Healthcare in Argentina

Argentina is great if you have a problem, you go to the hospital and you pay for the treatment.
A blood test for example is $87. To see Accident and Emergency 24x7 doctor as a priority around $35 pesos.
It is always cheaper than your native country IMO. Everyone of my friends have private health care schemes to suppliment their free care as an Argentinian citizen. It just makes sense.
You cannot get private medal care here without a DNI or perm resident visa. Nor can you get a mobile phone on contract and many many other things. You are best to take out insunce in your homeland and claim back what ever paid costs you incur over here.

Chausito

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

I have lived in Buenos Aires since 2003, as a tourist. I do not have a DNI or a permanent visa. I have had medical insurance through a private local hospital, all these years. I know an American, here, who doesn't have medical insurance and goes to a local public hospital for medical care. I assume that he pays little to nothing.
Luckily, I have had few medical problems. However, in the past  I'd get an appointment with an ophthalmologist within a few days now, I must wait for 4-5 weeks. That's part of the problem. When telephoning to make an appointment, being able to speak to someone who speaks English is a challenge. I would think that this might be a problem in a great many Latin American expat locales.

I don't have insurance. I don't use the public hospitals, and I pay for my own medical,  so I can't comment on the free clinics though I hear in my area (Palermo) they are excellent. I have found health care here VERY affordable as well as in Chile. I also think it is just as good as in the U.S. I have a friend here who has had extensive plastic surgery and she looks fantastic, enough to make me consider doing the same, and the cost is amazingly low.

As for my own experience, I had an incident where it is believed a blood clot caused impaired vision in one eye. I went to the Kaufer Clinic in Martinez (outside Buenos Aires city) and was impressed by all the tests and instruments that they had. They said they wanted me to return to see a retina specialist. I did and he had the same diagnosis. They think the vision will improve in time--in other words, that it could heal.

I then went to two eye specialists in the U.S. who gave me the same diagnosis except they believe the vision is gone and will not return. So now the test is: Which set of doctors will be right. In any event, the Argentina eye clinic was MORE impressive than the top doctors in my county in Florida. I would rate Argentina equal to the U.S. in medical care.

I have found the private healthcare in Buenos Aires to be excellent. Our family insurance costs half of what it would in the US with additional coverage for dental (including orthodontics), and vision care. The care we receive is from knowledgable professionals, and they have been very thorough in their approach to diagnosis and treatment.

I was particularly interested to learn about mental health care here, as I am a therapist. Many Argentines go to therapy, and therapists here are typically trained in psychoanalysis, which is unusual today anywhere outside of Argentina. I am a doctor of behavioral health, and have a counseling practice in Buenos Aires for the English speaking community of Buenos Aires (counselingba.com).

Hi
What is a DNI?
I will need a cellphone, internet, and healthcare when I relocate down there.  Am I just fooling myself about going for 6-12 months?
dig

I would like to hear about resolving medial disputes, malpractice claims. A friend raves about Mexico's medial system. When I asked about malpractice, he says you can not sue doctors. To me, that is relevant if you are in the small percentile of people who may receive shad tree service.

How is the medial system in Argentina regulated?

Thanks

I have had private medical insurance with a private hospital in Buenos Aires, since 2003. I didn't have a DNI or permanent residency then and still don't have either. I live in Argentina as a tourist.