I think it may be worth a mention regarding the medical situation in Puerto Rico as I know that we were not the only people to encounter the same problems.

Whilst staying there over the Christmas and New Year period I was bitten by a mosquito (I know everyone says you don't get them in the Canary Islands but surprise surprise you do!!) and had a very bad reaction. I visited the pharmacy who insisted I go immediately to the nearest clinic. (Atlantic) I cannot fault the treatment I received there. They immediately put me on a drip and filled me full of injections. I then had to report to them twice a day for the rest of my stay for injections and bandage changes.

On my second visit there the "problem" started. I was advised by the nurse that the insurance company I was using were very bad payers. I had Gold Cover Insurance through Direct Holidays. Pressure was put on us to pay the bill by credit card, full amount unknown at this stage, and claim when we got home. Every visit back to the clinic was the same and we were shown faxes they had sent to the insurance company and regaled with stories of how they were still waiting to be paid for bills issued in December. We were still in December!!

I also discovered that other people being treated at the clinic were told the same story and some had paid their bills directly, which obviously had left them short of funds for their holidays.

At the same time we were telephoning the insurance company and the Direct Holidays rep who both told us there was no problem.

Once again we were told by the clinic staff that the insurance company would not pay and it was only when we asked if the problem was really that the clinic did not want to wait for their money were we left alone.

As I said I could not fault the treatment given at the clinic but I most certainly could have done without the pressure placed upon me whilst I was ill to pay up.

I understand that you operate in a cash based economy but this really was ridiculous. If they are not prepared to wait for payment from the insurance company (who paid up in full within thirty days I might add) why advertise that you do accept their customers outside the clinic?

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