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If we didn't have enough to wory about with colon/dollar fluctuations and MP raids....

PIDD


Stricken expat falls through the cracks and faces grim future

By Elise Sonray
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff


A U.S. man who had a stroke last week is now lying comatose in the hospital with no way to get home, said his friend and business partner.

The man, know as John Richards or John Ruggeri, was living illegally in Costa Rica and is in Hospital Calderón Guardia unable to speak. Ruggeri can only make efforts to squeeze with his hand, said the friend, Shelly Kostner.

The ailing man represents an extreme case of what can happen to an expat who does not obtain residency or enroll in the country's social programs.

Kostner said the worst part is that Ruggeri's family has no money to get the man back to Las Vegas, Nevada, where his Ch*ldren are. A U.S. Embassy employee said that his government could only put him in a shelter and that he needs to leave the hospital today, said Kostner.

An e-mail from the embassy sent to the family said: “We have until Friday to answer. Unless the family comes up with a solution by then, we have no choice but to tell the hospital to dispose of the patient the same way they would a Costa Rican patient.” The message carried the name of Isabel Picado of the U.S. Embassy.

The embassy confirmed that Ms. Picado was an employee but said a press spokesperson could not comment on specific cases due to the privacy act, behind which State Department officials cloak many of their actions.

“John was the kind of guy who was always cracking jokes. He would walk into a pulpería and have the person laughing before he left,” said Kostner.

Ruggeri worked in various businesses in Costa Rica, said Kostner. The latest was an online pharmacy. Ruggeri apparently lost his passport some time ago and was unable
to obtain another one, according to Kosner. It was unclear to her as to why he did not get another passport, said
Nancy Ruggeri, his ex-wife in a telephone call from Las Vegas.

Although Ruggeri and his former wife Nancy Ruggeri are separated, she said he has always been a good father and she wants to get him back home. “This could happen to anyone who is disenfranchised,” said Ms. Ruggeri, who said to get her ex-husband home would take an air ambulance and cost about $4,000. “The U.S. Embassy won't help you or get you home,” said Ms. Ruggeri, who added that she was frustrated with the initial contact she had with the embassy.

If the family can bring Ruggeri home, they will have to pay $6,000 a month until they can get him on insurance or Medicaid, since he is no longer a resident of Clark County, Nevada, said Ms. Ruggeri.

Ruggeri came to Costa Rica about eight years ago. He used to live in Flamingo and owned part of a hotel there, said Kostner. He was well known and liked in the area as Richards, and later moved to San José, said the friend. Ms. Ruggeri said the family had not heard news from him since he left.

The director of social work for the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social at Calderón Guardia said that since Ruggeri has no pension from the United States or from Costa Rica, he has almost no options.

The director, Lucylena Quirós, said that workers had previously thought the family, U.S. Embassy, or a U.S. social association would be able to pay for Ruggeri and care for him when he left the hospital, but that now did not seem to be the case. Since Ruggeri is still in his 50's he can't get any extra help from Costa Rica, she said. Ms. Quirós said that social workers were researching the situation and would hopefully have an answer by next week. Ms. Quirós said that Ruggeri should leave as soon as possible but that didn't necessarily mean today. “We won't put him out on the street,” said Ms. Quirós.

The family would appreciate any suggestions or help in this difficult situation, said Ms. Ruggeri.

how do illegals handle it in usa?, if he is in cr illegally won't cr send him out of cr???

Just pull the plug.

If he was ambulatory they most likely would deport him but since he requires expensive air ambulance service I do not think they consider that an option.

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Alex Levine

He would probably enjoy a stay at the local county hospital with better than adequete care around the clock, we as in you and I would then pickup the tab via our property taxes

Hmmm .....Only $4000 for an air ambulance to the states. Those travel insurance companies are always throwing around numbers like $20,000 to $30,000. I guess they use the typical insurance company horror stories to sell the insurance.

Cariden wrote “how do illegals handle it in usa?” It is against the law in most states to refuse or fail to treat and stabilize a patient. That is part of the reason that illegals use and abuse the ER as primary physician care. They get medical care for free. Free to them but property owner pay up the wazoo! It is also part of the reason that the US medical system is collapsing particularly in states like California. There are numerous reasons for the collapse and ER abuse is one of them.

It also should impart a vitally important lesson to all who live here or stay for extended periods: have a f*cking plan. Being a nice guy is wonderful, but we are all advancing in years and this kind of stuff needs to be thought out in advance. It is like riding a motorcycle, it is not a question of IF you will go down, it is a question of when. For mature men (old is an ugly word) it is a matter of time before we will need urgent or emergency care.

I feel really sorry for the guy but the safety net here in Costa Rica is full of holes. And if you fall, it probably will not catch you and you will go plop. Living in a zipity-do-dah-day existence is not wise. You have to prepare and look out for yourself. No cradle to grave stuff here. These people do care but they cannot afford to do much because the social service money is far too limited. Medicine is dispensed on a triage formula, they make decisions about who gets care and who doesn’t based on specific criteria and expectations. This guy doesn't score too high. Really tragic. PLAN!

This brings up another interesting question...

Where do the Gringos who live down there and wish to make CR their final place so to speak end up when they pass? I mean is there a special section of the cemetary for them or are they buried with everyone else?

I personally don't care.

They could even leave me out in the open and just let nature take it's course like Zoroaster (think vultures picking my body apart piece be piece until nothing left). Anything but 6' under ok with me. Cremation real good or even an above ground crypt or ashes at sea (like this the best).

Sorry for these type of thoughts but I am Escorpion and pre-occupation with the other side is one of my strong interest areas.

i guess just mention your wishes, and mention you have cash for someone to do it..hehehehehheehee...

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I know nothing, nothing!

I feel for the guy, but this is why I spend $25 for emergency medivac insurance before each trip abroad. You should too.
I also do dangerous stuff at home, like skydiving
(years ago) , hunting from tall trees, white water rafting, motorcycling ad 4 wheering ATVs. But, in CR I limit myself to more mundane pursuits. I can't imagine the horror of having to deal with a real meducal emergency and evac due to excessive risk away from home.

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Jester

In the old days they actually had specific cemeteries for foreigners and those still exist down by the San Jose Municipal building. The biggest cemetery today that I know of is “The Eternal Garden of Stiffs” (sorry, I don’t remember the name) on the road from San Jose to Heredia. They actually tele-market plots and funerals just like the US. It is big business here too!

They have crematoriums here and some folks have opted for that, then transport back to the US for final disposal. Transporting a body can be very difficult crossing any international boundary.

This is a very feared scenario, getting denied the grace of sudden death and are instead turned into a vegetable.

The guy is lucky to have some family that cares about him. They need to hit the pavement and get their hands on 4 grand. There are ways. Is a lot of charity out there that may respond to this situation.

Thanks Cari and Diego.

Thinking now after a six pack that it would be excellent to go out in a ball of glory and just have the vultures pick me away!!

I've already told my K*ds that when I go to the great rainforest in the sky that I want to be cremated and my ashes tossed somewhere in my favorite rainforest in Costa Rica.

that's called toxic waste, after all those years of drinkin and whorin, do you think the rain forest should pay the price??? hehehehe

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I know nothing, nothing!