15 Expats Talk about Health Insurance and Healthcare in Costa Rica

"Residency to obtain public health care (CAJA) seems to be taking about 18 months, so you will have to use private care until you obtain residency (if that is what you plan on doing). Even with CAJA, many people continue to use the outstanding private facilities available in and around San Jose (possibly in other areas, but I am only familiar with San Jose). There are many expat health insurance plans available and I highly recommend obtaining one if you are under 70. There may be some available over 70; I don't know. I presently do not have any insurance and have been paying out of pocket for some serious medical issues. I suggest you have a fund of $6-10,000 tucked away if you don't have private insurance or have a high deductible," said one expat living in Grecia.

"In Costa Rica, you must be a resident of the country to qualify for CAJA also know as the national socialized medicine. Additionally, this is not an option but a requirement of your residency here. The monthly fee is calculated based on your income. The local clinic also known as EBAIS is centrally located. If you are in the area, familiarize yourself with it's location. If you are not a resident, there are several private care physicians in the area and they are well educated and professional. If you do not speak Spanish, there are many that are bilingual. I know of at least one that has a 24 hour facility for emergencies. Additionally, specialists from the Central Valley visit these private care facilities on a monthly basis so if you need specialized care, it is available. At present, a general office visit in a private care facility is $40-$45," mentioned one expat in Playa Jaco.

"Costa Rica has excellent medical care with a two prong system, both public and private. All legal residents and citizens of Costa Rica are eligible to participate in the public healthcare system which is basically free although you have to be a member of the CAJA and pay a % based on the income level you declared when you applied for residency. A tip for expats is to show evidence of enough income to qualify for their residency programs but perhaps not to show all your income if not needed to qualify. (You have to show proof of a pension, annuity or government program that pays you at least $1000 per couple to qualify for their pensionado program). If you don't qualify by those means, you can also apply as a rentista, (renter), an inversionista (an investor) or as a foreign sponsored national with a work visa. You can also marry a Costa Rican... Keep in mind that there is also a private healthcare network available, which is often the preferred option to many expats. There is often a waiting time to get seen under the public system, even things like lab work might take longer than you want to wait. The private healthcare system is generally available immediately and insurance can be purchased to cover you in those facilities. You can also often offer to pay at the CAJA and be seen quicker than those not paying for service. In an emegency, the CAJA will take anyone. Costa Rica uses a local clinic methodology where they locate clinics nearly everywhere based on population needs. These clinics are referred to as the EBAIS clinics and can be found in nearly every town of any size. Major operations, whether in the public or private healthcare system, will likely be performed in San Jose. The private healthcare networks consisting of Clinica Biblica, CIMA and Hospital Mexico, offer great service for a fraction of the cost in the US. Clinica Biblica has an international medicine center, assigns patients a health navigator to help with things like language barriers and offers services that may not even be available in the states. I have had nothing but great experiences there, everything from blood work, orthapedics, dentistry, colonoscopy, endoscopy, stress test and EKG, bone density scans, lipids exams, urinalysis, hearing and eye tests, ultrasounds and more. I have stuff done that I could never afford to do in the states and pay a fraction of the cost I would in the US. The facilities are all impeccably clean and the doctors don't seem to be afraid of their patients and lawsuits. In our area in the southern Pacific region of Costa Rica, we have one of the newest CAJA hospitals in all of Costa Rica. The Hospital de Osa is an 88 bed, 80,000 square foot facility complete with emergency room, pharmacy and more. I recommend everyone should try the Costa Rican healthcare system to see what we are missing in the US," commented one expat who moved to Cortez, Costa Rica.

"My recommendation is to enroll in the public health system, but it is also VERY IMPORTANT to have private health insurance, since that would avoid worries about the immediate availability of the services that are required," remarked one expat living in Santa Ana.

"National health care may not provide a sufficient safety net - it may require a long wait for medical procedures. Private health care is recommended, but coverage for "pre-existing conditions" is generally not available except through national health care," commented one person.

"I moved here in the middle of a 5 year treatment plan. I retired early, and had no medical insurance. To stay on my treatment, I was able to buy the medication OTC for $60 a month," wrote an expat living in Florencia.

