Health care of foreigners in Russian Medical School.

[applemas]

One of my friend got haemoptysis (cough blood), CT scan show zone of infiltration. The doctor think of TB and pneumonia.

One thing i suprise is the medical insurance doesn't cover TB. The doctor decided to treat as pneumonia for 2 weeks as trial. If it's TB, she has to go home. They put her to 6 people room (with other TB patient), what if she doens't have TB, those other people will infected her, right? If we want single room for her, we have to pay 1200rb (approximately 45 USD)/ night fo her.

I feel rather bad for her. I am 80% sure the infection she got is from Russia. Why? Her chest X-ray 1 1/2 years ago was normal. Through out year, we spent approximately 10 months in Russia. 2. The epidemiological statistic: Russia has higher incidence rate than Malaysia. 3. The public transport here is too cloudy. Whoever takes the morning bus in Russia before sure don't like it. Such a condition, easy for spreading of infection.

[Malagant]

I hope it isn't antibiotic-resistant...

[bpoichan]

sorry to hear this about your friend..

the thing is that she could not understand what the doctor wanted.. had she gone to him.. and tell her that she ll be paying him.. then he would have helped.. every doc in russia use that technique..or anyone that has some power over you..
if you need their help.. they ll always first refuse it to you..for those that are or have been in russia... havent you noticed that when you go and ask for something to a russian.. he/she ll say.. ' YA NE MOGU, NET' (NO, i cant) ... or.. they ll say ' SURE.. i ll do that for you ' .. and then after a while.. they ll change on you and start becoming jerks...
why? simple..they want some money from you .. then you have to know how to tell it to them.. you should use this sentence ' I ll be grateful to you '.. that s the magic key that will open you doors in russia..

[Mikhail]

First of all, please, visit the page Russia and PPD - Student Doctor Network Forums (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=366842) I hope it would help to avoid some additional troubles.
As to the insurance, every international student in Russia is to purchase health/life insurance policy. A university is to assist to its students in getting such the service but they don’t make the students to choose any precise program.
Since, I am in Moscow: there are many different programs with different sets of services included. A university usually offers standard inexpensive program and every student gets a description of the program. So, it is not a problem to contact the insurance company for a better set of services. For sure it will be costly. And, unfortunately, it does not work in a case the student is already sick. [But it is true for every country.]
The epidemiological statistics means nothing if you are among so many international students from so many different countries. Almost of them leave Russia for summer vocations and come back with no new x-ray test.
Good luck to your friend.

[bpoichan]

the message prior to this one was the official one..

now here is the plain truth:

dont waste money with buying health insurance while in moscow..

Most of the MMA/ RSMU students are required to pay $100 per year for it.. that s not much.. but then when you lll go for medical care.. you ll STILL have to pay a bribe to the doctor.. so why waste your money?

that works for all...

the story is simple. medical care is free in Russia.. so people go to hospitals.. and get medical care..and go home.. for almost nothing.. that was the ideal system about 25 years ago...not anymore...

now you go to a hospital that will supposedly treat you for free..but now .. the doctors are people that have a monthly salary of a no more than $200.. some a little more and some a little less..(of course i am omitting those astronomically rich docs that will operate you for no less than $1000)
but then if you go to the parking lot.. you ll see lots of MERCEDES.. AUDI.... VOLKSWAGEN.. .. how ?> with $200/ month?

how??

patients have to pay them..

so if you go to the hospital.. docs will look at you with huge eyes..and start drooling as if a starving wolf saw a sheep...

therefore whether you have or do not have an insurance .. you ll still end up paying..

take care!