mitzipurr

Having recently joined this astute organisation I am gobsmacked to learn that the only thing they will accept as payment for treatment is cash they did not even offer me a receipt. How on earth do they get away with this? I can even get my cat treated at the vets and pay by credit card!!!

I am also disturbed that there seems to be no price list as a guideline for treatment.

Mitzyboy

I think it varies from place to place .... I went to the surgery at Oliva Nova for a full medical and I got a full printed receipt, copies of all the scans, a written medical report and all the ECG data and blood test results. I was able to pay by card.
I'd check before having treatment about costs. They were not cheap, but overall roughly what I was expecting for such a thorough medical.

crispy

We pay cash in Chiclana, they do not except debit card but I have seen peeps pay with credit card, get receipt but sometime have to ask for it, have to agree about price list.

mitzipurr

I would have thought all medical centres in Spain should be singing from the same hymn sheet??

Mitzyboy

I get the impression that they may be franchises, or something like that.

Mitzyboy

According to this they have only 5 clinics in this region (1 franchise?)

http://www.centro-medico.com/

mitzipurr

This is the one in the center of Chiclana.

mitzipurr

They told me today that they do not accept credit or debit cards of any kind and all treatment has to paid in cash. How they get away with this is beyond me.

jo-ann

We were in there today (Chiclana) and saw someone paying with some sort of card at the desk but whenever I have asked I have been told no cards. Occasionally we have had receipts for treatment. But they seem to be very good at managing to lose the results of blood tests, this is the second time it has happened to us.

mitzipurr

My opinion is.
If they are expecting ex pats to use this clinic then they will have to get their act together. They may think it is acceptable to treat their own kind in this fashion but I doubt very much foriegners will put up with it for long. Speaking for myself if things do not alter I will not be paying anymore subscriptions.

poollounger

Mitzipur I know it must be annoying to find they do not take credit cards, but surely they can choose to do what they like. Most people take them for fear of losing custom, but if one's custom is assured, then why should they be expected to pay commission to the card agency ?? If they did prices would only have to rise. Perhpas they have two price lists.. one for the expats and one for the locals. I wonder if they see the expats who need private care.. ie unable to subscribe to the health service as being better off than the locals and operate a two tier system ?? Unfair, but then there are many places that do this sort of thing. Visiting a friend working in Venice who was known to the restaurants and bars we paid quite different prices to the tourists. And look at the Channel Islands which operate a two tier pricing structure for selling property.

Lis48

[QUOTE=jo-ann;4405521]We were in there today (Chiclana) and saw someone paying with some sort of card at the desk but whenever I have asked I have been told no cards. QUOTE]

Were they credit cards or cards from private medical organisations? I can use my sanitas card at Centro Medico in Chiclana for example and not have to pay just as at any doctor or private clinic.

mitzipurr

Hi Poollounger

I understand what you are saying about Credit Cards and fees - however if they are running a business there should be some record about paying for services. I shall be asking for receipts from now on as treatment is ongoing...

As for price lists being different for expats. At present there are no price lists at all I was told!!

Mitzyboy

[QUOTE=Lis48;4406897] Centro Medico in Oliva Nova don't work with Sanitas ... strange how they differ

poollounger

[QUOTE=Mitzyboy;4407250] Like dentists in Britain....no consistency....some do NHS, some don't. Some do Denplan, and again some don't