Is Costa Rica Medical Care really free?

Costa Rica has some of the BEST medical care in the world. One of the biggest businesses here is what is called Medical tourism. The quality is so good, and so advanced that people fly from all over the world for everything from cosmetic surgeries, to hip and knee replacements, Lasik eye, and dental work. And it is a fraction of the costs compared to countries like the USA; generally about 15% of what you would pay back home. Many of the Doctors did their residencies in the USA and the nurses and staff is some of the friendliest and nicest people you have ever met. Thousands of people come here every year for procedures.

Costa Rica has Socialized medicine, like many countries in the world, and for all citizens it is “free.” But as we all know, nothing is really free; it has to be paid for somewhere. In Canada, you pay for it with massive taxes, some of the highest in the world. So you might not physically send a check every month to Blue Cross Blue Shield, but trust me, you are paying for it every paycheck in your income tax. Costa Rica medical care is very similar. The system is called CAJA, which represents all the services that are given to the people; medical, Social Security, disability. Every month, the employers send a percentage of the employee’s salary into the system which goes to fund these services. Self Employed people have to claim a salary in the corporation and base their CAJA payment on that amount.

If you move to Costa Rica, you are probably not going to be working for a company and if you are then they will withhold some of your check to make sure you have access to CAJA. You will either be an investor, who is living off of their assets; a retiree living off of their pension; or a self-employed Entrepreneur running a business of some kind. This is also how you will obtain your residency. With all 3 of these an income level will be established and you will have to pay into the system to obtain the CAJA and the “free” medical care. For most foreigners it is somewhere between $50 and $200 per month. In the scheme of life, this is a very small fee. Costa Rica wants foreigners to move here, retire, invest or start a business. But they cannot afford to just have thousands of gringos show up and start taking from their system without contributing something back. The last thing they want is a bunch of old, sick people, moving here, and using up their FREE medical services and milking the system. They want people who are investing and contributing to the system, and they will welcome you with open arms. What a concept huh? And if you want or need good medical care, this is a very small price to pay to be allowed into the CAJA. Thousands of Ex Pats are enjoying and using this every single day.

I am a permanent resident of Costa Rica and pay a monthly payment into the CAJA. I don’t look at it as paying for the medical; I look at it as a small fee to be able to live in paradise. If you told me 20 years ago I could live in the most beautiful place in the world for less than 2k a year “fee” SIGN ME UP. Although I am in the CAJA system and have access to the care, I probably will never use it, as I also have private medical insurance, as do many of my clients. Obviously if you can afford to purchase private medical insurance you will, as it gives you access to more services without having to wait. Like anything that is free, you usually have to stand in line and might have to wait for certain services. With private insurance, just like back home, I can pick the Doctor, pick the hospital, and set up an appointment. Most of the private insurance carriers here are under the Lloyds of London Umbrella, and it covers you ANYWHERE in the world. I have a phenomenal policy, with only a $2000 deductible and I pay less than $300 per month. Similar coverage in the USA is over $12000 PER YEAR. The catch though, is that I MUST live outside of the USA; easy for me as I have no desire to EVER GO BACK.

One of the main reasons so many people choose to live here is because of the phenomenal Costa Rica medical care. And with 3 hospitals here in the Liberia area, most foreigners choose this location for living. Other than San Jose, there are really not many options for great medical care, as most of the country is very rural and underdeveloped. And the majority of people moving here want to live at the beach, not in some crowded city with buses, taxis, traffic and smog. Here we have some of the best hospitals in the world. There is the CIMA hospital just 7 minutes from the beach.

I had back surgery at CIMA so I can attest to you about the quality of the care.

https://www.tanktopsflipflops.com/pain-back-surgery-costa-rica/

There is the San Rafael El Arcangel Hospital in downtown Liberia. If it wasn’t for this hospital I might not be alive.

https://www.tanktopsflipflops.com/somebody-get-me-a-doctor/

There is also a wonderful Public Hospital in Liberia as well.

Playas del Coco in Guanacaste is the only community outside of San Jose that has a 24 hour EMERGENCY CLINIC, equipped with a state of the art Ambulance and a trained EMT. We have dozens of defibrillators now, located all over the community, and many local clinics as well for minor cuts and bruises. We also have one of the best Dental offices in the country. Truthfully, if you care about your medical services, and you should, there is only one country to move to, Costa Rica, and only one community to live in; THE BEACHES OF THE PAPAGAYO.

