15 Expats Talk about Health Insurance and Healthcare in Costa Rica

"Costa Rica has a comprehensive healthcare system that provides a wide range of services to its citizens and foreign residents. The public healthcare system is funded by the government and is available to all citizens and legal residents. The quality of public healthcare is generally good, with modern facilities and well-trained staff. Foreign residents have access to the public healthcare system, although they may need to pay a fee for some services. Expats in Costa Rica can use the public healthcare system, but they may need to pay a fee for some services. Expats can also opt for private healthcare, which is more expensive but offers more comprehensive coverage," remarked one expat living in 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," said 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," mentioned one expat in Tamarindo.

"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," commented one expat who moved to Grecia, Costa Rica.

"If you're a resident you pretty much have to enroll in the Caja, the public health system, and if you aren't, you can't. So there's that. Whether or not you enroll in the Caja, if you have the funds, private insurance is nice. INS, the state insurance company, sells a pretty good policy for not too much money, and (ahem) it's darn near customary not to mention pre-existing conditions on the application. After a year or so INS doesn't care, and it does pay. Blue Cross and others have now entered the market, but I doubt they're as lax as INS. Of course, you can always pay out-of-pocket for private at prices about a third of US prices, but even a third adds up. Me, I'm only in the Caja now, since I let my INS policy lapse, but that's because I'm poor. People of some affluence usually do both--private for ease and comfort, public as a backup. Oh, in the Caja plan on speaking Spanish. Most Caja docs will know a little English and a few will be fluent, but the system operates in Spanish and you can't count on anyone speaking English. In the private system almost everybody speaks English," remarked one expat living in San José.

"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," remarked one expat in Costa Rica.

"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," remarked one expat living in Florencia.

"I had private health insurance in Costa Rica for several years prior to being a member of the socialized medicine care. It was less expensive that the states. In many cases, your private health insurance will allow you the hospital of your choice," wrote one expat.

"I was paying around $100 a month for my INS policy, but crossed into the next age bracket plus filed a few claims and my premium doubled. It was still a good deal, but too much for me. The Caja tax is around $100 a month for a pensionado, unfortunately much higher for rentistas. It's set by your income, and most expats just pay according to the income requirements of their residency type. Caja services, including generic prescription meds, are 100% covered, so you never pay more than your monthly tax. Private docs are realistically $80 a visit. You hear of lower prices, but if you go to a specialist (including an internist) plan on $80. As a rule of thumb, pretty much everything else is around 1/3 the price it is in the US," commented one expat who moved to San José.

"The cost of medical care is high. I have private health insurance, which allows me immediate and unrestricted access to private hospitals under the conditions that I like to have at my disposal. That guarantees me care without waiting for weeks or months, compared to public health. My private insurance is accepted in all clinics in the country, and I got it on the recommendation of an expat friend," said one expat.

"Ditto here. Most docs (and dentists) speak great English and have been superb, & very inexpensive at least in Escazu (Hospital CIMA). Many have been trained in the US or the UK, plus the medical & dental school here are top of the line. Educational achievement (and speaking English) is a high priority to Costa Ricans. We dropped our CIGNA Global insurance learning this," remarked one 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 living in Cortez.

"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," wrote one expat.

"We are located almost across the highway from the Hospital de Osa in Cortez. It is a public hospital, 80,000 square feet and offers everything we need for the entire region," commented one expat who moved to Cortez.

"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," commented one expat who moved to Tamarindo.

"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 an expat in Playa Jaco.

"For most meds, you can simply see the pharmacist. I get most of my refills by simply asking for them. They are not expensive but they are not cheap -- one b.p. drug I take cost about $1/pill; another drug is $2/pill. When I came here, I had been on two narcotic pain meds for 13 years. It was impossible to find Vicodin in Costa Rica and very difficult to regularly find MS contin (and then only as an injection). My doc switched me to Oxycontin which I hated, so I decided to detox and get off the pain meds -- because I am no longer working, I find that I can handle my chronic pain issues with other drugs and yoga. But be forewarned about narcotic meds if you feel you need them here," commented one expat living in Grecia, Costa Rica.

"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," wrote one expat.

"The public system dispenses generic medicines free, and getting them is easy. But on the advice of a private doc, I pay retail for a name brand pill too. It costs me about a third or less the cost in the US. No prescriptions are necessary for most meds, and even when they are, you can sometimes sweet talk your way into buying them in a drug store without a prescription. Probably the cheapest drug store is La Bomba, and it won't budge on selling meds it's not supposed to, but most meds that require a prescription in the US don't need one here. For meds that the drug stores really aren't supposed to sell without prescriptions, I go to a more full service drug store and pay a little more. Specifically, I keep a supply of antibiotics on hand that by law need a prescription but I buy without one. Also, just in the way the system works, I know a drug store that sells the morning after pill, even though it's really not suppose to in a Catholic country," commented one expat who moved to San José.

"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," said one expat.

"I'm about two miles from both a public and a private hospital, but for emergencies you definitely want to go to a public hospital. The private hospitals don't necessarily have the staff onsite and want to be paid upfront. The ER room at the public hospital is a zoo (no one likes it) but once you convince the intake person that you're really sick the care is as good as anywhere in the world, just without the creature comforts. Convincing the intake personnel that you're really sick though can be a challenge. They're surrounded by people with the sniffles who really shouldn't be there. It helps to arrive by ambulance or to be bleeding or at least to have a heart attack," commented one expat living in San Jose, 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," wrote one expat.

"Playa Jaco has a Red Cross station in addition to local public clinic. In the event of illness or injury, you will be treated at the local clinic and transportation to a higher level of medical care is provided. There are also many private physicians in the area which will provided specialized medical care. I have found the level of care to be excellent. The Central Valley is only 90 minutes by vehicle and this area of Costa Rica boasts the highest level of care in the country and in many cases Central America," commented one expat who moved to Playa Jaco.

"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.

"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," remarked one expat in Costa Rica.

"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," remarked one expat living in Santa Ana.

"Mandatory masks, vaccines given to teachers, healthcare workers and the elderly. I am not hearing of anyone refusing the vaccine," mentioned one 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 who moved to Costa Rica.