Expat Health Insurance & Healthcare Guide

An overview of the healthcare system in Italy - public and private hospitals, Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN), getting your Tessera Sanitaria (healthcare card), vaccinations for Italy, prescription medication availability and more.

Expats in Brazil are able to get excellent health care in and many of the larger cities in Brazil. There is national health care available, but expats still strongly recommend private health insurance while living in Brazil.

Expats in Portugal with a residency visa can participate in the national health care system. Here's what you need to know about the SNS and the combination of public and private services you'll need to manage your health in Portugal.

Costa Rica is has both public and private healthcare systems. When you become a resident, you must enroll in the public healthcare system (CAJA). Many expats use the public system for routine healthcare and have private expat health insurance for specialists, surgeries and emergencies.

Expats talk about the good and bad experiences they had giving birth in Vietnam. This article is a must read for any expecting expat parents who are considering having a baby in Vietnam.

This is an excellent report about the specific health care conditions in Ngombo, Sri Lanka. Information about hospitals, medicines and the best health insurance is included. Continue Reading

An expat in Playa del Carmen talks about the importance of private health insurance in Mexico. Because of her private insurance, she has access to private hospitals and even coverage worldwide. She can even travel to the United States for treatment. Continue Reading

An expat in Malaysia talks about the high quality of care at private hospitals in Penang, public vs private health insurance, the low cost of prescription medicines and emergency medical services. Continue Reading

An expat in Bordeaux talks about hospitals, the importance of supplementary health insurance, the need to keep your own medical records since doctors don't keep them and prescription medicine costs and availability. Continue Reading

An expat living in Kiev, Ukraine talks about international health insurance, the expat-friendly IMP clinic in Kiev and more. Continue Reading

An expat in Portugal discusses the cost of medical care in Portugal, public vs private healthcare in Portugal and more. Continue Reading

An expat in the UAE talks about the quality of healthcare, where she would go for specialist care, the availability of prescription medicines and more. Continue Reading

An expat on Paradise Island talks about the 2 hospitals in the Bahamas, health insurance, the cost and availability of prescription medicines and traveling to Florida for specialized care. Continue Reading

An expat talks about health insurance, hospitals and the cost of medical care in Bucaramanga, Colombia. Continue Reading

An expat in La Chorrera, Panama talks about a car accident that required a visit to the public hospital - followed up with a visit to a private doctor for stitches. In his opinion, the care at the public hospital was subpar to the US. Continue Reading

An expat mom who gave birth to two children at St. James Hospital in Sliema, Malta talks about choosing the hospital, doctors and more. She explained that mothers are very well respected in Maltese culture. Continue Reading

An expat whose wife had a baby in Barbados describes talks about choosing a hospital (Bayview), finding a doctor, having a Caesarean and more. Their baby needed to be transferred from Bayview to QEH to use a CPAP machine, which made life a bit complicated for a few days. But, both mom and baby were released and healthy. Continue Reading

An expat in Olongapo talks about having a baby in the Philippines - having a c-section, needing to pay doctors in pesos and getting advice from other expats. Continue Reading

An expat mom who had a baby in Italy talks about finding a doctor willing to assist with a homebirth, the birth and follow-up care. Continue Reading

An expat mom talks about what it was like giving birth to her son at a public hospital in Salzburg, Austria. The care was wonderful, but she had some advice for other soon-to-be expat moms in Salzburg. Continue Reading

An expat talks about having a baby in Calamba, Philippines. They spent time finding an OBGYN that they liked. His wife gave birth via C-section at a clinic near their house where their OBGYN worked. Continue Reading

A dad in the UAE talks about he and his wife's experiences having two babies in the UAE. The first was in Dubai and the second in Abu Dhabi at a government run hospital. He offers great insight into the positive and negatives of both experiences. Continue Reading

An expat married to a Filipino woman describes his wife's experiences giving birth to their two children in Davao, Philippines. They chose a simple clinic with a hospital as a backup plan. He explained that in the Philippines hospital births are almost always c-sections. Continue Reading

An expat dad in Monteria, Colombia describes he and his wife's experiences having to babies in Monteria. He offers very helpful tips about what to expect and bring to the hospital. Continue Reading

I had a beautiful baby boy in an Army Medical Center on an Army base on the northern island of Japan. I was late arriving at the hospital, so only local anesthesia! It was so fast, I didn't have time to hurt! The care was wonderful. I went home the next day, feeling fine, and so happy! Continue Reading