2 Expats Talk about Health Insurance and Healthcare in Chile

What are medical services in Chile like?

When we asked expats and global nomads about the quality of medical care in Chile, they replied:

"Public healthcare costs 7% of your monthly income for expats residing here. It covers everything including dental and vision. Services are free unless you see a private specialist and then you have a copay that is about 9 dollars to 20 dollars. Doctors visits are thorough and not rushed, anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour. Doctors go to National Universities that are free and only the best graduate so they are the best. Does not depend on how rich your family is, how well connected they are or how well they play football. Medications are delivered to our front door and are free. Ambulances are free, physical therapists come for free, it just prooves that National healthcare not for profit can be afforded by this third world country," said another expat.

"Mostly free meds and delivered to our doorstep. The municipal health center is also free and has excelent emergency service, free ambulance service, regular health screenings for seniors," remarked another expat in Pucon.

"The main problem with Chile, is that it has followed the USA example, as a neo-liberal policy brought in by Pinochet/Friedman of "privatising" most State activities, including Health Care, Social Services, Pensions, Water management, Education, etc, etc. SO.........the owners of these businesses are more interested in making profits, at the "poor man's" expense, and the State does little to stop this. So there is great social inequality in Chile, with the "ruling elite" naturally wanting to maintain their advantage. As in UK, with national schooling, NHS, State Social support, etc, the State provides good standards as "safety nets" for the mass population. The Skandinavian countries offer even better examples of State social responsibility, but of course their tax regimes to support this are even higher than in the UK. In Chile, whilst the economy could afford higher taxing (private and corporate taxes) to support widespread social improvements, there is not the WILL by the "Old Guard", who wish to retain their exclusivity," remarked another expat living in Santiago.

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" There are two clinics in Pucon, One is municipal and is free or inexpensive. The Pucon Medical Center has emergency services with ambulances. Villarica is 20 Km away and also has a hospital and ambulance services. Temuco is about an hour away and has a large German Hospital with excelent services as well as other hospitals and clinics both public and private. The doctors in Chile get a free education but only the brightest graduate. Most public services are free and the same doctors have to work for the public hospitals for years to pay for their education. Even if you have to pay full price for medical services in the German Hospital, it will cost less than your copay would cost with insurance in the US. Waiting times are much shorter than what I experience with insurance in the US. ," remarked another expat living in Pucon.

Have you felt comfortable with the medical care available during the pandemic?