When you travel in Costa Rica or any other country in the world, there will always be the possibility for you to get sick or need medical attention.
In case you have any health conditions, are traveling with seniors or young children or plan to live temporarily or move to Costa Rica, it’s good to know about the healthcare system to know what your options are.
If you’re planning a trip to Costa Rica, you’ll find all the information about seeing a doctor in this article.
Let’s start talking about the public health services in Costa Rica
The governmental department in charge of providing medical care is the “Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social” mostly known as CCSS. The way it works for Costa Rican citizens is very simple.
If you have a job your salary will be deducted monthly in order to cover to cover your medical care and retirement fund (last time I checked it was around 9.34% for the employee and 26.33% for the employer).
We won’t go into detail of how everything works but basically, if you are Canadian or from England the system is very similar. This is one of the reasons why Americans like to retire here because the health care system in Costa Rica is world class and one of the best in Latin America.
For Americans, it is much cheaper to get medical care here and therefore medical tourism was born and retirees were given another reason to retire in Costa Rica.
Anyways, let’s suppose that you are traveling in Costa Rica and you need to see a doctor for any reason (if you had a severe accident and your life is in risk call 911). If it isn’t life threatening, your first option is the public system.
First of all, in Costa Rica we have 3 levels of infrastructure when it comes to public health buildings:
- Hospitals: you can find them in most of the main cities in Costa Rica and they have a 24 hour ER, surgery rooms and pretty much all the services that most of the hospitals world wide offers.
- Clinics: in these buildings you will find ER services usually from 7 am to 10 pm, lab services, ambulances, and you can find general doctors and pharmacies.
- Ebais: Every community has an Ebais (they work from Monday to Friday from 7 am to 4pm). These are health centers where you will find a general doctor and a pharmacy and you can get most of all the primary attention services here.
The reason why we have 3 kinds of buildings is to provide a better service for everyone. Each clinic, hospital and Ebais are equipped according to what they treat.
So it will be great to research or ask a local where the closest Ebais, clinic and hospital is from your current location so you have an idea of where to go in case you need to.
How can I get attention in a public health building in Costa Rica
Now that you know where to go, you might be asking yourself if you will get the attention even if you don’t have a Costa Rican insurance card. The answer is yes.
According to our law everyone who needs medical attention will receive it no matter what.
Like I said before, if you have an emergency and your life is in danger call 911, but if you don’t have a life threatening problem you can perfectly go to an Ebais or a clinic.
The way how it works is by appointments so make sure to go early in the morning before 7 AM to make the line and the secretary from the Ebais will tell you what time you have to show up for the doctor to see you that day or when the next available time is.
Make sure to bring your passport and they will charge you around $40* price may have changed* and it will include everything you need including medications. Be aware that you are in public clinic and sometimes you will have to wait for the doctor to see you.
In case the Ebais doctor thinks you need more tests or treatment they can’t provide you, he/she will refer you to the closest clinic or hospital where they will have more advanced equipment.
Private hospitals and clinics in Costa Rica
If you can afford private health care or your primary insurance will cover it for you, you will find many private health services in Costa Rica. Majority of the private doctors speak English and they normally advertise it so you’ll know.
Hospitals like the Cima or Clínica Bíblica will have everything you need, you can even request a helicopter ambulance.
There is not much to say about private health services in Costa Rica, they work exactly the same as in the United States or Canada and you can find them in pretty much every province and near major cities. Most of the hotels have this information and even if you call 911 they will help you to contact them.
Tips for Seeing a Doctor in Costa Rica as a Foreigner
So now you know how the system works, here are some tips for seeing the doctor in Costa Rica as a foreigner.
- If you are going to a public clinic, either bring a translator or ask if a staff member speaks English to help you fill out the forms and talk to the doctor
- Bring your list of prescriptions if you take any medicine. If possible, try to look up the Spanish equivalent names to make it easier for the nurse/doctor
- If you’re going to the Ebais or clinic, make sure you arrive early. Because it is a public clinic there are usually a lot of people and lines can get quite long
- You must bring your passport. Not a drivers license, passport.
