Costa Rica’s Socialized Medical System – The CAJA – Does Have It’s Limitations!

Many of our VIP Members have had great experiences with the remarkably affordable Costa Rican state medical system (which normally costs less than $50 per month per retired couple), but the speed and level of attention very much depends on where you are physically located.

Service in the bigger cities tends to be slower, depending on the medical problem, service outside of San Jose tends to be far quicker ..

Gabriel has worked for me for a couple of years and his Costa Rican wife has had some recurring problems with her kidneys. They both live near San Jose and she visited a CAJA (Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social) urologist on 2nd April 2008 who wrote up a recommendation for some urgent tests to be done.

Unfortunately, although she was given the date quickly, the urgent appointment date for these tests was for the 20th March 2009 so she’s not thrilled about that …

Which reminds me of the story in our local newspaper a few months back about a woman in San Jose who found herself six weeks pregnant and was given an appointment for a sonogram to be done mine months later!

Then in September 2008, there was another article about a patient from Cartago who was given an appointment to see an eye doctor in four years time on the 26th October 2012. Supposedly as part of the state medical system there is only one opthalmologist for every 563,000 people so I guess that would cause delays… If you go to a private doctor, you would get an appointment that day!

Many private health insurance programs are available in Costa Rica, a few weeks ago I (a healthy 48 year old male) was quoted US$2,300 per annum for global medical coverage by a large, well established European insurance company. This would give me excellent coverage in just about any of the best private hospitals in the country.

CIMA Hospital has always been the private hospital that my family and I have used however, both Clinica Católica and Clínica Bíblica in San Jose have recently invested huge amounts in new equipment, renovations, even new buildings and are able to compete with Hospital CIMA in offering similarly skilled, medical professionals but at more affordable prices.

Clínica Bíblica’s website even lists the insurance companies that they regularly work with which include Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna International, Aetna Global, United Health Care, Prudential, Humana, Secure Horizons, AIG, International Medical Group and many others.

So if you wish to have some medical procedure done privately in Costa Rica, it might be worthwhile shopping at all three to see what they can offer you or, feel free to contact Dr. Eduardo Loyola here.

You can also see an online video interview with Dr. Eduardo Loyola, Costa Rica Family Doctor – Free online video with one of the “best, most caring Doctors we’ve ever encountered” here.

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.