Coz Chamber fees...the truth!

[Christi]

I was going to post this in response to Otter's question in the "Bent in Cozumel" thread, but I thought it would be of better service as its own thread.

DocVikingo wrote a very informative and accurate piece about this in Undercurrent a few months back (maybe longer).

The Chamber fee is falsely represented as "insurance." This fee is nothing more than a donation to keep the chamber operating, which is fine, but it needs to be presented that way rather than giving a false sense of security to divers.

The only benefit paying this fee has to you directly is that they will agree to bill your insurance company if applicable. However, if your insurance company will not pay out of network expenses or if you do not have primary coverage, then it is of no direct benefit to you. You have simply made a $1 donation to the chamber...which again, is fine. Donations are good, but you should know that's what it is. Do not think that this covers you in the event of an accident.

Furthermore, this fee only applies towards hyperbaric treatments a/k/a chamber rides. It does not apply towards physician's fees, medications, or other fees associated with the accident. It also does not cover air evacuations, ambulance rides, or other diving related accidents.

The only hyperbaric facility that participates in this donation program is the faciity on Calle 5 across from Aldora divers. I do not participate in this program. I simply recommend that all of my divers have coverage.

I am partial to Dr. Piccolo and his facility because I received such excellent care from him and his staff when I was "decompressed." He also treats divers with ear problems, marine life injuries, other diving accidents, and general illness while on the island.

Dr. Piccolo and his facility, Hyperbarica de Cozumel on Calle 6 Nte. do not participate in this program.

I hope this clears the air and I hope that those of you who do not have diving insurance will think twice and purchase some before your next dive trip. There are several choices including DAN, Dive Assure and PADI.

Dive safe and insure yourself...pretty please!

 

[DocVikingo]

From the Oct '03 issue of "Undercurrent" http://www.undercurrent.org :

"Chamber Insurance It Isn’t

If a Cozumel dive operator collects a dollar from you to buy “Cozumel Chamber Insurance,” don’t ever expect to use it. It’s not insurance.

Heidi Piccolo, R.N., Manager Hiperbarica de Cozumel (HDC), and Mauricio Moreno, Manager, SSS/Buceo Medico Mexicano chamber, told us that “dollar insurance” only ensures that the latter facility will accept your regular insurance coverage for chamber treatments rather than request cash up front. If you have no insurance, you will be immediately responsible for the bill. Further, your dollar insurance pays not a peso.

In fact, Hiperbarica de Cozumel does not participate in dollar insurance, considering it a “disservice and misleading.” HDC may require cash up front, no matter whether you have “dollar insurance.”

Several shops themselves are confused regarding dollar insurance. For example, a large, long-established and reputable shop said: “We consider this ‘secondary coverage’; the net effect is it helps cover deductibles. I know that for my contribution per diver I get an adequate facility and treatment of my clients without prior consideration of finances, but what a client receives in exchange for the buck I pay in their name is fuzzy.”

Some divers who only dive Cozumel don’t carry insurance because they believe their dollar-a-dive insurance covers them. They may be in for a rude surprise. Don’t dive Cozumel without a bona fide dive accident policy.

That said, a dollar from divers helps keep the chamber operating. See it as a donation. — Doc Vikingo"

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[crispos]

Let me get this straight.

This means if you neglected to pay $1 US to the dive operator, and you were bent, perhaps critically, and you did not have several thousand USD to wire immediately from abroad to a Mexican bank (difficult to do quickly), and you did not have a VISA or Mastercard with big enough limit, you would not get treated at the Calle 5 facility?

I did not know there was another chamber on Calle 6 Norte. Please confirm that.

 

[crispos]

I am assuming that the victim has accident insurance (and I am not indeed sure that general travel health policies cover hyperbaric) and that the insurance company would not agree to pay out directly to the patient but would ask to be billed by the hyperbaric unit.

All of this over $1 US? Is that $1 US per dive? Per day?

 

[ggunn]

Let me get this straight.

This means if you neglected to pay $1 US to the dive operator, and you were bent, perhaps critically, and you did not have several thousand USD to wire immediately from abroad to a Mexican bank (difficult to do quickly), and you did not have a VISA or Mastercard with big enough limit, you would not get treated at the Calle 5 facility?

I did not know there was another chamber on Calle 6 Norte. Please confirm that.

No, I think that it means that whether or not you pay the $1, you still have to somehow pay for HB treatment if you need it. The $1 contributes to there being a HB chamber available should you need it, not to any sort of insurance that would pay for your treatment.

