21 Expats Talk about Health Insurance and Healthcare in Ecuador

How are healthcare services Ecuador?

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

"I let them know about public and private insurance options. This with chronic conditions should enroll in Ecuadorian IESS public system. But even without insurance the medical care in Ecuador is much more affordable than in the US," mentioned another expat in Loja.

"If you need medical care and have good knowledge of Spanish, the state system IESS may be your choice, however if you are retired they raised the rates to about 17.5% of retirement income. I have cheap (low quality) insurance which reportedly doesn't pay, which is fine for me because I would rather pay 45 per month for insurance that I can't use than 75/mo for insurance I won't use," commented one expat who moved to Cuenca, Ecuador.

"Go to the best hospital instead of the government hospital. Use the private clinics for basic healthcare and pay out of pocket," remarked one expat living in Quito.

"Do sign up for IESS national healthcare. Note that as of July 2017 the rate will be based on Verified Income. The rate will be 17.6% and an additional 2.4% per dependent. An expat on $1200 Social Security with one dependent would therefore pay $240 a month for Health coverage," commented another person.

"This is the best medical care in terms of caring for you and really identifying the best way to correct the medical issues of people. Doctors really care for their patients, and spend time talking and testing for the real problem and thus coming up with a real solution to your specific issue. And all done at a bargain price," said another expat living in Cuenca.

"Seeing a doctor in Cuenca is an easy matter. No appointment necessary in most cases. Excellent service and good quality for a much lower cost that the U.S,"

"Surprised by the ease in getting doctor's appointments and the speed at which patients are processed - much less waiting time than in the States. No wasted or unnecessary medications or treatments. Doctors and nurses here are for the patients not for profit," commented one expat living in Machala, Ecuador.

"I don't require prescription medication, however, many expats in the community have shared that availability of prescription medications and the costs are extremely low compared to North America. They have their prescriptions translated into Spanish for simplifying the process at the pharmacy," added another expat.

"It is good for a non life-threatening emergency or routine ailments, but anything complicated or that requires technology or advanced treatment, you'd have to go elsewhere," commented one expat who moved to Canoa.

"There is essentially no healthcare options in my town but there are good options 3 hours away or acceptable ones just 45 minutes away," said another expat.

"Socialized medicine has many flaws versus private medicine. Due to age and prior conditions , government medical plans are the only "play"," remarked another expat in Manta.

"For anything serious we go to Ibarra or Quito, Cotacachi is a small village without a lot of health resources except for minor things," remarked another expat living in Cotacachi.

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Are healthcare and health insurance expensive in Ecuador?

International Health Insurance in Ecuador

Get a free international health insurance quote from our partner, Allianz Care, whose plans ensure that you have access to quality healthcare whenever you need it. Allianz's flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget.
Get a Quote

Get a free international health insurance quote from our partner, Allianz Care, whose plans ensure that you have access to quality healthcare whenever you need it. Allianz's flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget.

Learn MoreGet a Quote

Get a free international health insurance quote from our partner, Allianz Care, whose plans ensure that you have access to quality healthcare whenever you need it. Allianz's flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget.

Learn MoreGet a Quote