Healthcare in Colombia - seeing a specialist

@melanieclare It depends on what you have. Here you'll find a great number of medical doctors who, after learning allopathic medicine have gone on to other innovative, alternative therapies. The chances are good that you can find someone who can rid you of your conditions rather than having to live with them. You'll almost surely do better than going to an EPS or other insurance.

Realities of health care access.

The OP is correct if she is presuming

that she will have access to quality physicians

in South America during her first months

on this continent.

Doctors in Ecuador and Colombia typically

charge 50 to 60 US for a consultation and

prescriptions for uninsured patients.

She is also correct if she has determined

that an Expat arriving in Colombia with pre-existing

conditions is extremely unlikely to get

financial accommodation for medical examinations

and treatment of such conditions, especially in

the first months or first year.

In Colombia, she can find excellent medical

assistance .. as a 'paciente de particular' --

a cash-only patient.

cccmedia

@cccmedia thanks for the advice, I have been stressing about it but am now seeing that it shouldn’t be a problem!

@health at hand thanks, I’m sure there will be something that will help 😊

I have not had any trouble using my EPS for my pre-existing heart conditions. Specifically, I see an EPS doc every three months to get an order for my meds, which would cost about $70/month without the order (and much more in the US). As Health at Hand mentioned above, there are good holistic alternatives. I see an acupuncturist for my heart. The initial two-hour visit was $40/US, and follow-up appointments are $20/US. This is in Armenia, Quindío.

@melanieclare In any case, medical care is very cheap here, even if you have to pay out-of-pocket

@paddyroyal thanks, that’s good to hear that you haven’t had any trouble! 😊

@melanieclare specialist will cost you about 200 mil a visit.--about $45 USD out of pocket <"particular" as they say here,

Yep it will be pretty well impossible to get your pre-existing condition covered by Medicina Prepagada.

As far as EPS, yes it is getting harder to get it with a rentista, pensionada or other visa, Quite ironic , as you used to have to have EPS to get a new visa or visa renewal.

Before they thought expats were scamming the system by not paying EPS, now they think they are scammng the sysem while paying for being on EPS.

As far as I am concerned, they can have their whole EPS and cisben system, I will go with private (I have been on Medicina Prepagada for years) or pay out of pocket. Still better than the system iin Canada, for example.

@paddyroyal

Hello:

An expat liviing in Jamaica where the cost of living is staggering.  Potatoes are $2.00 US a pound, gas is $7.40 US a gallon and a loaf of bread is $2.45.   Crazy.   That is what living on an island dependent upon fossil fuel and foreign energy is heading towards.  My electric bill alone is $80 US a month. 

So, I have been taking Spanish and planning to return to both Colombia and Ecuador as I am pondering a final move.  Why not?!

I am assuming you did learn Spanish before going there?  Any insights into living there.   One must admit, Colombia, Ecuador and Chile are all beautiful.  I'm leaning towards the hills/mountains were the climate is more temperate.  Maybe a small finca with about 8 hecacres.   That option of a cooler climate is available in Jamaica, as the Blue Mountains soar to a height of 8,100 ft.  The road going there is as bad as the Road of Death in Ecuador, 2 hours to go 21 miles.  The groceries are just as staggering. 

would you be able to provide some insight or ideas into Colombia?  As yourself, I am a heart patient.   As yourself, most probably, my diet is greatly altered. 

Thank you for your time.

Jim Priester

Black River, Jamaica

@paddyroyal

I'm just still trying to get my EPS, I've had my cedula extranjeria for a few months. There are forms to fill out online, but I have had no luck with those. They find fault with my cedula number for some reason. Or it might be some other field that I didn't fill out exactly right. Living in Barichara...I suppose I will have to find an EPS in San Gil? I've heard Nueva EPS is a good one. I just need something that will cover me at age 76. Any suggestions?

Many thanks!

Cathy

@cathyfholt I'd suggest finding an agent in your area to work with. See if there any expat groups where you are. And yeah, some people are reporting that new retirement visa holders are not eligible to join an EPS.

All of this is fresh evidence that the Petro administration

is anything but eager to welcome Expat seniors to enjoy

low or no cost healthcare at the expense of Colombian

citizens.

Expect to keep seeing more barriers and fewer

welcome signs vis a vis EPS and pre-paid health care

coverage for recent arrivals to La Republica.

cccmedia

@cccmedia There is a fair amount of buzz in some of the expat Facebook groups about expats driving up the prices and pushing out locals, especially in places like Medellin. I can't help wondering if they're looking at countries like Panama and Mexico and deciding to take preemptive action.

Most of the EPS companies have gone bankrupt.

The best remaining is Sura.

I think that Nueva EPS is still around.

Petro wants to get rid of EPSs and have the state health money handled directly by regional health districts.

This could cause chaos and even more corruption.

Several ministers who were in opposition to the changes have been fired.

