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Costa Rica Expat Health Insurance

The Republic of Costa Rica, more commonly known as Costa Rica, is a country in Central America with an approximate population of 4.6 million people and a total land area of 51,100 square kilometers. With over 1,290 kilometers of coastline, Costa Rica or ‘Rich Coast’ as it directly translates has the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. With a year round tropical climate, Costa Rica receives ample annual rainfall and is home to an amazing array of marshland, rainforest and fauna. Costa Rica’s economy has been affected by the worldwide recession and growth has slowed in recent years. The economy has, in recent decades, diversified away from traditional reliance on the export of coffee and bananas to one which now boasts financial outsourcing, software development, pharmaceuticals and ecotourism as the prominent national industries. Costa Rica, despite its low income levels and relatively high unemployment rate, is consistently ranked highest among its neighbors on the United Nation’s Human Development Index.

Costa Rica Healthcare and Insurance

Costa Rica’s health care system is widely regarded as Central America’s great health success story and has received many accolades from within the global medical profession. Much of this acclaim is based on successive government’s commitment to providing affordable access to high quality health care for every citizen and for non-nationals legally resident in the country. This commitment forms part of the government’s overall policy to guarantee the social and educational welfare of all citizens. Health care is provided by government through the public health insurance system known as the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS). CCSS is affiliated with ten major public hospitals throughout Costa Rica, including four hospitals in the capital city San Jose and the Children’s Hospital. Expatriates can join the CCSS by paying a monthly subscription fee which is based on the individual’s annual income, or you can opt for private Costa Rica health insurance through the state run Instituto de Seguro Nacional (INS) which covers certain treatments at hospitals and clinics within the private health sector. The low costs and high quality care associated with CCSS and INS facilities have meant that large numbers of patients visit the country’s hospitals and clinics. Long waiting times are common for procedures such as routine check-ups through to specialist consultations. As an expatriate in Costa Rica, possessing an international Costa Rica health insurance policy can help you and your family avoid excessive waiting times and assist in receiving access to quality health care when required.

Private hospitals and clinics in Costa Rica offer similar high quality medical care at a fraction of the costs associated with countries possessing a similar level of health care quality. Due to Costa Rica’s beautiful natural surroundings, medical reputation and low costs the country has quickly become a major destination for medical tourism. Each year, many American and Canadian citizens travel to Costa Rica for its first class modern services and affordable costs. Two of the more popular private medical facilities used by expatriates and medical tourists are the Clinica Biblica and Clinica Catolica. Both hospitals are affiliated with hospitals in the United States, and although they are more expensive than their counterparts in the public sector, they are still significantly below costs in the United States.

A significant number of Costa Rican doctors and dentists receive their basic medical training in the medical universities of San Jose. Following completion of this training, large numbers of graduates travel around the world to seek specialized or advanced training in certain fields. As a result, a majority of Costa Rican medical staff are proficient in English and at least one other language. They are also more culturally aware and are thus capable of providing noteworthy care and attention to all patients. Expatriates and tourists who may require medical treatment and who wish to consult with English speaking medical staff are advised to purchase a Costa Rica health insurance plan which will assist in the event they need to seek treatment at the country’s private medical facilities.

Costa Rica Travel Insurance Concerns

Health workers at the CCSS who are also members of the National Medical Union (NMU), approximately 7,000 staff, went on strike in July 2010 in protest over disability benefits in relation to their annual salary. During the strike, emergency services continued as normal but in-patient and out-patient services, affecting some 30,000 patients, were severely restricted. In response to the strike, President Chinchilla acknowledged the CCSS was suffering from a financial crisis and that urgent reform was needed. An aging population and associated health costs are putting the CCSS at risk. Four days after the strike was called a compromise agreement was announced and shortly afterwards all CCSS hospitals and clinics were again operating as normal. It should be noted that expatriates in possession of Costa Rica health insurance and who were using private medical facilities were not inconvenienced in any way by the strike.

Many diseases and viruses associated with the tropics and the region are not prevalent in Costa Rica. Cases of Malaria are rare and generally only occur in Limón Province. Expatriates and travelers should still seek medical advice at least four weeks prior to their arrival in the country. The routine vaccination should be updated accordingly and vaccinations for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Typhoid are advised. Traveler’s diarrhea is the most common travel ailment and prescription drugs for the illness can be purchased over the counter at pharmacies throughout Costa Rica. Crime levels in Costa Rica are quite high and incidents of armed robbery are a common occurrence. Expatriates and tourists are advised to exercise caution and to be aware of their surroundings at all times.

Costa Rica Expat Health Insurance

Costa Rica is a pleasantly diverse country which offers many attractions to the expatriate, tourist and medical tourist alike. In the event that medical assistance is required, you and your family can be assured of access to one of the Western hemisphere’s top health care systems in Costa Rica. Expat health insurance that Global Health Insurance works with can provide you extensive global coverage and offers options that can provide suitable cover for you and your family. We offer a wide range of policies that can be tailored to meet your specific requirements with benefits that include maternity, dental, in-patient, out-patient and more. To receive a free quotation or to receive information on Costa Rica expat health insurance, please contact one of our advisers today.