A Gift on Christmas... A Set of Medical Tests

In keeping with the holiday spirit, I was given a tremendous gift. I was given the gift of a physical check-up. Getting a check-up on Christmas Eve is even more valuable in the sense that it prepares a mindset of health and prosperity in the New Year.

I'm writing this post while waiting for the results from my labs and consultation with a physician in Mexico. I live a stone's throw away from the U.S.-Mexico border and I regularly use medical services in Mexico as a means to cut costs, to save time, and to get better service. Last night, I was struggling with some symptoms and weird sensations so I woke up early and headed to Reynosa, Mexico.

Being so close to Mexico, and I can speak Spanish, makes my use of medical services in Mexico a no-brainer. Some people are scared, and there is good reason to be scared, but not to be immobilized to logic. The hospital I use is a three-minute taxi ride from the border.

I like to cut unnecessary costs. I am also a person who likes to find deals, so why can't medical services be any different? If you have the discipline to save cash, you will have an easier time getting better priced services.

I had five separate services: consultation, EKG, X-Ray, and Blood and Urine Test. The cost of a electrocardiogram in the United States has a wide range of prices. According to a post on Livescience.com in 2013, the range of prices that three out of twenty hospitals did respond with a price placed it between $137 and $1200. That's five years ago. I paid $63. A chest X-ray that in the U.S. would cost between $260 and $460 cost me $24.60. I did blood work and urine test for an additional $42. Including the 6-minute consultation, I paid $208.60. It is a far cry from the estimated lowest price of around $650 in the U.S.

I also like saving time and getting good service. Both apply here. In terms of time, in the amount of time I drove to the border, walked across the bridge, took a taxi, got services and the return trip, I took 4 hours. And I had breakfast at the hospital cafeteria for $5 (eggs, bacon, coffee, potato fries, refried beans and four tortillas).

In the spirit of saving time, as I am writing this post, the doctor called to give me the results. She tells me I'm okay, but some small areas I need to be more mindful. In the U.S., I would need to go to the doctor's office, wait two hours, to get the same results. My time is important, and the service I received reflects that importance by respecting my time.

I have insurance. I elect, however, to keep a very high deductible, low premium for the major illnesses or injuries. I figure I save $4000 a year, which I move to retirement, where I will definitely need the money. I also stress that you keep yearly check-ups, simply to keep an eye on potential illnesses that can derail you and reduce your long life.