Should I/Can I get an Obra Social if I already have int'l insurance?

[nledec]

Strange question, I know.
I have really good insurance from the states, BUT it doesn't pay for Lasik and it doesn't pay for a small cosmetic procedure I want to do. I've heard that several of the Obras here do pay for those things.
1) Which plans pay for them?
2) How much is the cost?
3) Is it legal for me to have coverage from both?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[chris]

Why wouldn't it be legal for you to have two plans? I'm surprised that your American plan gives you coverage in Argentina. Is that common?

 

[Crema Americana]

Signing up for Argentina health insurance is pretty easy. You just need your passport and after answering a few health related questions, you're good to go. I don't think they care if you have another insurance or not.

Some of the more expensive plans cover plastic surgery and possibly LASIK, but you might want to see if there's minimum time requirements (after signing up) before you qualify for coverage or how many of those types of services you're allowed per year. I have no idea how much it costs, but here is OSDE's 510 most complete plan.
http://www.osdebinario.com.ar/carti...plan=51&codso=SERVICIOS Y COBERTURA#resultado

 

[Ashley]

You shouldn't have any problems getting an obra social here. However, depending on your age (and especially given that you want a "level" of coverage that will pay for lasic and a cosmetic procedure), it could be around 800/1200 pesos per month for something like OSDE. A lot of obra sociales also have a minimum time before you are eligible for a "perk" like the procedures you mention. I think that this is normally around 6 months. You might therefore find that just paying for the procedures upfront might be a cheaper way to go...

 

[nikad]

An obra social you only get when you work en blanco and it is deducted off your paycheck, and they will not cover lasik or cosmetic surgery, what you mean is private health insurance ( aka medicina prepaga )

 

[steveinbsas]

The "waiting period" for covered cosmetic surgery ith the top level of Omint is at least a year. That means you would have to pay about $15,000 pesos to have a "small procedure" covered.

I suggest you inquire at several clinics to determine the cost of the procedure you desire.

I was very satisfied with B&S Clinic.

The cost was much less than the total I paid to Omint for one year of coverage.

B&S Clinic
Laprida 1579
Barrio Norte
Telephone: (5411) 4821-8707

 

[Californian_Oh]

Consider just paying for the procedure. As Steve noted, you'll end up having to subscribe for a while. And, in general, I recommend keeping US coverage (especially in case of a serious medical condition and wanting to return to be with family while treated) + simply paying on a per-visit basis here in Argentina.

I tried Swiss Medical for a while and found it not worth the money (about us$100-150/month). Unhelpful staff, nearly no english-speaking doctors, expensive rates. On one notable visit, I had a dental check-up. The office (inside the huge Swiss Medical complex at Puerrydon & Santa Fe) was disgusting and had bloody gauze littered all over. The dentist pumped some air over my gums and declared my teeth in good shape.

 

[citygirl]

I was confused reading that - obra social is an insurance plan for employees. (And many companies opt for a better coverage and give their workers a prepago, private health insurance). Thanks Nikad for clarifying for people.

Why keep your US health insurance? (Assuming you are an expat, not here for a year). Seems silly to pay for that unless they are covering all your medical costs here and I don't know any insurance providers that do that indefinitely.

Cost here for private insurance depends on your age and the plan level. The montly fees increase dramatically if you are over 35 and on average, they've gone up year over year about 12-15%.