FWIW, I was never mislead; that is the way it was explained to me from day one. Also FWIW, hospitals here have a policy of never turning away anyone who needs lifesaving treatment regardless of their demonstrating an ability to pay, but that's a US thing and not necessarily true in the rest of the world. Get that insurance.

 

[gj62]

Get that insurance.

My understanding is, even with insurance, you may be asked to leave a credit card too. Insurance alone may not cover it - see Tim Ingersol's recent post regarding his chamber experience on Coz...

 

[ggunn]

My understanding is, even with insurance, you may be asked to leave a credit card too. Insurance alone may not cover it - see Tim Ingersol's recent post regarding his chamber experience on Coz...

Even so, it is much better to have insurance than not to, and the dollar to the chamber fund has nothing to do with any insurance.

 

[gj62]

Even so, it is much better to have insurance than not to, and the dollar to the chamber fund has nothing to do with any insurance.

Agreed - just making sure people knew that you need insurance AND a credit card...

 

[DocVikingo]

Yes, if you do not pay the $1 “donation” there is no up front agreement by the SSS/Buceo Medico Mexicano chamber to accept your health or dive accident coverage.

The other chamber in town, Hiperbarica de Cozumel (HDC), doesn't participate and requires payment/proof of ability to pay for all services in all situations.

In such a case, in order to be treated you must demonstrate solid ability to pay. A credit card is best, but cash or negotiable monetary instruments, letters of guarantee from your health coverage (good luck with this one) or from DAN (provided under special circumstances--read my Undercurrent piece: "Are You Diving Naked? Why your dive insurance may not cover what YOU want"), they can deny service.

Also, it is the general practice of all primary health insurance & dive accident policies of which I am aware to reimburse you for your expenses once all bills have been settled & who owes what for what among various avenues of coverage [e.g., health care insurers, dive accident policies, travel insurance policies with medical benefits (some of which do cover emergency hyperbaric treatment), etc.] has been sorted out.

I think that "gj62" has provided sage advice--"you need insurance AND a credit card." I'd add, a credit card with a minimum $10k limit.

Personally, I wouldn't dream of going diving anywhere, not to mention in a foreign country, without that credit card & a top of the line dive accident insurance plan.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

PS: crispos. If you think that rapid money transfer in Mexico may be difficult, think about Wakatobi in the Tukang Besis, Rajat Ampat, Komodo, etc.

 

[5615mike]

Yes, if you do not pay the $1 “donation” there is no up front agreement by the SSS/Buceo Medico Mexicano chamber to accept your health or dive accident coverage.

The other chamber in town, Hiperbarica de Cozumel (HDC), doesn't participate and requires payment/proof of ability to pay for all services in all situations.

In such a case, in order to be treated you must demonstrate solid ability to pay. A credit card is best, but cash or negotiable monetary instruments, letters of guarantee from your health coverage (good luck with this one) or from DAN (provided under special circumstances--read my Undercurrent piece: "Are You Diving Naked? Why your dive insurance may not cover what YOU want"), they can deny service.

Also, it is the general practice of all primary health insurance & dive accident policies of which I am aware to reimburse you for your expenses once all bills have been settled & who owes what for what among various avenues of coverage [e.g., health care insurers, dive accident policies, travel insurance policies with medical benefits (some of which do cover emergency hyperbaric treatment), etc.] has been sorted out.

I think that "gj62" has provided sage advice--"you need insurance AND a credit card." I'd add, a credit card with a minimum $10k limit.

Personally, I wouldn't dream of going diving anywhere, not to mention in a foreign country, without that credit card & a top of the line dive accident insurance plan.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

PS: crispos. If you think that rapid money transfer in Mexico may be difficult, think about Wakatobi in the Tukang Besis, Rajat Ampat, Komodo, etc.

Doc

I don't understand how anyone could assume or believe that there is any implication that with your donation that should you need a ride it is free. Where is the "Free" ride belief coming from?

What do you mean when you say that "DAN insurance might not pay what I want?" I am symtomatic and they MIGHT not take DAN as payment at chamber in COZ? Do I understand you correctly? In what instance might DAN not pay for treatment? I only ask this since you made the statement. I might be in for some real education here.

Second, why in the world would any diver not buy DAN or similar treatment insurance? Makes no sence to me. Very few health insurance carriers are going to make payments on chamber rides especially when it's going to be out of network and probably out of the country. I at least checked with my carrier.