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Health insurance in Argentina
Moving to or visiting Argentina? Don’t know how the Argentinian healthcare system works or whether it’s worth taking out a private health insurance plan. Read this guide to find out everything you need to know about health insurance in Argentina, including the country’s healthcare system and insurance landscape. To obtain a FREE, no-obligation quote, be sure to click on the button below.
About Argentina
Argentina (officially the Argentine Republic) is located in South America, covering an area of 2.7 million square kilometers and home to 47 million (mainly Spanish-speaking) people. In terms of area, it is the second largest country in the continent after Brazil, and the eighth largest country in the world. Argentina shares a border with Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay, the South Atlantic Ocean, and the Drake Passage. The country is a federal state subdivided into 23 provinces and 1 autonomous city, which is the federal capital and largest city, Buenos Aires.
As one of the world’s major tourist destinations - in fact, Buenos Aires is one of the most visited cities in South America, Argentina has stunning natural beauty, rich culture, and extremely friendly locals. There are 30 national parks in the country, including many World Heritage Sites. Argentina also has a thriving economy, benefiting from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, a diversified industrial base, and an export-oriented agricultural sector. In fact, the country attracts a number of expats for job opportunities as the economy continues to grow.
Healthcare system in Argentina
It’s important to note that Argentina is a federal republic, where the health system is decentralized. This means that public health is administered at a municipal level and primary care is often independently managed by each city. As one would expect with decentralization, the healthcare provision can vary greatly across the country depending on the region, city, or area.
In Buenos Aires and other major cities like Cordoba or Mendoza - for instance, the standard of healthcare is typically very high. One can expect hospitals and clinics of an excellent standard with competent medical staff and the ability to provide assistance during an emergency. However, this isn’t necessarily the case in rural areas (especially in the poorer north) where some facilities may lack medical equipment or staff.
In terms of healthcare sectors, there are three in Argentina:
Public healthcare sector
The public healthcare sector provides free or heavily subsidized medical services to around half of the country, which includes both citizens and foreigners. While many costs associated with a hospital transport, visit, and stay are free of charge, patients will need to pay for prescriptions - something that is required by pharmacies for most medications. In addition, there is a 30% cost participation for chronic conditions and a 60% cost participation for everyday prescriptions.
But like most other public healthcare sectors in the world, the one in Argentina is plagued with long waiting times, causing many people to choose other sectors for their healthcare needs. In addition to this, foreigners who don’t speak Spanish may also struggle when it comes to navigating the Argentine public healthcare system and choose to go private instead (more on this below).
Social security system (obras sociales)
The social security system, or obras sociales (OS) in Spanish is financed by fixed fee contributions from employers and employees (including foreign employees). As the most common form of health insurance in Argentina, these health insurance schemes are managed by trade unions. Although the national health insurance administration overlooks the schemes, provision of healthcare is typically outsourced to private providers.
Under the OS system, there is a guaranteed minimum coverage for things like preventative, diagnostic, medical and dental treatment, as well as maternity services. The insured will then be expected to pay the difference in cost between the coverage amount and the actual cost of treatment. One important and good thing about OS schemes is that they cannot exclude coverage for pre-existing medical conditions.
Private health insurance
Private health insurance enables patients to skip the long wait times associated with the public healthcare sector and benefit from better amenities, and around 5% of the population (especially expats and foreigners) in Argentina opt for it. These plans must cover the same mandatory benefits as the OS, but many offer policyholders with the option to add higher coverage levels or more benefits.
When it comes to where these plans can be used, Argentinian health insurance is typically localized, which means the policy may only be valid in the country or even a specific city. This is why many expats and foreigners prefer to secure an international health insurance plan, particularly if they travel abroad often or have plans to relocate to another country in the foreseeable future.
Tip for tourists: If you’re traveling to remote parts of the country, it’s a good idea to secure a health insurance plan that covers medical evacuation. This is because these remote areas might be far from the nearest hospital. In the unfortunate event of an accident, having evacuation assistance will enable you to be transported (often by air ambulance, which is very costly) to the nearest and most-equipped hospital.
Looking for international health insurance? Get in touch with Pacific Prime Latin America today!
Life as an expat in Argentina can be incredibly exciting, but it’s far from easy - especially when you have to figure out practical things like securing private health insurance ahead of your move to the country. As an expat-focused, global health insurance brokerage, with over two decades of industry experience, Pacific Prime Latin America makes it our mission to support expats like yourself.
We can provide Argentina health insurance plans that are both globally portable and guaranteed renewable for life, with a number of additional coverage options like outpatient treatment, dental, vision, maternity coverage, alternative therapies, complementary medicines, specialist consultants, and medical evacuation.
Rest assured, our highly knowledgeable, experienced, and impartial staff (many of whom are expats themselves and can better relate to their foreign clients in Argentina) will take into account your needs and budgets, provide a tailored plan comparison, empower you to choose the right plan, and provide heaps of support and assistance throughout your time in Argentina and beyond.
