and ask a question about medical services :)

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