For these reasons, it is advised that you come prepared. If you are staying for a short vacation, make sure you are covered through a health insurance plan that you can sign up for in your home country. If you plan on living in Argentina for an extended period of time, you may want to consider purchasing one of the private health plans available. They are usually cheaper than getting long term health insurance from your home country, and will save you a lot of headaches.

There are many different health plan options available in Argentina. Three of the biggest health insurance providers include OSDE Binario, Swiss Medical, and Medicus. The advantage with these three companies is you have access to a variety of health centers and doctors across the city, and they also have decent coverage throughout the country.

Another option is to sign up for health insurance with some of the individual hospitals and medical centers (Ex. Hospital Alemán, Hospital Italiano). These can be cheaper than the three companies listed above. However, the medical care you receive is often limited (fewer facilities, less doctors to choose from, less coverage).

All health plans include their own “cartilla.” This is a list of doctors with different specializations that provide medical care covered by your health plan. You can go to these doctors instead of going to one of the medical centers, and you can even order a doctor to your house when you are sick and don´t want to go anywhere. Talk about service!

The benefits included for each health plan vary significantly, as do prices. For example, the best health insurance plan from one of the top insurance providers will include everything – medical care, dental care, optical care, international coverage, and even cosmetic surgery! Yes, that is correct, you can get a health plan that includes certain cosmetic surgery operations. You receive all of these benefits without ever having to pay anything.

Here is a list of plans for the larger Medical Insurance providers in Buenos Aires:

Swiss Medical
Medicus
Osde Binario
Omint
Hospital Italiano
Hospital Aleman

Is health care in Argentina good? How does it compare to wealthy developed countries? The answer to these questions vary significantly depending on the health plan you purchase and what city you live in. If you purchase a health plan with one of the major companies, and you live in Buenos Aires, you can expect excellent care and great facilities. In fact, many foreigners feel they receive better medical attention here than in their home country.

If you are trying to decide what company to get your medical plan with, I recommend getting quotes from Medicus, OSDE, and Swiss Medical. These companies will offer you the most comprehensive health plans, and you will have access to the best doctors and the best facilities.

For more information on each company, as well as English speaking contacts, please follow the links below:

Swiss Medical
Medicus
OSDE Binario

Related posts:

1. OSDE Binario Health Insurance OSDE has been around for over 30 years is one...
2. Swiss Medical Health Insurance Founded in 1994, Swiss Medical is one of the largest...
3. Medicus Health Insurance Founded over 35 years ago, Medicus has become one of...

For example, you will have access to the different hospitals, the Medicus health centers, and the sanitorios.  It is up to you which one you use.  As with all the major health insurance providers in Argentina, there is a large variety of plans you can choose from, which vary significantly in price.

The main advantage of a health plan with OSDE is the scope of care you receive.  You will have access to the greatest amount of health care facilities, which gives you the ability to choose from more doctors and more types of care.

There are a few disadvantages with OSDE Health Insurance.  The biggest is the price.  They are the most expensive health insurance provider in the city, and it is difficult to say if you are actually better off than with a health plan from one of the other major providers.  Also, because they don´t actually own any health facilities, wait times for operations can be longer, because members of the individual health centers usually receive priority.

The international coverage of OSDE is a also bit disappointing.  You are only covered in neighboring countries, and have the option of being covered in the United States, Canada, and Israel (if you pay more).  However, you cannot receive coverage for other countries in South America that are not bordering Argentina.

Some of the OSDE Binario site is in English, so some information can be easier to find if you don’t speak Spanish.  Unfortunately, OSDE has been unreceptive to providing Expose with any additional information, nor will they provide a contact who can help foreigners.  For more information, visit the OSDE Binario website.

Related posts:

1. Health Care in Buenos Aires Argentina is unique to many countries because free public health...
2. Swiss Medical Health Insurance Founded in 1994, Swiss Medical is one of the largest...
3. Medicus Health Insurance Founded over 35 years ago, Medicus has become one of...