If it were up to Petro, and I think it may come to this , no foriegner will be have access to publically funded medicare. This was the idea of the Duque regime as well, and one of the reasons for the visa reform last October.

The exception to this will be Venezuelans, the reason for this is Colombia has recieved billions from the US, Canada, Europe, Australia via the World Bank for protection of the Venezuelans. If they want to keep getting the money, they need to provide some services to the Venezuelans and not just put it in the políticos bank accounts.

Bottom line is Colombia does not want old foriegners coming here  and using  state funded medicare.

And forget private if you are over 60. Even if you joined years ago like I did it is not dirt cheap.

For instance I am 66, and I pay a million a month for Medicina Prepagada and it only goes up from here.

Add to this there are "copagos" every time you use a service..for instance...40 mil for first visit to specialist, 50 mil for emergency visits, and they dont pay for drugs, unless t is in a hospital or post hospitalization treatment.

But the other side of the argument is, depending where you live in Colombia, the cost of living is at least 30% less than anywere else in Latín América, except Bolivia , and Argentina, if you use the " blue dollar" system to covert your money to Argentina Pesos, and maybe a couple Central American countries.

And as pointed out earlier, out of pocket payment for medical services is way cheaper than in the US.

I recently advised on a case in Colombia for a man who had an ulcer, weight loss and vomiting for months.  I told his wife what tests to ask for and believe it or not, they had already done and endoscopy, blood work etc..The quality of the imaging was very good.  As his symptoms persisted, I suggested some additional tests.  Unfortunately, he had metastatic cancer.  I suggested that they give him a bottle of morphine and send him home. He died 3 weeks ago.

Point is, that this low income Colombian citizen was able to get decent care in Cali and the doctors, when pushed a bit, did do the proper procedures.

My question is: How much would it be to pay out of pocket?   It seems many posting here are living on minimal pensions like 20k USD/yr.  If older, that could be a drain on their system like most of the poor who come to the USA. The left wing government there should simply let expats buy into their program at a prorated amount.  Even if it was $5000 per year.  Then take the money expats are putting into the economy.

These are my observations and suggestions.  Feel free to add any information you have. 

@drpeterjstanton already answered your question aboe Dr. P. Go back and read the responses. A fraction of the US. At most around 10% to 15%

@drpeterjstanton Very sorry to hear about your poor patient in Colomia. Sadstory.

Take your suggestions to the Cancillería. Problem is it is like talkin to a BOT.

You migh get an answer that is gibberish in 2 or 3 weeks. and nothing will happen.

The Visa process was rewritten in October  last year adter years of work. Its pretty screwed up, but dont expect changes for many, many years.

As far as the Health Care system, Petro is trying to ram changes through with the  new tribunal. There is a lot of resistance, but how it effects Expats is not even considered or discussed by anyone., Its about as low on their priorities as the price of eggs in Denmark.

So your suggestion is extremely academic and theoretical, like quantum physics.

The question of how much would it cost for

a patient in Colombia such as described by

the doctor is, to use Nico's word,  "theoretical"

because of the variables.

Such as...

How much testing over time would

be needed?

How long would the patient survive?

How many days in hospital?

What facility or facilities would be involved

in patient treatment?

What complications could develop?

What third parties would be involved in treatment?

Cost of medications.  Is chemotherapy involved?

   ----

I suppose Dr. Stanton could come up with

even more variables if he put his mind to it.

cccmedia

By theoretical and academic I was referring to his suggestion about having an expat special tarrif of $5000 a year , or more than your average EPS

I am already vested  in Medicina prepagada whic costs about $2500 a year. Like I said, if you are over 60 and apply it is impossible to get it.

By the new visa rules   you would have to have emergency medical insurance with evacuation / repatriation, that would only cost you a $1000 a year but that would only cover you for emergency service, not ongoing treatment of pre- existing conditions like people are asking here.

In my case I could stay

with the prepagada and get a,$1000 emergency evacuation insurance to be able to renew my Rentista visa each year, but that is just part of the requirements..they want police reports and maybe medical and psycological exams. I could give them a police report from Colombian National police in 5 minutes...but they probably want a police report with finger prints from Canada..which is a 4 month superior bureauratic  process to get the document produced legalized with me here in Colombia.

Of course this makes zero sense, as I have spent 90% of my time in Colombia in the last 5 years and only a few months in Canada.

But dont expect the Colombian government to make logical sense, just like any developing country.

But at this time it is the worst place in Latín America to get visa or get your visa renewed.

@cathyfholt pay a fixer to help you sign up. Its worth it! C*** should be able to help you. ***

@cccmedia I'm curious what constitutes preexisting conditions I'm diabetic on insulin high blood pressure and cholesterol these conditions are 100% under control with medications Will this prevent me from getting healthcare coverage in Colombia?

@melanieclare great question.  I'm a Dual citizenship USA and Colombia.  All these info is everything I need to know