Expat Community > Panama

RetiringEarlyToPanama
Joined 2021
Posts: 37

First Healthcare Experience in Panama

3 years ago

My wife and I were back in Panama from August 1st through the 10th to get in under the wire for the Friendly Nations Visa program. We also wanted to meet with our architect and the contractor who is going to build our house outside of Pedasi on Playa Los Distilederos. We had been out clearing some debris from our lot all day when my wife's shoulder began to ache. By the next morning she was in some real pain. So we went to the hospital in Pedasi and to our great surprise, it was nothing like the US healthcare system.

We went to the main entrance and gave the person there my wife's temporary residency card that she had just received a couple days earlier. It took about 5 minutes to get her information and they charged us $2 to see the doctor. We sat in the waiting room which had enough seating for maybe 50 people but there were only 2 other folks waiting. We waited 10 minutes or so, and then were called in to see the doctor. She spoke some English and we speak some Spanish, but we aren't fluent.. For the words I didnt know, I typed them into google translator on my phone and showed it to the doctor.
We told her my wife's shoulder was hurting, possibly a rotator cuff injury. We spent about 15 minutes with her and she ordered an immediate pain shot and an X-ray. The X-Ray cost us $6 that you pay right then and there. It took about 10 minutes to get the X-Ray done and we were back in her office 10 minutes later. She said there was no structural damage but there was some inflammation, maybe tendonitis or bursitis.. So, she prescribed a pain medicine, an anti-inflammatory medicine, and some topical crème to rub on her shoulder. The cost of those 3 prescription medicines, (The exact same medications you would be prescribed in the USA), plus the pain shot, cost us a grand total of $3.32. They have a pharmacy right in the facility that filled my wife's scripts on the spot.

We were in and out in less than an hour. Saw the doctor before and after the X-Ray, had the X-ray, got a pain shot plus 3 prescription medications, for a total cost of $11.32! It was an unbelievably great experience! It was absolutely amazing. The facility was very clean, efficient, and organized. You do have to pay for each service/product when you are there. But at $11.32 all in, I think we can live with that part! We dont have health insurance in Panama, and I am not sure we will need it except to cover any major health issues. In the USA, we have health insurance and we would still have owed probably in excess of $1000 for what we received in Panama. Give me that Panama public healthcare system any day of the week!! What a pleasant surprise!!

William Russell

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William Russell

Get a quote for international health insurance from our partner, William Russell.
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William Russell

Get a quote for international health insurance from our partner, William Russell.
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William Russell

Get a quote for international health insurance from our partner, William Russell.
Get Quote

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First Healthcare Experience in Panama

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