Al’s first Marmite sandwich. “I’ve never licked a dog’s ass….” Dr. Londono has expressed concern about getting paid by Blue Cross. I got the breakdown and note that the medical exam was priced at $12,600.00. I wouldn’t be surprised if they never spoke to him again, but then how would I know what the payment on a Beemer is these days. For the record, they took my temperature, a blood sample, and X-ray and my pressure. There were follow ups, but those were billed extra. That hospital (Mt. Sinai) is run is that the patient sees most of what is provided, probably to avoid billing disputes later. Yet they hit me for $950.00 in Other Services, which there weren’t any unless you count the dietician handing me a home-made diet suggestion pamphlet.
Speaking of Blue Cross, they don’t make things any easier on themselves. They seem to blindly trust that the hospital is fairly charging them for everything, but I know the average citizen does not have $42,000.00 for a routine operation. Also, fine print. My understanding is that no matter what happened medically in an emergency, my share would never be more than the $1,000 deductible. Wrong. Things like the above Medical Diagnostic Exam are not covered, and my share comes to $2,967.00. I sure they are not cheating and can explain everything, but come on, how am I supposed to believe anything they say after that, not that it would bother them. The thing is, I would gladly pay the extra tiny premium per week to pick up the difference between what they promise and what they deliver. My share wipes me out till June and puts my toothpicks on hold. Not covered? I mean, how in hell does one get into the hospital without a Medical Diagnostic Exam?
There is a hint of local gossip in Belize concerning the development on Long Caye. This is the island I was considering investing $12,000 in raw land, mainly to say I owned it. But the local chat lines and groups refer to the development in lesser known terms. So far I haven’t gotten anyone to give me some facts or examples, but I will wear them down. The thing is, it is land and not condo land, and I don’t mind paying my costs as long as what I do is not dependent on my neighbor in any way. The gossip is hinting that on the island this may be a problem. That boardwalk is necessary to get ‘downtown’, but what if any one neighbor along the way realizes the people farther away must build it, so why should he pay for the strip past his property? Just sit back and it will appear, and won’t cost him a cent.
