A question about healthcare in Costa Rica

An acquaintance paid nearly $3000 when her young daughter broke her arm...and although she was covered by CAJA she still preferred to go to a private facility.
In response to the question, in an emergency 'where should you go', neither will accept you unless you have cash or a credit card, up front. In a true, life threatening emergency, some CAJA  may offer treatment, but you will be billed for it.
I would say in an true emergency, go to the closest facility, but if you call a Red Cross ambulance they will only transport you to a CAJA facility.

Once a legal resident, you can only use the CAJA facility in your immediate location where you live, except in a true life threatening emergency.

You must also be sure to have on hand, a paid, up-to-date receipt whenever you go the clinic or hospital, else you will not be provided 'free' treatment.

I should have mentioned that the young girls arm was a simple fracture, so had any further treatment that would have required surgery and/or pins, it would have been much more expensive. She was treated at a small private clinic,  so if she had been taken to one of the more popular, larger hospitals they may have charged a lot more.