Foriegners must pay in advance in public hospitals?

[hankscott]

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.

I have had my DNI renewed for a third year and intend to apply for permanent residency or citizenship when it expires on Oct. 31, 2026. Am I currently considered a “permanent resident” eligible for treatment in a public hospital? Note: I actually have health insurance here and don’t anticipate seeking public health care.

 

[steveinbsas]

I have had my DNI renewed for a third year and intend to apply for permanent residency or citizenship when it expires on Oct. 31, 2026.

Am I currently considered a “permanent resident” eligible for treatment in a public hospital?

You will become a "permanent resident" after the "cambio de categoría" from temporary to permanent residency is granted by migraciones and you will receive a new tarjeta DNI which will indicate your status as a permanent resident.

You will still have the same number on your new DNI card which will need to be "renewed" in fifteen years.

PS: The cambio de categoría is usually granted on the third renewal of temporary residency. If your third renewal is later this year, be sure that you specifically apply for the cambio de categoría. Migraciónes might actually insist that you do so.

 

[hankscott]

You will become a "permanent resident" after the "cambio de categoría" from temporary to permanent residency is granted by migraciones and you will receive a new tarjeta DNI which will indicate your status as a permanent resident.

You will still have the same number on your new DNI card which will need to be "renewed" in fifteen years.

PS: The cambio de categoría is usually granted on the third renewal. If your third renewal is later this year, be sure that you specifically apply for the cambio de categoría.

So that means I currently would not be elegible for free service at a public hospital?

 

[steveinbsas]

So that means I currently would not be elegible for free service at a public hospital?

Based on the new decree, at least for now, and unless it is declared unconstitutional by the courts, that appears to be correct.

 

[FallenAngel]

Most Venezuelans are employed "en negro"- their employers don't pay taxes and therefore they do not contribute to support local hospitals.

Therefore, I have no "need to find other nationalities to beat up on", as you so kindly put it.

Well that is actually not true. The majority of taxes collected are via VAT. I have seen no evidence that en negro Venezuelans are avoiding taxes any more than the 50% of argentines that are employed en negro.

 

[FrankPintor]

Most Venezuelans are employed "en negro"- their employers don't pay taxes and therefore they do not contribute to support local hospitals.

Therefore, I have no "need to find other nationalities to beat up on", as you so kindly put it.

I'm not sure what employment "en negro" has to do with the topic, I believe a huge number of Argentinians do the same (and it should have been a priority for the current government to shut this down, but I guess culture wars are more exciting).

My point is that any new rules are very unlikely to make your cleaning lady any happier, the Venezuelans are mostly documented, residents or citizens, as a quick AI check reveals:

"Argentina hosts a smaller total volume of Venezuelan migrants compared to neighboring heavyweights like Colombia, Peru, or Chile, but stands out for offering a higher rate of formal legal residency, a remarkably high concentration of university-educated professionals, and arriving predominantly by air rather than overland".

The Venezuelans who made it this far were relatively ("relatively" is doing some heavy lifting here) well off, as a plane ticket cost around USD 1000, and even a 7 day bus trip (when that was possible) cost USD 500. That, plus a reserve to cover the costs of the first few months here. Most of them would have come with the necessary documents to immediately apply for temporary residency, by Mercosur rules, 2 years of that and then permanent, and then apply for citizenship.

Also from AI: "While countries like Colombia host over 2.5 million Venezuelans and nations like Peru and Chile host upwards of 600,000 to 700,000, Argentina accounts for a more modest population of roughly 175,000 to 200,000 registered Venezuelan residents". so I think "overrun" is probably an exaggeration. Mind you, they can be a noisy, extrovert, lot.

Again, about employment "en negro" and not paying taxes, a lot of Venezuelan immigrants are delivery workers for companies like Rappi, or PedidosYa, or work as Uber drivers. Maybe I'm naive, but I would expect those companies to insist on their workers registering as Monotributistas with ARCA (as well as having insurance, and so on).

 

[LuckyLuke]

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.

This statement doesn't make a lot of sense to me. The only ways that I know a health service is paid for is the following:

1) Particular - out of pocket
2) Obra Social - (Monotributista/employee) (deducted from your monthly taxes)
3) Prepaga - (Paid as health insurance premiums)

In all of the above examples, you are paying for a service that you will receive.