Health Insurance and Private Healthcare in Argentina

Trade has always been good between the UK and Argentina, with British companies helping Argentina to develop commercially during the 19th century. The key areas that were improved were railways, food processing and financial services. Unfortunately, Argentina has not been able to replicate that success with health care, where it only spends about 4.8% of its GDP and as a result, cannot match European standards for health care. This has been particularly the case since financial crash, which is one of the reasons cited for Argentina losing its strong position within that South Americas health league tables.

Argentina is adequately staffed by doctors, where it has around 3.2 practising physicians per 1,000 citizens and despite the poorer facilities, the overall level of care is fairly good. Private hospitals are highly rated, well equipped and not considered particularly expensive.

The following describes the three systems, on how health care is provided:

1. Public: Free health care for all is written into Argentina’s constitution but standards and waiting times vary, particularly for consultant appointments and surgery.
2. The obrassociales, or union-backed health insurance funds, are for the use of employees or staff groups. There are currently more than 300 of these health funds, with each being organised according to the occupation of the beneficiary.
3. Private: This sector accounts for nearly two million of Argentina’s citizens, who use private medical insurers. Expats living in the country report receiving a broadly satisfactory level of care but find that private hospitals are usually better equipped and better staffed than the public sector hospitals, or the obrassociales facilities.

Health Insurance premiums in Argentina

The UK’s foreign & commonwealth office has stated that there is a need for health insurance and it advises that individuals going to Argentina should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. Checks for any exclusions and careful study of what the policy covers should be done, to ensure you are properly covered. Expats will generally find the costs to be not unreasonable.

What to watch out for

Dengue fever: this fever is a risk that exists throughout the whole year in Argentina, along with other surrounding countries and the Caribbean generally. Fatalities from dengue haemorrhagic fever have been reported in Paraguay and sadly, there is no immunisation or vaccination for this. The foreign & commonwealth office advises travellers that they may be at risk of this fever in all parts of Argentina but particularly in hotspots such as Chaco, Corrientes, Misiones, Formosa, Jujuy and Salta. Prevention is very important and this means avoiding mosquito bites is a must. Repellent creams and medication should be used and it is advisable to wear long sleeves and use mosquito nets while sleeping. The fever tends to emerge about a week after being bitten and will show itself through:

• High fever
• Severe headaches
• Aches in joints and muscles
• Enlarged lymph nodes

Yellow fever: unlike Dengue fever, there is a vaccine for yellow fever which will benefit those aged over 9 months who intend travelling to regions of Argentina bordering Paraguay and Brazil, such as the provinces of Chaco, Corrientes, Formosa, Salta and all areas of Misiones.

Respiratory disease: pollution can be high in the main cities and is likely to aggravate asthma, sinus and bronchial problems.

Aids: Usual precautions should be taken against HIV/Aids, where its prevalence in Argentina accounts for 0.5% of the population, which is more than double the UK rate.
Illicit drugs: possession of even a small amount of drugs can lead to a minimum prison sentence of four and a half years.

Security: the majority of Argentina’s crime occurs in the streets, with tourists often being robbed whilst being distracted by another gang member. A typical scenario is the back-of-the jacket con, whereby a helpful stranger will point out a mess on your jacket and while distracted, your wallet is removed or the victim is drawn away from their baggage, which is then rapidly removed by someone else.

Road hazards: foreign drivers, holding an international driving license, must be aware of Argentina’s very patchy safety standards. Speed limits and road signs are widely ignored and this is the cause of 8,000 road deaths a year. Care should be taken in Misiones province, which is near Paraguay and Brazil, as the area is used to smuggle goods across borders. If travelling by taxi, ensure you only use cabs marked radio taxi. These are noticeable as there should be a clear company logo on the rear passenger doors of the cab. Other cabs should be avoided.