Health care & insurance basics

[jp]

It also covered free LASIK after a year of being on the plan

Do you know what the conditions are for LASIK on swiss medical?
I tried for LASIK on osde, but you have to be +3 to qualify, and I'm 2.75....

 

[nuitzangaro]

Hello. I have been living here for several years with a student's visa, and have been using Accord's midpriced plan (about 150 pesos per month. It covers basic check ups and emergencies but there are a lot of 10 peso co pays for middle ground appointments). If you are looking for something basic, with lots of practicians all around the city it's a good call.

The problem that I have is that they will only cover you if you have some kind of proof of residency (papers showing that you either have a visa or are in the process of getting it), in addition to your passport, and my boyfriend does not have this.

My question is: Does anyone know where you can obtain coverage without being a permanent resident (that is to say, a long term resident playing the cross the border every couple of months game, that is an only barely legal resident)?

 

[citygirl]

Any of the private plans will cover you even if you're not a resident - Swiss Medical, OSDE, Medicus, etc.

 

[citygirl]

Tourist2Townie - I commented on another post of yours. A public hospital will treat anyone and no, you don't have to be affiliated with them. I don't know how long you would have to wait for a routine treatment though. There is also for example a public dentistry where you can go.

Private hospitals do require payment if you don't have their insurance or an insurance they take. If you go to a private hospital, even in an emergency, you are going to have to pay in one way or another (ie - through your private insurance or in cash if you don't have insurance that they accept).

 

[SaraSara]

Thanks, JP.

It is interesting what you say about Argentine physicians "reading" patients.

My brother is an orthopaedic surgeon, and spent five years on a fellowship in a big US teaching hospital. He was amazed to see so little "handling" of patients. He said doctors seemed reluctant to touch them. He though that was a mistake, because by manipulating and moving a patient's elbow, for instance, a doctor could detect things that no tests would show.

I'm sorry you are getting the medical runaround. In my view, it is best to get a good internist or GP, and rely on them for all referrals - in fact, make them your health managers. Good physicians will refer you to other good physicians.

Best of luck.

Really sorry to hear about your friend Sara.

I've met a number of doctors & medical students who've spent time working & studying here in public hospitals. They all said the same thing about their argentine colleagues - diagnosis was exceptional, and the level of training & expertise was outstanding. They spent more time with their patients and were able to "read" patients in a way that first world doctors struggled to.

But part of the reason they developed these skills was the lack of expensive diagnostic equipment, which forced them to rely on training and intuition.

I'm not sure whats best. When I first got here I was really impressed by how thorough private medicine was. But several months on, I sort of feel I'm doing the rounds a bit... Endless consults and diagnostics make a lot more money than someone taking an interest in the patient and trying to fix the problem.

 

[InjuredBadly]

To give an idea of hospitialization costs - a good friend of my wife's went to Hospital Aleman a little over a year ago to have her baby. Her husband insisted that she get the best care. She was given a private room for two days. The total cost was $9,000 pesos, which at the time was about $3,000 dollars.

I would expect that cost to have risen since then, maybe as much as 30%?

I'm sure for a more common delivery experience the price would ahve been significantly lower.

Insurance here is cheap enough that I would not consider living here without it unless you are reasonably welathy and can afford whatever is thrown at you in life.

I don't agree that OSDE is necessarily the "best" because of the cost - it is certainly good insurance and the network has very good doctors, no doubt.

Hospital Aleman is a good hospital and has good doctors as well. I pay $550 pesos a month for two of us. HA is certainly competent for about anything that you would need done, in my opinion.

It all depends on how much you want/can afford to pay.

Just do not, ever, depend on public hospitals.

Can you plese tell me your ages? I have been paying $360.00 dollars per month for my husband 61 and myself under 60. We live in the USA, but have no access to insurance there because of pre-existing conditions. He began to have some angina and the doctors wanted tests, which were very expensive. So, we got permission to travel to Argentina and the day after our arrival we had secured a "turno" with a cardiologis Doctora Donato, great doctor who speaks English. She put him in the CCU unit the same day. He began his exams and they all came back bad really bad, so he remained in the Hospital Aleman in CCU then in a private room until all the blood thining meds wore off (10 days) then underwent surgery; a quadruple bypass he spen 3 1/2 days in CCU then transfered to private room for 4 days. He is doing great but is anemic & depressed, tipical for this type of surgery. We are returning to the US on the 20th if Argentina Airlines gives the go ahead; the surgen has already signed the papers.
For a Vietnam Vet is a shame that he could not have this done in our country. Oh well, we know how is opposing health care reform, but this is a subject for another forum. I am just thankful that I purchased insurance here back in 2008. I also took advantage and had every possible test done on me, just to be sure; at nearly no cost.

 

[steveinbsas]

I am under 60 but I have Medicus and pay $350 pesos per month for the top plan in a group rate. A friend of mine who is 62 pays about $425. Send me a PM if you want to try to get the same group rate.