Well, as one of my favorite books states, “When you declare yourself to BE something, be prepared for your chance to PROVE it!” 

True to my commitment to ADVOCACY for my patients on this journey, I did not realize that the chance to prove just how far would entail!  

 MedNetBrazil realizes that some patients need financing help with their surgery and other related costs to this Journey.  For this reason, more than three years ago, we began approaching the loan companies that were specializing in “cosmetic loans” and loans for surgeries, etc.  At that time, these companies were not able or sometimes, willing to loan to patients who were having procedures performed abroad due to the logistics of sending the money internationally (most Brazilian surgeons don’t have US bank accounts, nor do they need them), communicating with the foreign providers and hospitals that would be paid from the funds loaned a patient, etc.  Since we are a real US-based company (corporation) with an American Bank account however, and after explaining what our “Concierge Services” entailed, we were able to show the feasability of loaning to a patient going abroad.  Consequently, we have been recommending www.SurgeryLoans.com , also known as www.PlasticSurgeryFinancing.com  for more than two years now to our clients.  I have also recommended them to several of my colleagues in the Medical Tourism profession to sign up as “providers” or facilitators for them, referring their patients to them for help with cosmetic and other elective surgeries.  Granted, it has not been a huge number of MedNetBrazil patients that have had to use their services, but I have been pleased to be able to offer this option to those that do have the need, even those that perhaps choose to go elsewhere or use a different service.

Although we had to sign up as a “provider” and they charged the us/the doctor a “discount” or fee for funding the loan, the relationship has seemed to work fine until “hammering out the details” and some obvious changes in protocol began to cause unnecessary, last-minute anxiety for a patient with surgery scheduled, plane tickets bought, hotel reservations made and a myriad of medical and logistical support services that MedNetBrazil provides and coordinates all lined up and ready to go, but funding being delayed and terms being modified just a minimal two days before the patient’s departure to Brazil and four days before her scheduled surgery!

Needless to say, of course, finance companies are NOT aware of all the planning, coordination, orchestration and of course, patient stress levels that are a part of this process.  So it may be easy to be totally oblivious to it.  MedNetBrazil however, is NOT.  There is enough to stress about just with arriving for the surgery and preparing yourself mentally, meeting the surgeon, unpacking at the hotel, trying to settle in and get comfortable and just concentrate on yourself and your recovery for the next few weeks.  Stress about whether, after ALL this, all the work, all the planning, the paperwork, the savings…  wondering whether all the medical providers will be properly and promptly compensated should not even be on the worry list!    

As a direct result of this unpleasant experience for not only the patient, but the doctor and the Brazilian support staff carefully coordinating her care, MedNetBrazil is looking for other medical loan companies that allow you to choose the surgeon even if they are not “providers” with the loan company, that do NOT charge the doctor a (”discount”) fee to fund the loan (after all, WE are referring patients TO the finance company!), do not question if you want to use some of your loan for hotel lodging, or medications, or your flight,  etc, and will fund promptly and in advance of your procedure, entrusting YOU to know best what you need the funds for.

 MedNetBrazil has been in contact with several reputable companies that seem to meet these criteria as of today and will be posting them to the website in a day or two!  Just another way we are here to “give back” and be an advocate for the Medical Tourist.