Job Discussion Forums

[Munchen]

To Matthewboy in particular.
You obviously provide the most extensive information on Argintina in this post and followed up nicely on my questions about Mendoza.

Another pertinent one is, what does Argentina offer in the way of health insurance? Do they by any chance have national health insurance and, if so, can foreign residents join any such health program?
I know, for instance, this is possible in Costa Rica but know it's not true in other Latin American countries where it's pay as you go, cash on the spot

Have you or any of your associates had any experience with medical facilities and doctors in Argentina?

Have to admit that in my stays in Spain and Italy when I was in my 30s, I was fortunate enough not to have to seek any medical assistance but something to think more about in getting into advanced years.

I know I haven't completely checked this out on my own but since you are there and have gotten around a good bit of Argentina, do you have any information or opinions on this matter?

Am most interested in any input here.

[matttheboy]

Well i haven't had to visit a doctor out here as yet but i'm fairly sure that as a foreigner you wouldn't be entitled to any free medical care. There is a state run ambulance and hospital service along with private services as well but i guess you'd have to pay whatever happened. Argentine doctors, dentists and medical facilities (especially plastic surgeons-you can see the fruits of their labour in Buenos Aires!) are as good as most in the world (and if you've ever had the misfortune to seek attention from the NHS in England, better). I have 2 physiotherapist friends who regularly go to medical conferences attended by European and American doctors and experts.

Travel insurance would cover you for any serious misfortunes and is a lot cheaper than buying health insurance in Argentina. Not sure how much it costs in the States but a year's cover bought in the UK is about �240 or $400-ish.

Hope this helps and also that you never have to use the medical facilities over here!

[Munchen]

You always come up with excellent information. So you are from the UK.
Yes, I've spent part of my left in England and became somewhat familiar with the National Health Service. Some aspects were fine but some others left a lot to be desired.
Anyway, I'm glad to get some perspective of what the situation is like in Argentina.
When I was younger, of course, there was little worry and one just assumed all would be well. The only crisis I had in Spain was having an ear stopped up with wax and a friend who was a student in medical school at the University of Valencia took care of that for me!!
However, if a foreigner can buy into Argentina's health insurance system, I think I could afford it if it's worthwhile. Have decided to have several matters taken care of here in the US before venturing out into Latin America.
Anyway, thanks again for that bit of information.

[anubistaima]

You don't need health insurance in Argentina. Hospitals are either free or ask for a minimum contribution ($5) when you make an appt. Of course there are private clinics and doctors, but even those won't set you back for a lot of money.

There are very good doctors in Argentina. You'll be ok even in public hospitals.

How do I know? I was born in Argentina and lived there on and off for a good part of my life. Feel free to ask if you need more details. Good luck.

[amy1982]

It probably depends on what is wrong. I'm from the US and was in BsAs studying abroad for 6 months. I went to one of the public hospitals, waited around ALL DAY LONG (even though I had an appt), and I think I had to pay about $100 (pesos) for the exam, then ~$20 ea. for a few tests. Overall, I paid a bunch to find out that I would just have to get better on my own. But, it was less than I would've had to pay in the US (even with my insurance) considering the fact that they gave me some meds for free, which was nice. And I did get better on my own...

A friend of mine (another gal from the US) went to see a Dr who was her host mom's uncle. She had a pretty bad case of the flu. He charged her $100 (pesos) for a "consultation" (I'm not going to call it an exam b/c he only asked her questions about her symptoms). Then he wrote her a prescription, which we got at one of the farmacias. It wasn't too expensive or anything, but it did make her feel a lot worse, so she stopped taking it. She also got better on her own...

[Munchen]

I was just checking back as I wrote the initial query about this subject and glad to see more responses.
Although now one in the "senior" sector, I will probably be faced with certain procedures here in the US in which I may be better off, such as any coronary ones.
It goes without saying that one needs insurance in the US. Just to throw one out, I recently had a stress test, ecocardiogram, the whole nine yards in a cardioloy suite, total about three to four hours of "stuff." The bill was almost $3,000. Fortunately all covered.
I know, would have never thought of any of this when I was in my 30s living in Spain or Italy.

[Marcethebest]

Hello there, I am argentine, so I hope I can help.
As regards public hospitals, it might be true that you would have to wait quite a lot... it�s the "price one has to pay for a free service" (joking!) If you have no insurance and you need to go to the doctor, the price you have to pay may depend on the doctor, it may be 10 pesos, 15 pesos 20 pesos or even more just for the exam. You mentioned an ecocardiogram, I know about that, and the price of it without health insurance, in my city, Santa Fe, is 300 pesos. But you can register yourself in a private health insurance and you will have discount in medicines, special prices in exams as ecocardiograms you mentioned, dentist�s attention, surgeries, etc. I know some good private ones ask for a 70 pesos pay a month.
If you need anything else, just contact me.
I hope you can find a solution to your problem, and I can just say Welcome to Argentina and good luck!

[rebblum]

Hey guys,

After reading your posts, it doesn't seem like it is really necessary for me to purchase health insurance. I hardly ever get sick. I just feel weird going there with no kind of insurance in case something major should happen. Most of the travel insurance companies I have looked into only cover 190 days, and I'm planning on being in Argentina for at least a year. Have any of you that have been there for longer periods of time gotten health insurance coverage, or can anyone recommend a reasonable company? Sorry if I sound like a complete moron, but I just graduated from college and all of this stuff is so new to me . Thanks for any responses!

Cheers,
Rebecca

[matttheboy]

Buy insurance no matter what it costs. I'm sure you'll end up travelling in South America and tropical illnesses are fairly common as are the usual stomach upsets etc. And what happens if you trip over a loose paving stone (pretty common here in BsAs) and break your ankle? It'll end up costing you a fortune. Even a minor illness might lead to a short but expensive few days in hospital.

In the UK you can get travel insurance lasting up to 2 years and it costs around $500 for that time. A week in a decent hospital will cost a hell of a lot more. Look on the internet and you should find something in the States that's similar.

Trust me, i've got first hand experience of illness (in South East Asia) and thank god i had insurance or i would have been seriously out of pocket after a week in a Thai hospital (incidently with an illness that is endemic is parts of northern Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil).

You can get all your vaccinations a lot (i'm guessing) cheaper here than in the US. Typhoid, Hep A, meningitis, Polio, Tetanus, Yellow Fever (for Bolivia and Brazil), maybe Hep B are all highly recommended.

I've always found it strange that people plan everything so carefully and then gamble with their health when travelling...

[rebblum]

Thanks for your advice, mattheboy! I'm gonna look more into it right away...