Health Care....

About Salinas, I couldn't tell you .. although anecdotal reports on the Expat forums indicated that health care facilities were improving on the coast before the big earthquake (2016).

I would say this, Laurence... You are a prime candidate for IESS government health care, ASAP.  If you have a cédula, make an application today .. or as soon as you can get a Spanish-speaker to assist you.  There is a waiting period once enrolled.  Monthly payments can be debited automatically from a bank account which may require holding a cédula ID.

Many Expats buy private insurance in addition, which typically has limitations in coverage of pre-existing conditions.  These Expats rely on IESS participation for pre-existing problems and major medical, if and when necessary.  In non-emergency situations, getting in to see an IESS specialist may require a wait measured in months, not weeks.

One old Expat trick is to find a good doctor who is part-time associated with IESS and use his connection to facilitate office visits with him or her.  Otherwise, you may be assigned to different doctors on successive occasions, not a recipe for the best long-term medical care.

cccmedia