- If you have asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, over 65, pregnant or any severe problem let the staff know and they will see you right away
- Remember if you or someone else is in life threatening conditions, call 911
Conclusion
Most of the public health services in Costa Rica will have at least one English speaking person that will help you in case you don’t know any Spanish.
Our recommendation is always to be one step ahead and get at least a basic travel insurance and make sure to know where the closest health centers are once you arrive at your destination in Costa Rica.
So we hope that all this information will only be for reference and that you won’t require any medical attention while you are in here. Just be careful, use your common sense and have a great time here!
Want to know more about Costa Rica? Check out these posts!
Amanda says
hi,
I’m 20 wks pregnant and traveling in Costa Rica for a very short amount of time, and started having sharp pains and throwing up and would like to go to Hospital CIMA (since it seems to have the best reviews) to check on the baby, but unfortunately maybe since it is so close to Christmas I cannot seem to schedule an appointment? Is it ok to show up at a hospital without an appointment?
Sammi says
Yes you can go to any public hospital or even clinic, if you’re pregnant and having pain, they will treat you without hesitation or if the CIMA is the only one around you can go especially if it’s emergency. Or if you’re really bad call 911, they will send an ambulance for you asap!
Sammi says
I’m glad your son was helped. Private clinics and English speaking doctors in touristic destinations normally will charge more and for antibiotics, it depends which one it is because they have the generic or the brand name ones and also depends on which pharmacy because all pharmacies charge different prices.
Richard says
In Samara I had to go with my son to a doctor because he had ear problems.
The doctor charged 100 dollar for looking in his ear and the pharmarcy also charged 100 dollar for a 7 days anti-biotic medicin.
Okay, I was helped but think it is a lot of money.
Art Patterson says
My wife and I are coming to Costa Rica for vacation soon. We just found out she needs an Ultrasound to check a lump in her chest. I’ve heard many great things about the medical care in Costa Rica and was wondering how hard would it be to schedule an appointment to have the procedure done while we are there. we will be in the San Jose area for about a week. Any information would be helpful.
Sammi says
Hi Art, sorry to hear that. A lot of foreigners like the CIMA hospital in San Jose. Private is easy to schedule and fast, it only takes more time if you go to a public hospital.
Terri says
I’m trying to locate my Costa Rican (foreign exchange group host family) It’s been so many years since I’ve seen them. Their phone number is not working. It used to be 51-4552. The international code (for calling from the USA is: 011 and the national Costa Rican number is: 506. So I tried calling, but apparently their own number (51-4552) is too short of a number now. They apparently changed it all up. My Costa Rican Father is: Alexis Navarro Cerdas and he and his family live in Cartago, Costa Rica. Their address is: 350 metros Sur del Seguro Social. I hope somebody can help me. I miss them and want to bring them presents and take them to dinner and lots of stuff! Thanks
Sammi says
Hi Terri, Costa Rica used to have 7 digit phone numbers but changed it to 8 many years ago… I think if you look on Facebook your father’s name you might be able to find him…
Venky says
Hi, you can find him on facebook here
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.facebook.com/alexis.navarrocerdas&ved=2ahUKEwjmyt7ZwLHeAhWM7IMKHehJBAUQjjgwAHoECAMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3lqwi84PwwXHl6MigytGbu
Good luck ! I have been to cartago and have friends live there and its absolutely gorgeous.
Courtney says
Any idea where and how much it would cost to get a doctor/nurse to administer an injection,? We are bringing it with us but neeed a professional to administer it. Thanks
Sammi says
Hi Courtney, I recommend going to a private clinic and you can find them everywhere. I don’t know how much it is but they will tell you there.
anthony latony says
How much is a private dr?
Sammi says
It depends on which clinic you go to and what your visit is about. It can range from $70 and up depending on the those factors.
