If you are living in Colombia from abroad, a major concern is going to be having access to quality healthcare, and that means knowing about the hospital system in the country. Below is a listing of the top hospitals in Colombia for expats and foreigners.
How Many Hospitals Are In Colombia?
As of 2016, there were 1,124 hospitals and clinics in Colombia. These provide 53,153 hospital beds and perform 772,320 surgical procedures. In the country of 49.65 million, there are 102,309 doctors and 44,518 dentists. The hospitals in the country can be broken into public and private, with 68% public hospitals, and 32% private.
List of Hospitals in Colombia Recommended for Expats
Hospitals in Bogota
The country’s capital offers a range of hospitals recommended for visitors to the country. Many healthcare providers are bilingual.
Instituto de Inmunologia del Hospital San
Cra. 10 Calle 1a
Santa fe de Bogota
Tel: + 57 1 233 9006/233 4255
Fax: + 57 1 289 3999
Hospitals in Medellín
Previously a destination for plastic surgery, Medellín has taken what was a thriving medical tourism industry and transformed it into one which is renowned for offering some of the most high-tech procedures in the world.
Yes, Colombia is well-known in Latin America for providing some of the best healthcare at a relatively affordable price. Some of the best clinics and hospitals in all of Latin America are located in Colombia. In fact, Colombia’s healthcare system isn’t only good when ranked against Latin America: when ranked against all countries in the world for quality healthcare, Colombia comes in an at impressive 22nd in a ranking by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Since the 1980s the country has overseen a vast improvement in its healthcare system. Additionally, there had been a broadening of the health and social security system. While as of the early nineties only 21% of people were covered by this system, as of 2012, 96% of the population is covered.
Is Healthcare in Colombia Free?
In 1993 Colombia ratified a new constitution which made healthcare a basic human right for Colombians and foreigners alike. This provides three kinds of medical coverage:
Entidades Promotoras de Salud (EPS): The EPS is mandatory for all residents.
Medicina Prepagada: In order to take advantage of the private healthcare system or to be able to afford extras, it is recommended to purchase private insurance.
So healthcare in Colombia is only free to residents who are most in need, everyone else is required to pay into the national system as well as decide if they want private insurance.
For those coming from the United States, the out-of-pocket costs of healthcare in Colombia will seem extremely reasonable. Procedures are priced at just 50-90% of the cost of the same procedures in the US. And it’s worth remembering that the WHO ranking places Colombia ahead of the United States, which only comes in 38th, as well as ahead of other countries well-known for quality healthcare including Germany (25th) and Australia (32nd).
The EPS, which both Colombians and residents are required to pay into has a monthly premium of 12.5% of a person’s monthly gross income. If you don’t have any Colombian income, the cost to use the EPS is that percentage of the minimum wage, which works out to about $36/month. For those employed by a Colombian company, the company is required to pay 2/3 of the premium, while employees are responsible for 1/3.
EPS only provides people with the most basic healthcare services, and it is highly recommended that supplemental private insurance is also purchased, however, many private plans require you to have EPS in order to purchase the private plan. Private plans range from about $180-350 and the cost is dependent on numerous factors including age and health.
Author / Editor: Joe Cronin, Founder and President of International Citizens Insurance. Mr. Cronin, a former expat, is an authority in the areas of international travel, and global health, life, and travel insurance, with expertise in advising individuals and groups on benefits for today's global workforce. Follow him on LinkedIn or Twitter.
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