www.CostaRicaTicas.com

This question is for the CRT members that live in CR, or know something about the health care system in CR. what do you do for health insurance? Is American insurance good in CR? Can you use your Medicare? How expensive is heath insurance there? thanks for your help.

All insurance in Costa Rica is a government monopoly and available only through INS.

Medicare is not valid in Costa Rica.

Some US based policies are valid for foreign travel. When I lived in the US my Blue Cross Blue Shield would pay for emergency treatment in Costa Rica. When I moved to CR they would no longer pay.

I have heard of companies that sell policies for foreign residents but I am unfamiliar with the specifics of what and how much they will pay and under what circumstances.

Retired military and US government employess insurance is valid in CR.

CR socialized medicine (CAJA) is complete and cheap. You must be a legal resident.

INS has a number of polices that pay various amounts with varying co-pays, deductibles, limits, etc. You do not have to be a legal resident to purchase a policy.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

A couple of things in addition to what ID has posted. CIMA Hospital in Escazu (affiliated with Baylor University Hospital) takes Blue Cross for overnight stays but NOT for emergency room treatment (which is really cheap anyways) As ID stated,they do NOT accept Medicare.Also the plans that are available here for ex-pats are not available to anyone who has a pre-existing condition of any consequence.

I had a heart attack in CR late this past May. I received treatment in Hospital Alejuela and later was transferred to Hospital Cima. I was required to post $5000 up front to be admitted. My medical insurance back in the states reimbursed me upon presentation of paid receipts and even ate the co-pay because the cost was so low. YOU DO need to know where you stand with this type of thing before the need arises.

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My life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming...." MAN....WHAT A RIDE!!!!"

YO Health "Insurance"

Yea, NO PRE-EXISTING condition is right.....same as in the states. May as well not have any programs when it comes to seniors over 60. The vast majority of seniors have at least one pre-existing condition.

Also, if that pre-condition is heart problems, any type of cancer, diabeties, COPD (to name a few) you are shit out of luck even trying to get coverage no matter what you can pay.

On the bright side......funerals are inexpensive in CR.

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Damn if I'm going to repeat this shit again. I need a drink.
I've been drinking vodka every day for 45 years and I have certainly never found it to be habit forming.

If you want information about health insurance in Costa Rica, this board is NOT the place to get it!!!!!!!!!!! If you listen to what is being said here...you deserve what you get. INS, the state insurance company, has a couple of policies that cover 200000$ in Central America, and !,000,000$ in the States.....most agents don't even know or care about it. Go find the American agent who sells insurance here...I forget his name. There ARE offshore policies available here....I am not sure but try Banco Uno on that one.

Preexisting conditions CAN be covered here, though expensive. But check it out for yourself with INS and don't listen to nothin' here...except ME!

I had coverage. I had cancer. 'nuff said!

Thank to every that responded, When I do start to make arrangement to move down I will do a lot of research on many subjects. Heath insurance is going to be a big one. There is one thing I have all ready learned is I will live in Costa Rica for one year before I even think about buying anything.

YO Lil'shit:

It's nice to know that we don't have to ask anyone else but yoursself about health insurance in CR...nuff said.

Unless things have changed in the last year or two the INS or CCSS is not all to be desired. I have friends in CR that had mucho problems with the payment from these "health insurance" providers. Grant you, it was from several years ago but it put up flags to my concern.

Not knocking them so much because these problems exist in the U.S. as well. Except here, the legal system is much more avaiable to make companies comply. Try that in a Latin country. There is a problem universally with reading the fine print of policies and in third or second world countries it is even worse.

I sincerely hope that you experience no problem if in the future if you need to rely on your insurance provider for a major expense. But I do have an uneasy feeling about depending upon them. Just my opinion.

Yes Circus it is comforting to know we can rely on Lil'shit for the very latest most accurate info on health care in CR

Can you elaborate on the payment problem with CCSS (Caja Costarricense Del Seguoro Social) I pay my monthly premium and after that have never been asked to pay for anything else when I go to the lab, Doctor, farmacia, EKG, xray, optometrist, etc. How can there be a payment problem? There are literally a hundred people in the clinic at anyone time and not a cashier in sight.

I have never had an INS policy so can not comment on them as a "health insurance" provider but it is important to note CCSS is not an insurer but rather a health care provider.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Right now I have an INS policy and thinking about going for an upgrade to the $2 mill/1 million littleshit talk about. It seems pretty reasonable, but I have yet to put it to the actual test. Yes some of it is conditional on at least planning on your residency and spending some amount of time in CR and the pre-existing shit of course.

I am working with an “agent” that speaks perfectly good English and is the agent referred by some good friends. Too new for me to make a recommendation, I would give his number with a pm. Remember get the info and make your own decision. It works for my friends and I so far, they ave made claims easily.

An opinion: based on being around CR for awhile; If you are in some System like INS or CCSS knowing Ticos a little: you would have at least a get passed entrada in a clinic or hospital till they sorted it out – If you have the magic little medical card and they can swipe you in, at least you’re in with minimal hassle and likely dealt with fairly.