Ersilia says
Thank you both so much . I have been following mytanfeet for awhile now. Seriously considering a move to Costa Rica and am studying Spanish to prepare. This was excellent basic heathcare info we were seeking. Very clear and concise….
Sammi says
Thanks for reading Ersilia!
Sandra says
I have been reading about Costa Rica dentist and gynecologist for about 6 years as American doctors practice over there. I was wondering if anyone knew of a good kind of gynecologist for removing fibroids.
Sammi says
Hi Sandra, websites like Medigo or other medical tourism websites will have a search option so you can look for the doctor you need and procedures. Good luck!
Sandra says
Thanks I truly appreciate it. I have heard so many great things about Costa Rica in general and I want to even visit for leisure…
Sammi says
I hope you get to visit one day ! 🙂
Steve says
I have a Costa Rican friend who’s engaged to a Canadian citizen who hasn’t been able to obtain residency yet. As you probably know, the process is painfully slow. They want to wed and remain in Costa Rica. He has cancer and requires treatment which they can’t afford. Isn’t there anything that can be done?
Thanks for any suggestions and help you can provide
Sammi says
Hi Steve, sorry to hear about your friend! Unfortunately I am not sure, they can get married here, apply for his Costa Rican citizenship and he can use her Costa Rican insurance at the public clinics. I hope things work out for them!
John Newton says
Is is possible for Canadians to purchase private health care coverage from a provider in Costa Rica?
yeison says
Hello John, you can do it but you need to be a resident.
Crystal says
Hello,
Thank you for your informative article! Im traveling to Costa Rica for a few months from the U.S and dental work is definitely on the priority list. Do you have any preferred providers or dental clinics in San Jose? Im paying out of pocket so I would like a reasonable price, which I’m guessing is everywhere compared to America. Looking for top facilities, great customer service, and advanced technology. Thank you again for this wonderful post!
Sammi says
Hi Crystal, if you’re looking for dental work I recommend asking around in the Facebook groups like Expats in Costa Rica since many of them have also gotten dental work in Costa Rica and can help you find an English spoken dentist.
Crystal says
Great, I will do that! Thank you much!
rebecca says
Fantastic post! super useful. Thank you.
Sammi says
You’re welcome Rebecca!
Alex-Wanderlust Marriage says
Excellent post!! Really thorough and well done all around.
I’ve been thinking to visit Costa Rica and have some dental work done- I need a few things that would be super expensive in the states- probably 2 dental implants and possibly a root canal. Thing is, like most people, I don’t like the dentist. I’d definitely want to have a couple weeks and Bell with me because I’d be in some major pain afterwards.
This is great though, healthcare in the US is so expensive! I’m considering this! 🙂
Sammi says
I’m in the same boat, hate going to the dentist! There are a lot of people here who come for dental tourism and Costa Cica’s not a bad place to recover after surgery though haha. It’s all about researching and finding the right dentist since you can’t exactly do that in person before you go unless you decide to come for a visit first and there are plenty of dentists who speak English here.
Let us know if you decide to come! We can ask around for ya, Yeison’s sister is a dentist 🙂
Alex-Wanderlust Marriage says
Awesome, thanks Sam! Will do! We’re adding a dental plan here under Bell’s job and she’s bugging me to return to the dentist.
I’m going to twist her arm to see if I can go to the dentist in Costa Rica instead!! lol. And Yeison’s sister is a dentist eh? Very cool! Maybe a possible dental tourism review in the making 😉
Cheers and keep up the great work! 😀
Sammi says
Haha yeah! Let us know if you decide to come. Dental work is never fun but we can show you some nice areas to make up for it 😉
Mark says
Go to the Meza Dental Clinic if looking for a dentist. Drs. Meza, Marin and Castro are the greatest and the staff are the ultimate professionals with great personalities / chair-side manners !!!
Sammi says
Thanks for the recommendation Mark! Always great to hear about good experiences in CR 🙂