public healthcare for foreigners?

[journeyjane]

for those of you without private health insurance (and any sort of visa), is there a way to take advantage of the basic public health services in argentina? when i lived in spain public health care was not denied to anyone (legal or not). you simply registered and were given a patient id card. is there something similar in argentina? does anyone know how it works, where to register, etc. i'm very healthy and don't foresee using it, but in case i need to see a more specialized doctor outside of the emergency room it would be good to know. thanks in advance!

 

[Bajo_cero2]

You just go to the hospital and that´s it.

 

[nikad]

yeah, you go and get an appointment with the specialist of your choice.

 

[steveinbsas]

You just go to the hospital and that´s it.

Wouldn't the OP would have to go to a public hospital and then be referred to another doctor in order not to be charged?

I saw a specialist (in his office) about lower back pain shortly after my arrival. I was expected to pay (and I did).

I went to the Hospital de las Clinicas shortly after that. There was no charge for an electrocardiogram, but I realized very quickly that I was not in a state of the art facility, even by Argentine standards. I enrolled in a private plan the next day.

I saw the same specialist again after enrolling in the private insurance and did not have to pay extra.

Would this also be the case if I was referred to that same doctor by a public hospital?

 

[Amargo]

The Hospital de Clínicas may look old, but it is very good.

 

[london2ba]

I have experience of private and public health care here. For the first few months I had backpacker insurance but never needed to spend enough to make a claim worthwhile.

Once I was admitted to Accident and Emergency to treat my peanut allergy. It was all free. Unfortunately the hospital was very badly equipped and the treatment regime was shocking. I got the drugs I needed in the end. It was an experience anyway. The staff were very kind and I lived to tell the tale. My second visit was with a friend who had an eye infection and we paid 100 pesos to go to a private clinic, rather than wait, where the care was excellent.

So it seems you can turn up anywhere without a health care plan but you may need to pay on occasions, depending on how long you are willing to wait or the specific area you require. Hopefully you won't need to use it anyway. Good luck.

 

[steveinbsas]

The Hospital de Clínicas may look old, but it is very good.

I should add that the attention was very good indeed. I was also fortunate that I was there early on a Sunday morning, I only had to wait a few minutes, and it was not a serious problem.

 

[journeyjane]

so the only identification they will ask to see is my passport? i don't need to register anywhere?

 

[steveinbsas]

so the only identification they will ask to see is my passport? i don't need to register anywhere?

That's correct as far as I know. I was only asked to show my passport.

 

[RoadWarrior]

I go to the public clinic at Hospital Aleman (Puerreydon 1640). You tell them the problem at the cashier and they send you to the type of specialist you need. Usually the wait is about 15 minutes. Cost is usually about US$25 per visit. VERY PLEASANT experience. If you need LAB work that gets a little more expensive but the doctors are a bargain.