How to get to the doctor in new York, if you have a tourist visa and no insurance

The medical system in America is called «nothing personal»… If in the post-Soviet countries is always possible to agree, the system is then designed to work flawlessly and not leave the place of personal relationships.

I don’t know how the process if you have insurance and American citizenship, therefore I will tell only about the problems I encountered as a tourist in need of medical examination.

Before going to the hospital, I decided to try to make an appointment online, but the websites of hospitals is mandatory field «insurance». Then I decided to ring a few state hospitals, which, as elsewhere, the treatment is much cheaper than in private. As it turned out, they have a single database of patients. That is, if you call some of the hospitals, and they have for the next two months all booked up, you can immediately make appointment to any other. Initially you have to ask your address, telephone number, proof of insurance, type of visa. All this information is introduced into the system, and if you decide later to enroll in another hospital, will tell you that you have already done appointment on such and such a number there and then.

How to get to the doctor in new York, if you have a tourist visa and no insurance
So… I managed to make an appointment in a month. In addition, not to the specialist that I needed.

After all, it’s not particularly important if you know your problem or not, you still need to consult with the physician (the so-called general doctor) who will prescribe the appointment already to the necessary doctor.

On average, I was told that consultation costs $150. At Coney Island Hospital in the Russian quarter, where half of the staff is Russian-speaking, and all the paperwork you can fill out in Russian, the cost of consulting is $15-60 depending on your income.

Securities give the fill a lot. One of them is presented below.

How to get to the doctor in new York, if you have a tourist visa and no insurance

As you can see, I scored 2 points and brought it back to the employee. She whisper asked me whether I’m depressed, because it was a test for suicidal tendencies, and better for him to get a result of 0.
In General, many of the documents that had to fill in seem meaningless, but documentation is everything.

I arrived on the appointed day at 10 am in the hospital, have lined up to check in, I still came, and then I was sent to the Finance Department to pay for the consultation before the consultation. On the one hand — convenient, know what I signed up for. And on the other — spend a lot of time,since these procedures are still fifty men, and everywhere living place.

Once finally to the employee of the Finance Department, I was sent to another office where, as it turned out, we had to go initially. In this office you must present:
1) the document proving the identity;
2) a document confirming your address (you can bring an envelope with a stamp on your name or a utility bill);
3) a document confirming your income (if you are unemployed, the check stubs, unemployment benefits or a letter from the person for whose account you are currently living).

How to get to the doctor in new York, if you have a tourist visa and no insurance

I was lucky. The employee who checks me in, treated me loyally and was allowed to bring the missing paper the next time. He also put me a bill of $0, while saying that a minimum of $15. I do not understand why this happened, and went back to the Finance Department where they do not understand, but he said so, so it must be, and sent me for a consultation.

How to get to the doctor in new York, if you have a tourist visa and no insurance

In the end, all in all it took me 2.5 hours before I crossed the threshold of a doctor’s office. I was examined and sent to the Department of vascular surgery, where I needed initially. I thought I was there just accept it, but again fell to a record on consultation. And again wait for a month before admission.

In General, the conclusion is as follows. If health permits, to wait — wait. If finances allow do not wait — go to a private clinic. If neither the health nor finances — better to go to be treated at Home.

How to get to the doctor in new York, if you have a tourist visa and no insurance

Source