I always used to get the international med assist for trip insurance. I think I will keep my US policies and dump the trip plans in favor of the INS. Other experience welcome.

Goof stuff to pass around. Shit who knows when you’ll need a doctor hopefully never.

Oops

YO Irish:
Have you ever incurred surgery or hospital admitance expenses? Primary care is probably no problem. My reference was that friends of mine from New Zealand that had made residency in CR late 1990's had to utilize this service in around 2003 or 04 and had problems with payment for his wife's stay in the hospital. From my recollection, they went through hoops in receiving payment for the expenses. They had to pay out of pocket for additional expenses they thought were incluced but not covered. They had no reason to imply untrue statements to my knowledge.

Note: Let me clarify. This is second hand news since I was not personally in the program. I cannot validate it but it did raise my alarm as to possible problems. Inconsequential to this discusion, since that occurance, they were attacked in their home (home invasion) and he and his wife were beaten and almost killed. They have since returned to New Zealand as a result.

I have little knowledge as to what the programs of these two companies may now offer. I do know of another situation with another couple but cannot give proper validity to it either.

Suspicious is right. I had researched medical coverage about four years ago because I thought that I might retire there but as with everything in CR .......nothing seems to be concrete. I have enough problem with trusting things in the U.S. let alone with a socialized country where I am not a citizen.....if I can use that word.

A couple of my friends that have lived in CR for a long duration have returned back to the U.S. to seek medical care for cancer type operations. I believe that they had reservations as to the quality of treatment but this was their choice and fortunately they had access to coverage or the means in order to pay for it. Unfortunaltely, a number of ex-pat do not exercise that ability.

I sincerely hope that you get the coverage you expect.

Perhaps things have become better and the coverage is sound. I for one will remain suspect. That's just me.

Circus,
Since neither one of us know the complete circumstances of your friends situation it is impossible to speculate on what actually transpired. A couple of things come to mind based on your post.



Being a resident does not automatically enroll you in the CAJA program. You must join and pay the monthly premium.



They may have received treatment at a private hospital and then sought reimbursement. That would indicate they had an INS policy rather than being enrolled in the CAJA.

Anyone who becomes ill in CR, citizen, legal resident, non-legal resident, tourist, etc. will be treated at a CAJA hospital. No one is turned away but they will bill you if you are not a member of the CAJA program.



No I have fortunately never been hospitalized in CR. They have covered all my expenses, as promised, for all other medical care. I can not imagine they would renege on that portion seeing how they have lived up to the rest of their commitment.

Hopefully I will never have to report on my experience in a CAJA hospital but being a realist I can say....stay tuned for a trip report on my journey through a CAJA hospital Hopefully you will have to stay tuned for a lengthy period

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Well Littleshit,perhaps the fact that I was in the business of selling and servicing Life and health insurance in the States for over 35 years does qualify me to give my two cents worth here. I didn't notice YOUR qualifications other than unfortunately you had an illness. I have lived here while being covered by an expensive Blue Cross plan,and now by medicare. (only applicable in the States) I have spoken to the agent that Novice has been dealing with,and he tried to tell me not to bother mentioning the pre-existing condition that I have. (It requires medication that I get from my prescription drug plan that is tied in with medicare) I explained to him that in his great zeal to sell me coverage, that the problem isn't at application time if you lie.but at claim time. So Littleshit...sometimes it's better to talk to friends who have knowledge about the subject,rather than someone with a vested interest. If you have specific information about coverages available (even though expensive) through INS or any offshore carriers,I would really appreciate your input.

Also having a Million or two as a lifetime or per cause maximum, isn't worth shit if you aren't covered because of a pre-existing condition. If you qualify for coverage here,I recommend that you buy coverage that DOES cover the major,expensive claims,(extended hospital stays)and not worry about the small claims such as emergency room treatment.

YO Irish and V-Bob:

Both of you have shared good points to ponder. I would like to ask both of you for your opinion on insurance vrs. the legal ramifications in CR.

Question one: How comfortable do you feel about relying on insurance companies in CR that offer high pay out coverage for health care?

Two: Do you feel comfortable with the legal system in backing you if that company refuses payment for paying hospital, lab and physician costs?

Three and probably the bottom line: Is there any insurance companies that absolutely do not consider pre-conditions and if not.....do you think that it appears so vague in the fine print that they may pull a rabbit out of the hat at the last minute and declare "we do not cover that?"

My problem with south of the border countries is that the damn legal system is so corrupt (okay, laugh and you could throw in the U.S.) but this is a serious problem when one needs legal backup. Our fellow amigo LVSteve along with me and many others have had problems with the legal system there but this is of primary importance considering that it's one's health and perhaps a near death situation.

Remember, approx. 90% of what the vast majority of people will spend on healthcare is during a major operation or the last several weeks of their life. A sobering revelation.....opps, I said that?

Seriously, I would like your imput or any others for that matter.

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Damn if I'm going to repeat this shit again. I need a drink.
I've been drinking vodka every day for 45 years and I have certainly never found it to be habit forming.