Foriegners must pay in advance in public hospitals?

[steveinbsas]

This just came up in my YouTube feed:

If it wasn't already an official policy that non-residents must pay upfront (at the least) for non-emergency care in public hospitals, it looks like it is now.

It would be interesting to know how much less the public hospitals will charge than the private hospitals, and if the cost difference is great enough for the non-resident to choose a public hospital over a private one.

I wonder if this measure was deemed necessary because too many tourists were seeking medical attention at the public hospitals, in spite of the requirement that they already got insurance before they entered the country, or too many non-residents (especially any foriegner who is here with an expired tourist permit) are flooding the system...and if this applies to Mercosur residents who have not yet applied for permanent residency in Argentina.

 

[nikad]

This just came up in my YouTube feed:

If it wasn't already an official policy that non-residents must pay upfront (at the least) for non-emergency care in public hospitals, it looks like it is now.

It would be interesting to know how much less the public hospitals will charge than the private hospitals, and if the cost difference is great enough for the non-resident to choose a public hospital over a private one.

I wonder if this measure was deemed necessary because too many tourists were seeking medical attention at the public hospitals, in spite of the requirement that they already got insurance before they entered the country, or too many non-residents (especially any foriegner who is here with an expired tourist permit) are flooding the system...and if this applies to Mercosur residents who have not yet applied for permanent residency in Argentina.

Tourists have been using the healthcare and education system since forever. As a matter of fact I believe these new rules are inconstitutional as art 20 does not make a difference between foreigner that have legal residency or not. I think the only reason behind it is political credit tbh. I won't say it is right or wrong, it concerns me that it is inconstitutonal.

 

[elhombresinnombre]

May I ask a related question?

I've always travelled before with an insurance for each trip. I've now got a bank account that gives me rolling, automatic travel insurance/health cover. (Nationwide Flex Plus, if any Brits want to know.) Does anybody know, under the new arrangement, whether I will have to show an actual Certificate of Insurance a)on entering the country or b)if I need care?

 

[on the brink]

People from Bolivia, Peru and Paraguay flock to Argentine state hospitals for free elective surgical procedures, swamping local facilities. High time they started charging them.

Right now, taxpayers paying for those hospitals must wait in line for service along all those non residents. My cleaning lady used to go to Hospital Fernandez, until it got overrun by Venezuelans and she had to switch to Hospital Durand, much farther from her home.

Meanwhile In Bolivia, an Argentine tourist died right in front of a hospital, after being refused care.

 

[FrankPintor]

People from Bolivia, Peru and Paraguay flock to Argentine state hospitals for free elective surgical procedures, swamping local facilities. High time they started charging them.

Right now, taxpayers paying for those hospitals must wait in line for service along all those non residents. My cleaning lady used to go to Hospital Fernandez, until it got overrun by Venezuelans and she had to switch to Hospital Durand, much farther from her home.

Meanwhile In Bolivia, an Argentine tourist died right in front of a hospital, after being refused care.

The Venezuelans probably are all residents, Argentina was one of the few countries to accept Venezuelans under Mercosur rules, even though, strictly speaking, it could have been disallowed. Venezuelans were on a fast path to citizenship as well.

To emphasize, the new rules don't apply to most Venezuelan immigrants, you need to find other nationalities to beat up on.

 

[LuckyLuke]

I wonder if this measure was deemed necessary because too many tourists were seeking medical attention at the public hospitals, in spite of the requirement that they already got insurance before they entered the country, or too many non-residents (especially any foriegner who is here with an expired tourist permit) are flooding the system...and if this applies to Mercosur residents who have not yet applied for permanent residency in Argentina.

Bajó hasta un 90% la atención a extranjeros en los hospitales públicos de la única provincia argentina que les cobra por internarse

Se cumplió un mes desde que Salta implementó un sistema de pago a habitantes de otros países por usar la salud provincial. Cuánto cuesta un día de internación y una operación.

www.clarin.com

 

[FallenAngel]

Tourists definitely should not receive free treatment for chronic care. The issue I have with this edict is that it excludes people who actually live here. For example, only permanent residents qualify for "free healthcare".

The issue with that is everyone who lives in Argentina pays for the "free healthcare". Not just permanent residents and citizens. So, this is a form of theft from people who have paid for a service and will not receive it. Essentially, they will have to pay twice: once in the taxes they are obligated to pay while living here and then twice when paying for private insurance.


So, in essence, this edict is about argentines free riding off of foreigners. Argentina was being exploited by tourists who came here for treatment. However, the solution is to not turn around and exploit all the foreigners that live here. The foreigners that live here were not responsible for the prior exploitation. They didn't make the rules. Yet now they are the ones being exploited so argentines can free ride off of foreigners.

As it stands now a "citizen" that never lived in Argentina nor paid taxes here can receive free healthcare. Whereas a foeigner who has lived here for 3 years and paid taxes will be denied. How is this a just outcome?

 

[steveinbsas]

Tourists have been using the healthcare and education system since forever. As a matter of fact I believe these new rules are inconstitutional....

Do you know if government provided healthcare and education were included in the original Argentine Constitution or were they added later as amendments?

 

[nikad]

Do you know if government provided healthcare and education were included in the original Argentine Constitution or were they added later as

Education is article 14. Health was suscribed with the incorporation of international treaties in 1994.