Living in Costa Rica – Health Care Services in Atenas

Choosing a retirement location in Costa Rica has many variables for you to consider. You must evaluate what is important for you to be comfortable such as climate, access to airports, shopping, services, and, perhaps most important, medical services. It seems that access to medical services is paramount for retirees.

Atenas, known for its wonderful climate and tranquil atmosphere, has become a retirement haven for many foreigners. Located about halfway between San José and the central Pacific beaches, Atenas is convenient to both city services and top tourist locations, while offering cool mountain breezes and a friendly social climate.

Besides offering foreign retirees a plethora of stores and restaurants, Atenas also provides for basic medical services including a new public clinic (CAJA), a private clinic, Red Cross ambulance service, testing laboratories, OBGYNs, dentists, chiropractors, alternative medicine clinics, optometrists, and numerous pharmacies. Many of these establishments have English-speaking professionals.

The public clinic is a clean new building that is well equipped to handle emergencies and minor ailments. They will service foreigners for a nominal fee, but one can expect longer lines here. The Red Cross ambulance service is free (as they operate from donations), however they only transport to CAJA hospitals.

The most popular clinic among foreigners is Linea Vital, which is a private clinic and ambulance service. Dr. Candy Midence Noguera and chief paramedic Jorge Morera Sanchez operate the clinic. They are both fluent in English and Spanish.

Their services include emergency treatment, non-emergency medical transport, home visits, office visits, consultations, physicals, and hospice care. Their fees are $50 for an office visit and $70 for a home visit. Linea Vital also offers membership programs that cover their full range of services.

The local dentists, chiropractors and other specialists in Atenas have the modern equipment and techniques that foreigners from North America or Europe are accustomed to. However, they are far less expensive than their counterparts in the “developed” world.

You will be surprised by how warmly you will be treated, and how much time each of these professionals will spend with you. You will definitely not get the impression that you are just a number to them.

Retirees will find that the pharmacies are convenient and helpful, and have just about every medication and prescription imaginable. In addition, they each have a doctor on–site to administer shots and issue good advice regarding prescriptions.

Atenas is also blessed to be located just 45 minutes to the Escazú-San José area, which is home to many private medical services. Costa Rica is fast becoming an off-shore medical paradise for foreigners who suffer from the high costs of services in their native countries (especially Americans).

The industry began with inexpensive plastic surgery, followed by advanced dentistry, and has now blossomed to cover nearly every modern medical procedure.
Hospital CIMA Hospital which is ranked the best private hospital in Central America, is within easy reach of Atenas.

Furthermore, Atenas has two entrances to the new Caldera Highway (expected completion 2010) which will dramatically reduce the driving time to Hospital CIMA. CIMA, affiliated with Baylor University Hospital, can handle any major medical procedure and has a variety of specialists from every field. Nearly all doctors at CIMA speak some English, if not fluently. Indeed, many have been trained at U.S. institutions.

If you are seeking a quiet retirement town in Costa Rica that provides convenience to top-quality medical care, you will discover Atenas has it all.

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Considering The Atenas Area For Your Home In Costa Rica?

The AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) ranks Atenas as one of “The Best Places to Retire Abroad.” For more information about homes and land for sale in the area please contact our Recommended Realtors in Atenas by using the simple form below:

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.