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The American
Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic assumes no
responsibility for the professional ability or reputation of the
persons or medical facilities whose names appear in the following
lists. It is not meant to be complete lists of practitioners in the
Dominican Republic and the absence of one specific name from the
lists is in no way a reflection on his or her competence. Lists are
provided as a convenience to American citizens in the Dominican
Republic and in no way constitute an official recommendation by the
U.S. Government or its representatives. Most practitioners in this
list speak or at least have some knowledge of English.
Medical Assistance
The American Citizens Services (ACS)
Unit of the U.S. Embassy can provide a variety of services to
American citizens faced with medical emergencies while in the
Dominican Republic. The ACS Unit maintains a
List of Doctors and Hospitals in the Dominican Republic
that
might be of assistance to you. It is important to emphasize that
solely the beneficiary of such services, and not the U.S.
Government, is responsible for paying his/her own medical bills.
Medical
Insurance: The Department of State strongly urges Americans to
consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling
abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and if it
will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. U.S.
medical insurance plans seldom cover health costs incurred outside
the United States unless supplemental coverage is purchased.
Further, U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment
for medical services outside the United States. However, many travel
agents and private companies offer insurance plans that will cover
health care expenses incurred overseas, including emergency services
such as medical evacuations.
When making a decision regarding
health insurance, Americans should consider that many foreign
doctors and hospitals require payment in cash prior to providing
service and that a medical evacuation to the United States may cost
well in excess of $50,000. Uninsured travelers who require medical
care overseas often face extreme difficulties. When consulting with
your insurer prior to your trip, please ascertain whether payment
will be made to the overseas healthcare provider or if you will be
reimbursed later for expenses that you incur. Some insurance
policies also include coverage for psychiatric treatment and for
disposition of remains in the event of death.
Useful information on medical
emergencies abroad, including overseas insurance programs, is
provided in the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs
brochure,
Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad, available
via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page or autofax: (202)
647-3000.
Other Health Information:
During the year 2002, there were eight deaths in the Dominican
Republic attributed to Dengue Fever, a mosquito-borne disease that
regularly circulates in the Caribbean and tropical Americas during
the rainy season
Further information on dengue fever,
as well as information on vaccinations and other health precautions,
may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention's hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP
(1-877-394-8747); fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299), or via the
CDC's Internet site at http://www.cdc.gov.
For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad,
please consult the World Health Organization's website at
http://www.who.int/en.
Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith. |
