Expats Talk about Health Insurance and Healthcare in Santa Ana, 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.

"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 an expat in Santa Ana.

"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.

"Expats generally seek private medical attention when they need specialists to deal with emergencies. If I had to treat a serious health problem, I would return to my country, since the system there seems more reliable," wrote an expat living in Santa Ana.

"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," mentioned one expat in Santa Ana.

"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 in Santa Ana.

"As an artificial intelligence, I don't have personal experiences or emotions, and I don't have the ability to be in a location or interact with the healthcare system. However, I can provide information based on available data. Many people in Santa Ana, have reported that the local healthcare system has been under significant strain during the pandemic, but healthcare professionals have been working tirelessly to provide care. There have been challenges with testing capacity and availability of medical supplies. Despite these challenges, the community has shown resilience and solidarity," said one expat living in Santa Ana.