Call 911 if you need urgent medical treatment or emergency. With this number you can call an ambulance, police or firefighters.
You can call 911 free from any payphone. In an emergency on the freeway or a side road, stay calm and if you have no cell phone, trying to locate the nearest emergency telephone (these will be located throughout the highway/freeway). The response to accidents on major roads is very rapid.
If you can, go to the nearest hospital emergency room they will treat you within a short time. Note that in emergency treatments are not free, check your local hospitals for more information.
Pharmacies
If you need urgent medication, you will find a list of pharmacies that are open 24 hours a day in the local newspaper or yellow pages. Or you can also go to any pharmacy, where they usually have a list at the door or window, to the nearest open pharmacy.
Medical
If you are to sick to attend a doctor consultation, you can check with your doctor by phone. Be aware that most U.S.A. doctors do home visits. In some cities there are special services as home visits (house call) that send a doctor to your house 24 hours a day.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Pharmacies - How To Get Medication In The U.S.A.
Americans take more pills than any people in other countries, and can find wide range of medicines in pharmacies, drugstores, hospitals and even supermarkets.
There are two types of drugs: with or without medical prescription. To buy prescription drugs, the patient should go to the pharmacy with a prescription from a doctor and the pharmacist will give you medicine that was written on the prescription.
The law on prescriptions is very strict, and many medicines that you buy in your country without problems such as antibiotics or codeine, a prescription will be needed in the United States to obtain these medicines.
Some painkillers such as paracetamol also known as acetaminophen, can be purchased at pharmacies without a prescription. To purchase these types of medicines you will need to go to a pharmacy inside stores like Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Eckerd, Pulbix, Winn Dixie or CVS. There are also a pharmacy's in many supermarkets.
If you have health insurance, most of the cost of prescription drugs will be paid directly by your insurance company. You will pay a symbolic part of the drug, depending on whether brand or generic. With private insurance, you pay for medicine and send the receipt to the insurance company to reimburse you.
Please note that U.S. prescription drugs are often very expensive, and many insurance policies do not cover medicines for existing medical problems. Find out if your insurance company has its own pharmacy, typically insurance company pharmacy's have more affordable prices.
The opening hours of pharmacies are similar to other shops, 9am to 9pm, seven days a week. Usually at least one pharmacy is open 24 hours a day, you should use these pharmacy's if you need you medication/prescription urgently.
Continue:
In Case of Emergencies - Emergency Numbers, Hospitals and Pharmacies
There are two types of drugs: with or without medical prescription. To buy prescription drugs, the patient should go to the pharmacy with a prescription from a doctor and the pharmacist will give you medicine that was written on the prescription.
The law on prescriptions is very strict, and many medicines that you buy in your country without problems such as antibiotics or codeine, a prescription will be needed in the United States to obtain these medicines.
Some painkillers such as paracetamol also known as acetaminophen, can be purchased at pharmacies without a prescription. To purchase these types of medicines you will need to go to a pharmacy inside stores like Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Eckerd, Pulbix, Winn Dixie or CVS. There are also a pharmacy's in many supermarkets.
If you have health insurance, most of the cost of prescription drugs will be paid directly by your insurance company. You will pay a symbolic part of the drug, depending on whether brand or generic. With private insurance, you pay for medicine and send the receipt to the insurance company to reimburse you.
Please note that U.S. prescription drugs are often very expensive, and many insurance policies do not cover medicines for existing medical problems. Find out if your insurance company has its own pharmacy, typically insurance company pharmacy's have more affordable prices.
The opening hours of pharmacies are similar to other shops, 9am to 9pm, seven days a week. Usually at least one pharmacy is open 24 hours a day, you should use these pharmacy's if you need you medication/prescription urgently.
Continue:
In Case of Emergencies - Emergency Numbers, Hospitals and Pharmacies
Monday, November 2, 2009
Health Insurance - How To Cover Your Medical Expenses In United States
Coming to the U.S., your priority should be to have health insurance. The drugs, hospitals and doctors are extremely expensive, so be sure to be covered in case of illness or emergency.
Health insurance is mandatory for all foreign students in the U.S., so you can not begin to study if you do not.
Note that, with few exceptions, the U.S. has no free or subsidized health care, so you will probably need private insurance. Insurance policies are very expensive, so it is usually better to increase your health insurance from your country to cover you during your stay in America. Note that without this increase, it is likely that insurance will not cover your country's astronomical medical costs in the U.S., as these are almost certainly higher than those of your country.
If you need to get American insurance, there are many choices, so study them well before you decide. Internet is a good place to compare. Your age, medical history and the state where you live will influence the amount you will pay.
If you're working, your company may offer to pay part of your insurance. In many cases this is a good option for the employee. Some companies will give you a choice of several insurance companies, talk to your colleagues to see what is the best in your area. The insurance will cover you and your family while you're working for the company.
Insurance Documentation
When traveling to the United States you must always carry the insurance papers/card, if not sometimes they will force you to pay a deposit when you come to the doctor or hospital, as no one is going to treat you because the risk of non-payment.
Continue:
Pharmacies - How To Get Medication In The U.S.A.
Health insurance is mandatory for all foreign students in the U.S., so you can not begin to study if you do not.
Note that, with few exceptions, the U.S. has no free or subsidized health care, so you will probably need private insurance. Insurance policies are very expensive, so it is usually better to increase your health insurance from your country to cover you during your stay in America. Note that without this increase, it is likely that insurance will not cover your country's astronomical medical costs in the U.S., as these are almost certainly higher than those of your country.
If you need to get American insurance, there are many choices, so study them well before you decide. Internet is a good place to compare. Your age, medical history and the state where you live will influence the amount you will pay.
If you're working, your company may offer to pay part of your insurance. In many cases this is a good option for the employee. Some companies will give you a choice of several insurance companies, talk to your colleagues to see what is the best in your area. The insurance will cover you and your family while you're working for the company.
Insurance Documentation
When traveling to the United States you must always carry the insurance papers/card, if not sometimes they will force you to pay a deposit when you come to the doctor or hospital, as no one is going to treat you because the risk of non-payment.
Continue:
Pharmacies - How To Get Medication In The U.S.A.