Health Insurance in Panama

Private health insurance is available and much less expensive than insurance in the United States (because doctor's fees and hospital visits are much cheaper). Many international companies operate here.

Health plans with coverage in Panama as well as internationally generally have limits up to US$ 1 million for those up to age 60. Past age 60 the limits are usually up to US$ 500,000. Deductibles for these plans start at US$ 1000 with many companies and others with deductibles as high as US$ 10,000.

Also available are Co-Pay plans with national and international coverages with lower limits and deductibles. Limits in these plans may be $300,000 and $500,000 with deductibles of $1000, $500 and $200. Most health insurance plans cover in-patient as well as out-patient procedures and include medications.

In Panama, insurance is normally sold by brokers who act as the middleman between the customer and the insurer. The brokers usually have no affiliation with any particular insurance company and as such are able to quote you a variety of options with different coverage rates.

Specialized plans for specific conditions coverage are also available in Panama. Plans exist to cover potential conditions such as cancer and other catastrophic illnesses like neurological illnesses, chronic renal insufficiency, organ transplants, and angioplasty to name a few.

The variables in healthcare coverage cost are usually the age and health of the person to be covered, the type and quality of the coverage, little to complete flexibility in choosing hospitals and doctors, and the size of deductibles. If you are young and in good health it is possible to get basic coverage for as little as $30 per month and excellent coverage for up to $130 per month. Rates increase with age.

Panama offers good quality medical care and modern hospitals in the metropolitan areas. The more isolated your location, the farther you are from first-rate medical care. In the city of David in the Chiriqui Province in the western region of Panama, there is a great medical center with modern facilities. Many Panamanian doctors are U.S.-trained, and the standards at the top hospitals compare well with those in the United States.