Hopefully, you will never need the Costa Rica medical care, but if you do; rest assured you will be in good hands.

Michael Simons

COME ON DOWN BABY!

Costa Rica bugs and snakes–how many are there?  Should I be worried?

Of course there are bugs in Costa Rica. There are bugs everywhere in the world, and especially where it is hot. But the nice thing about the Papagayo area is that we are the driest part of the entire country. Most areas in Costa Rica are technically rain forests; they receive an unbelievable amount of rain. Most communities, even just one hour from Playas del Coco or Playa Hermosa, get 3 to 10 times as much annual rainfall as we do. We are the only area in the country that experiences a dry season. From December to April we get absolutely ZERO rain. Not ONE SINGLE DROP. It is awesome. There is almost no humidity and it is a perfect 90 degrees every day and 70 degrees at night. Then from May to November we get very little precipitation, just a few hours every week and usually just in the afternoon from 3 to 5 pm. Because we have a dry season, we have no standing water, which is the breeding ground for mosquitoes and other small flying creatures. Because there are no mosquitoes, there are no bigger bugs that eat them and the food chain is stopped and you very rarely see anyone with mosquito bites. Like every beach in the world, at dusk comes the invisible sand fleas, or Noseeums (You can’t see em). So if you are going to be having a cocktail and watching the sunset you might want to put on a little repellent on your feet and legs.  In most parts of the world, as you drive your vehicle your windshield is bombarded with bugs. Not here and that is one of the main reasons I live here. I hate bugs and I especially hate spiders, I am like a little girl, and I could not live somewhere that I had to constantly deal with them on a daily basis. Trust me; in the Papagayo Region of Costa Rica bugs are practically nonexistent.

The only creature that you might get is scorpions, but unlike Arizona or Texas, they are not very common and not poisonous. Although they do hurt when or if they sting you, they will not kill you or cause any serious harm. It is like getting stung by a bee. You scream, yell and curse, but it is over very quickly, and the scorpion usually gets the worst of it as most of the time you stepped on it with your foot and killed it. I have lived here since 2003 and I have only been nailed once. Believe me, it hurt, but the pain was over in a few minutes and I was just left with a welt for about a day. They tend to hide in very dark places, like the back of cabinet below your sink or under a crate you had stacked up in the corner. They do not run very fast, so it is easy to smash them before they slip into a crack beneath the wall.  There are precautions that you can take to minimize your encounters with these very small but ugly creatures. First off, you should have your home fumigated once every few months, just like you do anywhere back home. Maids are very inexpensive here too, so having her come once or twice a week to clean eliminates your odds as well. Always shake your shoes and wet towels or bathing suits, before you put them on, and don’t reach into dark corners or cabinets without taking a peak first. You might want to keep a couple Benadryl around just in case, as just like a bee sting, some people have had allergic reactions to them and feel their lips getting numb after a sting.

I laugh when people ask me if they are going to see a snake. NO, I tell them, probably NEVER. Snakes tend to MOVE when development happens. With new homes and condos, the snakes head to the hills where there is no one to disturb their surroundings. Also most of the snakes are in the jungle, not at the beach. Costa Rican has dozens of species of snakes, some of them poisonous. But they are in places like Arenal, Dominical, Manual Antonio, Nosara, Osa and the Caribbean Coast, not in Playas del Coco in Guanacaste at the beach. RELAX. Just like living anywhere though, use common sense. Don’t walk in really high brush with open toe sandals and don’t stick your arms into piles of rocks. Most snakes are nocturnal so pay attention if you are walking in a rural area at night. To be honest with you, the only time I ever see snakes are when they are road kill on the highway.

One of the main reasons I live here is because of the beauty. There is so much nature and so many gorgeous flowers and trees. In Costa Rica bugs might cross your path once in a while, but most likely you will see a flying creature that will impress you and make you go WOW; like hummingbirds and butterflies.

Hope to see you down here soon. Just to be safe, bring some OFF.

We have 2 great Exterminators here at the beach.

BUG OFF
Marc Pharand
8997-9750

MR. SOLUTION SERVICES
Fumigadora R.B.E.
Rafael Montano Chavarria
8886-2053

COME ON DOWN BABY!