Medical Expenses

[rdcooper]

I have medical insurance and it is exportable overseas with one catch. I have to pay for medical treatment up front and then get reimbursed later. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with using Tricare Overseas for their insurance in Argentina? What do common things like eye exams, MRIs, and doctor's visits cost? What would it cost if I had to go to the emergency room?

 

[Neil]

I just had an eye exam @
Fundacion Zambrano | Ocular surgery overheard people being charged $80 USD +/- for an exam.

Zambrano

 

[steveinbsas]

What would it cost if I had to go to the emergency room?

If you go (or are taken) to an emergency room in a public hospital you probably won't/shouldn't have to pay anything.

Perhaps nikad can confirm.

 

[Ries]

years ago an american I knew had a siezure in my kitchen. we called the ambulance, they were there in a few minutes, he spent 3 days in the public hospital, and was treated as well for a broken shoulder when he hit the floor. No charge.
I think Milei is trying to tighten things up and it may cost something now.

 

[steveinbsas]

I asked Google AI and got this reply:

"In Argentina, while public hospitals offer free emergency care for everyone (regardless of nationality), recent 2025 reforms mean non-resident tourists without insurance may be billed for non-urgent care, and some provinces now charge for services.

Emergency stabilization is legally guaranteed, but insurance is required for, or strongly recommended to cover, all other medical care.

Emergency Care: True emergencies in public hospitals are generally provided for free.

Insurance Requirement: As of May 2025, tourists are required to have health insurance and may be asked for it to receive care outside of life-threatening emergencies.

Billing for Non-Emergencies: If the situation is not life-threatening, hospitals in certain regions, including Salta Province and Buenos Aires (CABA), may charge for services.

Private vs. Public: Private hospitals are available for faster, English-speaking, and higher-quality care, usually for $40–100 USD per visit.

Recommendation: It is highly recommended to have travel health insurance and carry documentation, as it ensures access to better-equipped private facilities and handles potential billing at public hospitals.
This information is based on regulations effective as of late 2025."

 

[nikad]

I asked Google AI and got this reply:

"In Argentina, while public hospitals offer free emergency care for everyone (regardless of nationality), recent 2025 reforms mean non-resident tourists without insurance may be billed for non-urgent care, and some provinces now charge for services.

Emergency stabilization is legally guaranteed, but insurance is required for, or strongly recommended to cover, all other medical care.

Emergency Care: True emergencies in public hospitals are generally provided for free.

Insurance Requirement: As of May 2025, tourists are required to have health insurance and may be asked for it to receive care outside of life-threatening emergencies.

Billing for Non-Emergencies: If the situation is not life-threatening, hospitals in certain regions, including Salta Province and Buenos Aires (CABA), may charge for services.

Private vs. Public: Private hospitals are available for faster, English-speaking, and higher-quality care, usually for $40–100 USD per visit.

Recommendation: It is highly recommended to have travel health insurance and carry documentation, as it ensures access to better-equipped private facilities and handles potential billing at public hospitals.
This information is based on regulations effective as of late 2025."

Yes, all of this is in effect in the city.

 

[landrew]

FWIW, I am a visiting retired Emergency Physician who just experienced trauma care via SAME ambo at Rivadavia 2/6. They used my US PP for a MRN, but never inquired as to an address or phone. Four hours, head CT, one xray, fracture ADVICE (no treatment, needed only a special sling for this, but they didn't have any); didn't clean the facial laceration from pavement impact, and there was no tetanus available. Medical student did the eyebrow suturing (possibly her first case), badly, and they wanted to put me on antibiotics (in lieu of washing???) But we did this with available supplies during the 3 hr wait in an icy procedure room with a painful unsupported fracture and no pain med, not even a sheet or pillow. Used a trashed supply bag as a windbreaker.

No bill upon departure, and no way for them to send one, unless they askwhen/IF I go back there for followup.
We figure, we got what we paid for!

Fortunately I have EP friends in BA, and am getting better followup privately.

Although the above cited regulation was adopted last summer, we were not asked by either airline or immigrations officer (or hospital) about the supposedly required travel insurance for visitors when we arrived 1/25.

 

[nikad]

FWIW, I am a visiting retired Emergency Physician who just experienced trauma care via SAME ambo at Rivadavia 2/6. They used my US PP for a MRN, but never inquired as to an address or phone. Four hours, head CT, one xray, fracture ADVICE (no treatment, needed only a special sling for this, but they didn't have any); didn't clean the facial laceration from pavement impact, and there was no tetanus available. Medical student did the eyebrow suturing (possibly her first case), badly, and they wanted to put me on antibiotics (in lieu of washing???) But we did this with available supplies during the 3 hr wait in an icy procedure room with a painful unsupported fracture and no pain med, not even a sheet or pillow. Used a trashed supply bag as a windbreaker.

No bill upon departure, and no way for them to send one, unless they askwhen/IF I go back there for followup.
We figure, we got what we paid for!

Fortunately I have EP friends in BA, and am getting better followup privately.

Although the above cited regulation was adopted last summer, we were not asked by either airline or immigrations officer (or hospital) about the supposedly required travel insurance for visitors when we arrived 1/25.

This is because you went into the ER

 

[landrew]

This is because you went into the ER

Well, um , YES; that is fairly typical when you have fallen due to a building (door) malfunction, sustaining an arm fracture and head/eye injury, are unable safely to get up, and both police and building manager call EMS, in almost any country with which I am familiar as a physician Fellow in the International Federation of Emergency Medicine.

What would YOU have done, as a visitor with no local medical insurance please? A clinic would not have been feasible with such injuries, nor was public transportation. At least I had a paramedic who checked my skull, applied a sling, strapped me in, and got me safely to AN appropriate source of attention.

Sincerely interested in any alternative you might have suggested in such an emergency?
We were appropriately managed, under the circumstances, by everyone except the public hospital, which probably performed within its capabilities.
Like I stated, we got what we paid for!
But I thought this critique of public hospital emergency care might be informative. (I'm a former prof of Emergency Medicine at Johns Hopkins).

 

[nikad]

Well, um , YES; that is fairly typical when you have fallen due to a building (door) malfunction, sustaining an arm fracture and head/eye injury, are unable safely to get up, and both police and building manager call EMS, in almost any country with which I am familiar as a physician Fellow in the International Federation of Emergency Medicine.

What would YOU have done, as a visitor with no local medical insurance please? A clinic would not have been feasible with such injuries, nor was public transportation. At least I had a paramedic who checked my skull, applied a sling, strapped me in, and got me safely to AN appropriate source of attention.

Sincerely interested in any alternative you might have suggested in such an emergency?
We were appropriately managed, under the circumstances, by everyone except the public hospital, which probably performed within its capabilities.
Like I stated, we got what we paid for!
But I thought this critique of public hospital emergency care might be informative. (I'm a former prof of Emergency Medicine at Johns Hopkins).

You definitely chose the best available option given the emergency. If you have colleagues in Arg reaching out could have maybe helped get treated in a better facility ( or them showing up and talking to hospital staff could have helped to some extent ).

I never travel abroad without insurance as I mostly visit the US. Argentina has recently turned into a destination where insurance is a new requirement. I am not sure just how well these recent changes have been informed to people coming into the country, based on your experience they are not actually informing well.

As a side note: whenever you have an accident in the street, you are taken to the nearest public hospital even if you have private insurance, the first care will be received in the ambulance and public ER, if you have private insurance and are stable you are transferred. I can only say, given the circumstances, that you were lucky to be near Rivadavia hospital ( Fernandez would have been better, but still ).

Hope the rest of your visit was better.