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Medical Insurance for Ex-pats in Costa Rica

by Jeanne in Costa Rica

Moving abroad can be an exciting adventure, but it also brings about many challenges. One of the most critical considerations for ex-pats is healthcare.

Medical insurance is essential for anyone living overseas, as healthcare can be expensive in some countries, and access to quality care can be limited.

When my husband and I moved to Costa Rica, getting medical insurance was the top priority. We have never been without medical insurance and weren’t starting while living abroad.

Throughout this blog, I’ll let you know about some options for medical insurance, along with what we did to keep ourselves covered.

What is Ex-pat Medical Insurance?

Expat medical insurance is designed for people living and working outside their home country. It provides coverage for medical expenses that arise while living abroad.

Expats need medical insurance to ensure access to quality healthcare and to protect themselves financially in case of illness or injury. However, healthcare costs vary widely depending on the country, and medical expenses can quickly become overwhelming without insurance.

First, if you’re considering moving to Costa Rica, you may have heard about their public health system and thought you could go that route. People ask us about it a lot.

The public health system is called the Caja System (Costarricense de Seguro Social) and is ranked 36 globally by the World Health Organization.

While Caja would be an excellent way to go for your medical needs, you can’t be a member of the system unless you are a resident of Costa Rica, and the residency timeline can be two years and cost up to $3,000 in fees, lots of paperwork, and project management.

If you plan to move to Costa Rica and you’re not a resident, then having some medical insurance is advisable.

Types of Ex-pat Medical Insurance

Various ex-pat medical insurance policies can be customized to meet your specific needs.

1. International Medical Insurance

International health insurance is a comprehensive policy covering medical expenses in your home country and abroad. These policies typically include coverage for hospitalization, outpatient care, prescription medication, and emergency evacuation.

International health insurance policies are often customizable, so you can choose the coverage that meets your needs.

We have international Medical Insurance. We live in Costa Rica—our “home base” and travel from here. So we chose international insurance to go where we want and be covered no matter what.

We both had to have physicals to determine which provider to use. My husband passed his physical with flying colors. Me? I discovered that I have osteopenia, the precursor to osteoporosis, and reversible. Because of this, I have an international plan that won’t cover my bones, so if I break something, we have to pay out-of-pocket.

We pay $700 per month for a $1 million policy for both of us, and our deductible is $1,000 in Costa Rica and $5,000 anywhere else in the world.

This is much better than what we had to pay for insurance in the U.S. with all the restrictions and high deductibles.

See 2023’s Best Global Health Insurance Providers here.

*NOTE — This blog provides helpful information and does not endorse any insurance group or company.

2. Travel Insurance

Travel medical insurance provides short-term medical coverage while traveling outside your home country. These policies are typically purchased for a specific trip and can be customized to include coverage for medical evacuation, trip cancellation, and other travel-related issues.

Before we moved to Costa Rica, we always had travel insurance when we visited. We also ensure their insurance or travel insurance covers all family members. All you need is to have an accident while participating in water sports, catch an intestinal bug, or cancel your plans to find out how handy travel insurance is.

Travel insurance works for short-term and extended visits that last several months. In addition, travel insurance can act as a bridge while determining your final medical insurance plans.

3. Local Prepaid Medical Plan

In Costa Rica, there is a prepaid medical plan called MediSmart. This plan is available to residents and perpetual tourists like us.

We lived in Costa Rica for about six months before purchasing MediSmart and wish we had done it sooner. We pay $350 annually for membership for both of us.

What’s the MediSmart plan all about?
• The MediSmart Plan is a prepaid medicine plan that brings medical benefits to your friends and family and you.
• You will have access to up to 80% benefits in different specialties and medical services (X-rays, Ultrasound, etc.)
• We aim to provide our members with quality private healthcare services at very reasonable prices.
• Being part of this medical plan lets you enjoy all of the benefits of specialties and medical services.

Examples of Medismart Pricing —

*Amounts are in colones. You can check the daily exchange rate to see the US dollar amounts.

Since having the MediSmart plan, we have saved hundreds of dollars in routine checkups and illness visits.

What to Consider When Choosing an Ex-pat Medical Insurance Plan

1. Coverage Consider what type of coverage you need. For example, do you require hospitalization, outpatient care, prescription medication, and emergency evacuation coverage? Make sure the policy you choose provides the coverage you need.

2. Cost Compare the cost of different policies. Consider the monthly premium as well as any deductibles or co-pays. Make sure the policy fits your budget.

3. Network Check to see if the policy has a network of healthcare providers in the country where you are living. If you need to see a doctor, you'll want to make sure you can find one that accepts your insurance.

4. Exclusions Read the policy carefully to understand what is excluded from coverage. Some policies may not cover pre-existing conditions, for example.

5. Renewal policy Check to see if the policy can be renewed while living in another country. Some policies may require you to return to your home country to renew.

A Final Thought

Expats need medical insurance to access quality healthcare and financially protect themselves. Several ex-pat medical insurance policies are available, including international health insurance, local health insurance, and travel medical insurance.

Be sure to get clear on your medical insurance options as soon as possible, either before or shortly after your move. Remember the adage, “Had I known then what I know now….” You don’t want to find out about medical insurance the hard way.

To your continued good health.

Pura Vida! 🌺