Patients enjoy the freedom of choosing their own physician, general practitioner or specialist.
Within Latin America, Argentina has the lowest population growth rate, and has a low infant mortality rate. The 2009 statistics show the infant mortality rate at 11.44 deaths per 1000 live births and the average estimated life expectancy at birth is 76.56 years (female 79.97 and male 73.32).
In Buenos Aires, you can find the best medical care, as most of the medical staff has been trained abroad. Expats should take into consideration that though the medical care is easily available in the capital city, it will vary in quality once you go outside the city, thus, it becomes more limited.
Foreigners can use either public or private hospitals. Private hospitals are well equipped with medical facilities while the public hospitals in rural areas may not have such modern equipment.
Insurance coverage varies. If you are not covered, payments should be made prior to your release from the hospital, or paid in full within one month. A vast majority of private hospitals offer flexible payment plans for expats needing medical services.
Prescriptions are either the generic name or the international drug name. In Argentina, you can buy medicines without a prescription.
Argentina is popular for cosmetic surgery as the cost is far lower than in Europe and the US.
Health Providers
The three main sectors of the health care system under the Ministry of Health and Social Action (Ministerio de Salud y Acción Social de la Nación or MSAS) are; the public sector (50 per cent of the population), private sector (5 per cent of the population) and Obras Sociales or social sector (45 per cent of the population).
The public sector is financed through taxes; access for medical care is free for both inpatients and outpatients of hospitals but outpatients are charged for medicines. This system is considered to cater to the needs of the poor.
Payments in the social sector are obligatory for employers and employees as this is administered by trade unions. Individuals not part of the labor market are not considered part of the obra social.
The private sector is accessible through private insurance paid by individuals for their own medical care.
Medical Visa
Expats wanting to seek health treatment in Argentina can apply for a medical visa that lasts one year and allows multiple-entries.
Prior to applying at the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones, it is vital to have your medical records and the name of the hospital where medical treatment in Argentina will take place. As a requirement, statements should be provided by the public hospital (signed by the director) or the private clinic (signed by the practitioner that is legalized by the Health Department).
Health issues/Safety
If you are relocating to Argentina, there are no vaccination requirements for any traveler. However, if you are going to the rural areas near the border of Bolivia and Paraguay, an anti-malaria vaccine is recommended. The northern regions of Argentina are accustomed to outbreaks of cholera and it is recommended not to eat raw vegetables or seafood.
The economic problems of 2002 led to Argentina's domestic recession and currency depreciation, which in turn hurt the medical sector.
In early 2009, the AH1N1 Flu pandemic shook the whole world and in South America, Argentina was one of the countries that were severely hit by the virus.
Nonetheless, Argentina, like any other country, considers health an important part of the country's economic growth. Change for improvement is always knocking at the door of all its
health sectors.
More Expat Resources
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
