Health Insurance

[citygirl]

How have people handled health insurance? I will be leaving my company in 2 months to move to Argentina & am undecided about health insurance. I can continue to pay for my insurance but I don't know what the coverage would be in Argentina.
Are there private insurance companies there that you reccomend?
Thanks!

 

[Jessica]

We have just signed up for the Clinic in Monte Grande for our children (I live just past Monte Grande, so it may be far for someone living in the city, but I know there are several similar types, and I think the Clinic we have does have an office downtown). For the both of them it is like $103 (pesos) per month, and there are small copays of like $5 pesos a visit with our specific plan. It includes dental care as well, and it's a bit like Kaiser in the states in that one place does it all, and I'm to hope that the difference is they take better care of their paitents than Kaiser! They will make outside referrals if necessary, and work with area hospitals. My father in law had a stent put in at the clinic, and spoke very highly of it. They also will send you a doctor to your home (and a pediatrician in case of a child), and work with an emergency ambulance service. The woman who enrolled us also came to the house. The kids do not yet have DNI's, so that wasn't an issue.
We took our daughter to the public hospital about a week after we arrived because she slipped on the kitchen floor, and landed flat on her face. The hospital did x-rays, and we were seen faster than in an American hospital, but they didn't seem to be too busy that day in particular. They never asked us more than her name, and their was no paperwork.
IMHO, I would wait until you settle in, and know that you can use the poor run down hospitals in case of emergency. Also, the pharamacist is a psuedo doctor for minor ailments. Everything is under prescription supposedly, but if you ask, and it isn't anything too strong, they'll give it to you.
Jessica

 

[nikad]

How have people handled health insurance? I will be leaving my company in 2 months to move to Argentina & am undecided about health insurance. I can continue on pyaing for my insurance but I don't know what the coverage would be in Argentina.
Are there private insurance companies there that you reccomend?
Thanks!

Hi!
For what I have heard from many expats, health insurance here is a lot cheaper and a lot better than what they used to get in the US. We are three at home: my husband, my 12 yo son and myself, we have Medicus, and we pay 570 pesos a month for the three of us that is less than 200 usd ( no co payments, 40% discount on all prescribed medications, many private clinics all over the city and all provinces, they also have their own, everything is covered 100% - my plan has maternity covered as well, dental is included except for orthodontics, etc ), other excellent private insurance companies are OSDE, Hospital Aleman, Omint, Swiss Medical. There are cheaper options and of course you have public hospitals, if you don´t mind waiting, and being at a non fancy place, the doctors are excellent ( Some of the most prestigious public hospitals are Hospital Fernandez, Hospital Ricardo Gutierrez, Hospital Garrahan, Hospital Rivadavia, Hospital Argerich among many others ) these are 100% free.
V

 

[California]

Just one thing to think about. If you are planning to stick around the city of B.A. most of your time in Argentina, then you can consider the Hospital plans already mentioned like: Hospital Aleman, Italiano, Suiso, etc....(avoid the Frances)
But if you think you will be traveling all over the country, then you should get a plan like Medicus or Osde....And by the way, they are increasing their premiums THIS MONTH!
I aked Osde how much a single man around 42 would pay....they said it would be close to 600 pesos per month for their higher plans....

 

[BAJay]

Simply apply wih OSDNE or Medicus. My family is with Medicus. My wife , myself and our daughter have complete coverage (including maternity and dental) in world class facilities with top notch doctors for about US$200.00 per month. This also includes a prescription plan. Coverage for an individual will most likely be less than US$100 per month. I have let my US Insurance lapse which was over $500 a month.

 

[SaltShaker]

I would check to see what's covered by your U.S. or other plan while you're here (you don't have to tell them you're moving permanently or long term, just ask what coverage is while you're out of the country). While it's true that insurance or hospital plans are less expensive here than in the U.S., keep in mind that, depending on your age, depending on pre-existing conditions, you 1) might find that you can't get insurance here - they don't accept everyone onto plans, and/or there maybe some restrictions, and 2) if you plan to go back, you may find you can't get back on an insurance plan when you return because of having let it lapse.

 

[loribuenosaires]

Thanks for posting this thread. Swiss Medical and Osde or a bit expensive for me at this time. What would be the next best ones after that? Is there some sort of order of best to worst? I need to get coverage for me and my fiance.