Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Plan Medico / Health Insurance

so, i finally got some health insurance.

a friend of mine did all the leg work, i just asked her some questions and followed her steps.

last week i went to Hospital Aleman, i sat down with a woman in the Plan Medico office. we spoke all in english. she told me about the different plans. i got the most basic (A3). it covers everything. if i want to see a doctor at the hospital (not emergency but no appointment either) it cost 10 pesos ($2.60), if i want the doctor to come to my apartment it cost 15 pesos ($4.00), but if i make an appointment and go to the doctor's office than it's free. i can go to the psycologist 30 times for just 18 pesos ($4.70) each visit and more...

i asked to see the next plan up (A6). she explained that it was a similar plan with no co-payment and plastic surgery was included. huh? i said to her "while i'm not interested in plastic surgery can you explain to me how it works?". she told me i have to be with the plan for one year an then i can have one free plastic surgery.

i opted for the (A3) plan. the month of november there is a 50% promotion. [warning: if you're american hold onto your seat]. for the month of november i paid 167 pesos ($44) to see any kind of doctor and it's all included in the plan. next month i'll pay 350 pesos ($92).

8 comments:

Michele Harvey said...

This is such great info. Thanks

David Carlisle said...

Do you know if you have to be a citizen, have residency, or anything official to get the insurance? Pretty good deal, is the price any different for different age groups?

Thanks

Nancy said...

WOW!

Unknown said...

Quick question: Can one get that kind of health insurance when only being in Buenos Aires temporarily (2 months). Is this an insurance just for foreigners or one that Argentines use too? Which kind of papers did you have to show? Just a passport?

Michele Harvey said...

Thanks for solving my insurance dilemma! Your blog has plotted me over the edge and I've finally decided to move to BA and teach.

Do the language institutes reimburse you for travel expenses? How much do you spend on travel when you teach?

One more question (thanks)
How do the subte cards work. I spent a week there in August and bought one subte tkt at a time because I didn't understand the other ways of purchasing them.

yillabean said...

wow, muy popular post, eh?

here's to answer some questions:
no, you don't need to be a citizen or resident or anything official to purchase health insurance. just walk in with your passport and money.

i don't believe there is any price difference for age, although the plan medico woman asked me a series of questions like heart problems and pregnancy. i also had to fill out a form and write "si or no" next to a list of possible medical problems. (fyi: most of the medical terms in spanish are spelled similar in english).

i filled out that i had two common medical problems (one being that i need glasses to see far away). i couldn't get my health insurance that day because a doctor had to review my form. i asked why, but was given a dumb answer that made no sense. i was called back two days later and asked to pay to start the plan.

on the form i gave my address so that the next months bill will come to my apartment to which i will pay at either a "pago facil" (bill paying place) or i'll take it to the "disco" (grocery store) (yes, you can pay your bills at the grocery store, right in the check out isle. the clerk scans your bill as if it were a box of cookies)

happy health!

Amy said...

hi! i've been following your blog now for a while, and i really enjoy it! thanks for the good info on the health insurance, i'm going to need to get some of that soon, glad to hear its so easy!

Janis said...

I was encouraged by a friend to sign up for a health plan in my 50s. Glad I did. If I had waited too long, I could have been denied or charged a higher monthly payment. Now that I'm past 60, I won't change companies (I have OSDE) because it could be difficult getting another to accept me. I pay more than someone in their 40s. That's life.