Thread: Expat Health Insurance in Panama

I'm asking the group for your insight on Expat health insurance here in Panama.

1. What are some recommendations for expat health insurance?
2. What are the average costs of insurance?
3. Is the coverage any good (full coverage in case of medical emergency)?
4. If I travel outside of Panama, is the insurance available for use in other countries?

Thanks for your input.

thats a big question , if you are from the states it is almost bred into you that you have to be covered to the hilt , if you have health prolbems insurance would be a good idea , if you are healthy and just clumsy like i was a week ago when i tripped and dislocated my shoulder then it is really not needed ,for example , i took the amblulance from pedasi to las tables , that is free , then spent 2 days in the hospital , xrays , blood work and ekg ,meals and really caring help . total cost $20 . meet a lady that tripped over her dog and broke he kneecap in 4 places , spent 7 days and had it operated on . her bill $70 . so it really depends on your overall health .

Originally Posted by elcer24

I'm asking the group for your insight on Expat health insurance here in Panama.

1. What are some recommendations for expat health insurance?
2. What are the average costs of insurance?
3. Is the coverage any good (full coverage in case of medical emergency)?
4. If I travel outside of Panama, is the insurance available for use in other countries?

Thanks for your input.

You might want to check with this guy. Disount health insurance plan unveiled in Panama | BUPA

Naked, will there be a big difference in the fees that you quoted if a person is here on a tourist visa?

Originally Posted by nakedguydb

thats a big question , if you are from the states it is almost bred into you that you have to be covered to the hilt , if you have health prolbems insurance would be a good idea , if you are healthy and just clumsy like i was a week ago when i tripped and dislocated my shoulder then it is really not needed ,for example , i took the amblulance from pedasi to las tables , that is free , then spent 2 days in the hospital , xrays , blood work and ekg ,meals and really caring help . total cost $20 . meet a lady that tripped over her dog and broke he kneecap in 4 places , spent 7 days and had it operated on . her bill $70 . so it really depends on your overall health .

Originally Posted by Romeo

Naked, will there be a big difference in the fees that you quoted if a person is here on a tourist visa?

i did not know that . . i have read that you get free medical for 30 days up to 4000 if you are a tourist ,

After the 30 days are over, do you know if it is going to be very close to the prices that you quoted.
Were the fees that you quoted so low because maybe you qualify for some kind of public insurance because of your pensionado visa?

Originally Posted by nakedguydb

i did not know that . . i have read that you get free medical for 30 days up to 4000 if you are a tourist ,

Gonzalo de la Guardia appears in yet another thread!

http://www.panamaforum.com/legal-iss...it-panama.html (Never get in a lawsuit in Panama)

Is his entire business idea to prey on stupid foreigners in various shapes and forms?

Originally Posted by cloudboy

You might want to check with this guy. Disount health insurance plan unveiled in Panama | BUPA

Originally Posted by Romeo

After the 30 days are over, do you know if it is going to be very close to the prices that you quoted.
Were the fees that you quoted so low because maybe you qualify for some kind of public insurance because of your pensionado visa?

i do not know if the price changes much after the 30 days , if i qualify for some kind of public insurance i am not aware of it , i do not have a pensionado visa but another type that has given me a cedula . . the lady i spoke about is only here for 6 months of the year and then back to canada for the other 6 so i would guess she is a tourist visa holder , i told here about the free 30 days and she said she has been here 4 months already so it would not help . and this was at the hospital in Las Tables , a general type hospital and not a private clinic .

I think you just answered my question.

We plan on being in Panama in July. We will be there until Dec. head back to the states for the holidays. At that point we'll decide if we want to return to Panama. My question is what would be the best way to bank there. I don't want to spend my money on ATM machines. And I know credit cards aren't accepted everywhere, so I'm not sure how I'll get access to my money without opening a bank account there. I've read a tourist can't even open a bank account in Panama. Any insight would be great.

I've read a tourist can't even open a bank account in Panama.

For a US citizen, it is a real challenge, for other nationalities it is possible but just a pain in the butt.

you can bring up to 10g cash without having to declare it , that will tide you over

Not everyone wants to slum it naked.

Originally Posted by EdBowers

Not everyone wants to slum it naked.

so true. LOL

I understand I can carry in $10,000. without declaring it. But what do I do with it at that point. Rent a place and put it under my mattress? I'm not trying to sound sarcastic but I'm not sure that's a very safe thing to do.

Originally Posted by Bkndiver

I understand I can carry in $10,000. without declaring it. But what do I do with it at that point. Rent a place and put it under my mattress? I'm not trying to sound sarcastic but I'm not sure that's a very safe thing to do.

no , you can come out and bury it on my property , just trying to help you out LOL

An ATM machine will cost maybe $3 per transaction at this end with you US card, probably your best option.

Originally Posted by nakedguydb

i did not know that . . i have read that you get free medical for 30 days up to 4000 if you are a tourist ,

Is it free medical of any kind for any reason? If that was the case, tourists could come here for free elective surgeries that they couldn't afford in the US. I think it only applies to victims of accidents and crimes.

Originally Posted by Bkndiver

We plan on being in Panama in July. We will be there until Dec. head back to the states for the holidays. At that point we'll decide if we want to return to Panama. My question is what would be the best way to bank there. I don't want to spend my money on ATM machines. And I know credit cards aren't accepted everywhere, so I'm not sure how I'll get access to my money without opening a bank account there. I've read a tourist can't even open a bank account in Panama. Any insight would be great.

Yes, it might be difficult to open a bank account without some kind of legal residency. I understand Charles Schwab doesn't charge for ATM withdrawals. There may be others. I'm not sure about Capital One or Wells Fargo. I do know that Capital One credit card does not charge the 3% foreign exchange transaction fee that so many other credit cards do which is ironic in Panama since it really is not a foreign exchange transaction since they use the dollar. But if you use a credit card(instead of a debit card) to access money from an ATM, you will probably get reamed big time. Best to do some internet research and find out what banks let you withdraw cash from non affiliated ATMs without charge or reimbursement of charges. You could open an HSBC account in the US and then withdraw cash from the HSBC ATMs here but often ATM withdrawals from the same bank overseas are still subject to charges that do not exist in the US branches of the same bank.

Originally Posted by cloudboy

Is it free medical of any kind for any reason? If that was the case, tourists could come here for free elective surgeries that they couldn't afford in the US. I think it only applies to victims of accidents and crimes.

It covers sickness and accidents, more or less, not fake boobs.

Panama offers free medical insurance for tourists | Travel tip | Traveldudes.org

http://www.panamaforum.com/panama-tr...-tourists.html (30 day emergency medical insurance for tourists)

I think the simplest this would be to think of the ATM fees as part of your travel budget.
However, you can open up a bank account as a tourist. We have and know many others as well.

You need to bring two letters from financial institutions (eg your bank, your brokerage firm, etc...) stating you have an account and in good standing. Get the letters just before you leave for Panama so they are current. Those letters and your passport, and you can open an account.

DOn't open a savings account. If you keep it open after you leave they will ding you with fees for no activity until all your money is gone. A checking account will do. Ask about what the minimum balance is so you don't get charged fees.

But for a 6 month stay? I'd just pay the ATM machine.

What is "expat" health insurance, and how does it differ from regular health insurance?