Affordable Rentals, Low Crime, And Excellent Health Care
Offering a wealth of lifestyle opportunities in an array of sun-drenched havens where the cost of...
Read moreLief Simon is the managing editor of Global Property Advisor, Simon Letter, and Offshore Living Letter. He has purchased more than 45 properties, investing in 23 different countries around the world.
Health care in Chile is provided by the government and private insurers. In general, both sectors provide affordable, quality services. As you would expect in most countries, public hospitals in Chile tend to have longer wait times and for this reason many expats opt to go with private health care.
Most importantly, the World Health Organization ranks Chile as the 33rd best health care system in the world, ahead of Costa Rica (36), Mexico (61), and even the United States (37).
Chile offers the second best medical care in all of South America, behind Colombia.
And, if you do find yourself in need of medical services keep in mind that patients do not need a referral to see a specialist.
Expats may find that the concept of a local family doctor in Chile is not that common, as most doctors specialize in a particular aspect of medicine rather than having a general practice.
Many doctors train overseas, in countries like the U.S., Canada, and other First-World nations, and offer consultations in English. Finding an English-speaking physician is much easier in the larger cities of Chile than in the rural towns and villages.
The Fondo Nacional de Salud (FONASA) is the government organized health care system that is available to residents of Chile.
Start Your New Life Today, Overseas
A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we'll send you a FREE report on the 10 Best Places To Retire In Style Overseas Today
In order to take advantage of public healthcare you will need to be a resident and be paying taxes in Chile. The quality of care, even in public hospitals, is high quality, although it’s often reported that there can be long waits and crowding.
There are variety of private institutions that provide top-notch health care in Chile.
As part, expats and residents join in private Chilean health insurance programs through Instituciones de Salud Previsional (ISAPRE) or private health insurance companies. This can be your best option if you don’t meet the requirements for the public (FONASA) coverage.
Just like in the public sector, doctors for private hospitals provide an excellent level of care. These doctors will generally have a higher level of English and are more familiar with having foreign patients.
Pharmacies are abundant in Chile and are conveniently located in nearly ever town and city.
Many locations have 24-hour service for prescription pickup and drop-off. Like doctors in Chile, Pharmacists are well-trained and provide a breadth of information on many ailments and illnesses.
As prescription drug abuse isn’t a widespread problem many drugs are available over the counter without the need for a doctor’s visit or prescription.
Under the Chilean government, through the FONASA program, you can have access to the public health insurance system in Chile.
This insurance allows most of the population to be covered and receive free public health care. If you are in need of care within the private medical facilities of Chile this program can also provide subsidization on many of the costs.
FONASA, the government run Fondo Nacional de Salud, is a program funded by public taxes to provide health care in Chile.
Chilean citizens and foreign residents who pay taxes will receive a 7% monthly income deduction for the program. Public hospitals run by the government are required to provide free, quality health care to all the public, including those without health care coverage.
If you are in need urgent medical care there are many worse places to be than in Chile.
A large majority of hospitals have full emergency services, complete with ambulances and ER units. In more remote areas of the country you will find that some of these services aren’t available 24 hours a day, however if the emergency is severe enough there are medical air evacuations available.
Air evacuations are quite expensive, however many expats opt for international health insurance plans that cover this option.
The emergency dialing code for Chile is 131.
Offering a wealth of lifestyle opportunities in an array of sun-drenched havens where the cost of...
Read moreMexico is still North America... and it can be helpful to remind ourselves of this fact when we think about the big picture of Latin America. What this means in practice is that this country is as close as you can get to being "overseas" while remaining very near the United States and Canada. You can even drive from California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas to several of our favorite spots in Mexico. This is a big plus for retirees...
Read moreSign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and get your FREE report: The 10 Best Places To Retire Overseas In 2023
© 2008-2023 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.
© 2008-2023 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.
Download your FREE report on
The Best Places To Retire In 2023
FREE:
Find Your Paradise Overseas