"Costa Rica offers a wide range of medical services, including both public and private healthcare. The public healthcare system is free for all citizens and legal residents, and is generally of a high quality. Private healthcare is also available, and is often more modern and efficient than the public system. Costa Rica is home to a number of world-class hospitals and clinics, offering a range of treatments and services. Many of these facilities are staffed by highly trained and experienced medical professionals, and offer the latest in medical technology. Costa Rica is also home to a number of specialized medical centers, offering treatments for specific conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and neurological disorders," said an expat in Costa Rica.

"Amazingly inexpensive. My personal experience with costs without insurance include a colonoscopy that was quoted at $3300 in the states that was done in Costa Rica for $300. I have a number of crowns in my mouth that I paid $300 to $400 including the root canal and crown," remarked one expat in Cortez.

"Emergency services in Costa Rica are generally reliable and efficient. In the event of an emergency, you can call 911 to request an ambulance. The emergency services personnel are trained to respond quickly and provide medical assistance. Additionally, the Costa Rican Red Cross provides emergency medical services and can be contacted by dialing 128," wrote one expat.

"Near me there are public primary care units that do not attend emergencies. The best private hospitals are Hospital Clínica Bíblica, CIMA and Clínica Católica. These services are of the highest quality. The availability of ambulances is good, both for the private and public areas," commented one expat who moved to Santa Ana.

"The closest is EBAIS Jaco and this is one of the offices in the socialized medicine of CR. There is an emergency room, lab facility and pharmacy at this location along with general medicine physicians. The emergency room service is generally very quick! If your condition warrants more specialized care, you will be stabilized and transported to Puntarenas Hospital known as Monsenor Sanabria. This higher level of hospital care is one hour from Jaco. For private care, the 24 hour facility will assess your condition and either treat you at their facility or transport you to the hospital of your choice in San Jose in the Cental Valley. This is approximately 90 minutes from San Jose. Private hospitals in San Jose are CIMA, Biblica, Catolica, Metropolitan," said one expat.

"There is a CAJA (public hospital) in our town Grecia which is about a 20 minute drive from my house. I have not heard anything good about it. I have heard good things about the public hospital (Hospital Mexico) in San Jose and the private hospitals in San Jose (about 45 minutes from us) are all excellent," remarked one expat in Grecia.

"I'm about 2 miles from my assigned public hospital, Calderon Guardia, and roughly the same distance from two private hospitals, Catholica and Clinica Biblica. For an emergency I would go (and have gone) to the public hospital. It has everything 24/7, and there's no payment expected for admission to the ER. The private hospitals don't necessarily have the right specialists on site and sometimes want cash (in the thousands of dollars) up front to be admitted, even in an emergency. I knew someone who died from a heart attack, probably because she went to a private hospital first and didn't have $20,000 cash on her. At the public hospital, the quality of care is ultimately good on what counts--the docs save lives and patch people up--but it's a real zoo. Patients, maybe you, line the halls since ward space is limited, and yes wards are as good as it gets. Don't expect semi-private rooms, much less TVs, telephones, or internet access. It's like a MASH hospital, just larger, but if you need the ER, it will take care of you. You'll just be glad to get out as soon as you can, and vow to go private if it's not a real emergency," remarked one expat living in San José.

"We have been to CIMA and Catolica. Both these facilities are excellent! The physicians were profesional, thorough and well educated. The care was better than what we experienced stateside. The physician followed up with us after our care for several weeks. And we were given private cell phone numbers to contact in case of complications. My husband spent three nights at CIMA in Escazu near San Jose. He had a private room (all rooms in this facility are private!) with attached private bathroom. There was a sofa in the room which turned into a bed so that I was able to spend the day and evenings there. The hospital cafeteria was excellent! Yes that's a surprise and gives an upscale meaning to hospital food! This is one instance where we decided to have treatment at a private facility vs. the socialized medicine. Be aware that at these facilities, you will need to submit a credit card or private health care card in order to be treated. The cost was dramatically less than if this procedure was done stateside. It is very common for residents to use the socialized medicine for some issues, private health care for others (which means you pay out of pocket) and also have another health insurance policy for others health issues," commented one expat who moved to Playa Jaco.

"Drive 1 hr 30 minutes to see specialists in Liberia. Some medical procedures, such as an MRI, require a drive to San Jose, 5 hours away," said one expat.

"I have not needed to do that so far, so I have no information except from friends, all who have been HIGHLY pleased with their specialists in San Jose," remarked one expat in Grecia.

