Health care costs

[icatheri]

I am supposed to return to Argentina but I need to have some x-rays and other tests run. I'm trying to decide if it's worth it to change my flight and get the work done in the States. I would really appreciate any and all information about the costs and/or proficiency of health care in Buenos Aires. Without health insurance, how expensive are these kind of things?

 

[mbw]

I recently had a bunch of blood tests done at Hospital Aleman - the normal tests associated with an annual physical - and an EKG (called something different), the cost was around $150USD. I was very pleased with the process and results. A doctor has to write a prescription for the tests and an appointment with a Doctor at Hospital Aleman is around $25USD.

 

[Roxana]

The first place that comes to my mind for Xrays without having a health insurance is the Centro del Diagnostico Dr. Rossi, you can contact them at www.cdrossi.com.ar or call customer service at 4011-8000.

Another good option is Hospital Britanico.

If you only need Xrays, phisical therapy and a traumatologyst, contact ALPI, an NGO located on Soler street, between Vidt and Salguero, near Alto Palermo. I know they charged ARS $ 60 for a knee Xray recently. The phone number is 4821-1200.

 

[steveinbsas]

If you don't have any pre-existing conditions you should be able to enroll in an private Argentine plan (Medicus, e.g.) and have the tests done almost immediately. Tests are very different from actual "health care" but I have been very satisfied with all of the tests I ever received here. The cost was minimal under my plan (I pay $450 pesos per month for the top Medicus plan). When I enrolled all I had to do was "declare" that I had no "infirmadades" (which was true). I got every test imaginable, including a colonoscopy.

 

[Roxana]

I heard that Medicus has a plan ($450 per month) for expats

 

[KatharineAnn]

How important are the tests you need done? If they are very important to your health I would highly recommend getting them done in the US. If they are not that important or not that much of a concern, getting them done here should be fine, as it is very cheap to get things done here. If its just blood tests and X-rays I´d say definitely get it done here.

Of course, you also get what you pay for, which is why if they are important tests I would not risk getting them done here. You pay a lot less here, which means a lot less equipment and a lot older methods of healthcare are often used here. I had my own horror story of terribly inferior treatment here turned into an urgent situation when I checked up on it in the US. I have since then investigated and there are many things I find very inferior about the care here, but of course some people are lucky enough to not ever be affected by them, I unfortunately was.

If you have insurance in the US I personally wouldn´t risk it. Of course, if you are going to be paying the costs in the US out of your own pocket, perhaps Argentina might be worth considering, knowing US health care costs...

 

[Roxana]

Obviously, you will need a prescription written by an argentinian doctor to have your tests done in Buenos Aires. And another visit to the doctor for the review of the results. A private visit costs around ARS $120. I can recommend you a very good doctor, who is a professor at the university and speaks perfect English.

 

[Celia]

Ask in advance how long the tests will take, some can take 2 weeks for results to arrive and they will not fax or email them to you...