Healthcare in Barbados

Hi Julien,

It is predominantly private medicine, especially for expats.I would consider the standard of medical practioners in Barbados to be high, having said this the technology may be lacking slightly. It is definitely worth investing in private medical cover, there are several providers. If you are looking for employment over here you should try and negotiate at least have the cover to be paid by your employer as it can be relatively expensive.

Hope that helps!

Hi,

In order to help expats and soon-to-be expats, we would like to invite you to share your experience on this topic, with updated info on the healthcare system.

Thank you in advance,

Julie
Expat.com Team

Healthcare has both a private and public component, and some mixing at the discretion of the Government. I believe that the comments above still reflect the health care system in Barbados. There is no trauma unit on the Island, but they do seem to be able to treat most diseases and injuries. Expats are required to have health insurance, and payment is expected up front. Health care is reasonable in both medical and prescription services, at least compared to what it is in the US. There has been talk for a few years on starting medical tourism, but I have not seen anything concrete materialize in that area. This would be a good move, as it would bring more medical disciplines to the island and this would help the government also, as they would not have to send people abroad for treatments that they can not handle here.

Health care in Barbados has both a universal and a private component. Expats must have health insurance, as the public system is for citizens of Barbados. With that said the health care in Barbados is good. There is no trauma unit on Barbados, but they are able to treat trauma injuries, as other islands send their trauma patients to Queen Elizabeth's Hospital. There are specialists in just about every area, and if not, they can be found in Canada, England, or the US. There are both Eye Care and Dental care and many Doctors, from which to choose. If you are an expat, you must have insurance, and payment up front is expected. If Expats have health insurances accepted here, they may not have to pay up front. Prescription services are just as good, and there is no problem getting prescriptions that they do not have on hand quickly. Prescriptions here are less expensive, than in the US, but probably comparable to what is found in the UK, Canada and most of the civilized world with universal health care.

How easy/expensive is it for expat retirees to buy health insurance? By the time we get to this point in our lives we've often picked up a few new parts along the way, like new knees, pacemakers, etc. Can we still get insurance, or is it only for the younger generation? As I get closer to Medicare I know it will still cost me money, but at least I know I will get insurance at that point. I'm worried if I'll be able to even buy coverage in Barbados.

Anybody any experience?

Thanks