"Medicines prescribed in the public sector are received at your care center, at no cost to the patient. In that sense, the availability of drugs is always high. I do not need prescription drugs. If you have to buy a drug and pay for it yourself, the cost is high in the country," remarked one expat living in Santa Ana.

"If you are enrolled in the CAJA (socialized medicine), prescriptions are free at the local clinic after being prescribed by the CAJA physician. Sometimes generic forms of the medicine are available. If you are on a very specialized prescription, you may need to purchase this at a local pharmacy (farmacia) and you would be required to incur the expense but generally most medicine is available thru the CAJA. If you choose to purchase your prescriptions outside of the CAJA system, there are at least ten farmacias in Jaco and the surrounding area. You will not need a prescription for most any medicine with the exception of intense narcotics. If you need something of that degree, a private care physician can prescribe them for you. Some prescriptions are higher costing than the US such as Allegra, simple asprin, etc. Generally speaking if you can purchase it stateside in a bottle of (for example) 365 pills it is less expensive to do so as packaging here is by individual blister pack pills. Other meds are dramatically less expensive than the states. Resident discounts are generally offered in the amount of 10% at farmacias for local residents," said one expat living in Playa Jaco.

"Most are available locally at a nearby pharmacy. Most are available without a prescription, except narcotics. Generic "prescription" drugs are lower cost but typical OTC drugs seem to be more expensive (ibuprofen, aceotminophen)," mentioned one expat in Tamarindo.

"Yes, common prescription medications are available in Costa Rica. Most pharmacies in the country carry a wide variety of medications, including those that require a prescription. However, it is important to note that some medications may not be available in Costa Rica, so it is best to check with a local pharmacist before traveling. Additionally, some medications may require a doctor's prescription in order to be purchased in Costa Rica," commented one expat who moved to Costa Rica.

"Prescriptions are easy to get and easy to fill. Many drugs requiring a perscription in the US don't need one in Costa Rica. I have found that most drugs are 1/3 to 1/4 of the price than in the US," remarked one expat living in Cortez.

"Costa Rica is considered to have very good medical care. Medical facilities are well-equipped, with many hospitals and clinics offering advanced medical technology and treatments. The country has attracted a number of foreign patients in recent years, particularly those looking for affordable medical services in a warm, welcoming environment. Costa Rica is also home to many highly trained, experienced medical professionals and the government is invested in providing quality health care for all its citizens. As a result, Costa Ricans enjoy and depend on access to excellent medical services," said one expat living in Costa Rica.

"The Hospital de Osa, a new hospital with 88 beds, 80,000 square feet, an emergency room and lots of doctors is located just 15 minutes down the coastal highway. There are also local clinics and dentists in Uvita, the next town to the north. You won't have open heart surgery in this area, but almost anything else is possible," mentioned one expat in Ojochal.

"I am eligible to enroll in the public health system. To do so, the expat must have their legal residence. The amount of the voluntary insurance is about US $ 40 a month (US $ 480 a year), and the registration process is simple. Generally, expats insure themselves, since it is an advantage to have a fairly wide network of public hospitals. Pre-existing conditions are covered. The quality of the public health service is debatable, as the times to get medical appointments are sometimes very long," commented one expat who moved to Santa Ana.

"Yes, as a foreigner living in Costa Rica, you will have access to public healthcare. The public healthcare system in Costa Rica is known for its high quality of care and is considered to be one of the best in Latin America. The public healthcare system is funded by the government and is available to all citizens and legal residents of Costa Rica. The public healthcare system provides a wide range of services, including primary care, specialty care, hospital care, and preventive care. The public healthcare system also offers free or low-cost medications and treatments," said one expat.

"Mandatory masks, vaccines given to teachers, healthcare workers and the elderly. I am not hearing of anyone refusing the vaccine," said an expat in Florencia.

"My experiences with the local healthcare system in Costa Rica during the pandemic have been generally positive. The government has taken proactive steps to ensure that the healthcare system is well-equipped to handle the influx of patients, including increasing the number of hospital beds and providing additional resources to medical personnel. The government has also implemented strict safety protocols to protect both patients and healthcare workers, such as mandatory mask-wearing and social distancing. Additionally, the government has provided free testing and treatment for those who are infected with the virus. Overall, I am impressed with the way the Costa Rican government has handled the pandemic and the level of care they have provided to their citizens," commented one expat living in Costa Rica.