Newest Hospital Opens in
Costa Rica to the Joy of
Expats in the Southern
Pacific
The ultra-modern 85,000
square foot Hospital De
Osa located in the town
of Cortez, in Puntarenas
is now open. The
hospital is the newest
in Costa Rica and
features multiple
treatment facilities
including a state of the
art emergency room, a
pediatrics wing, a
neurology center and an
obstetrics and
gynecology center.
The hospital will also
provide family and
internal medicine as
well as a clinic for
routine and preventative
medicine.
The location was chosen
due to the large influx
of Americans, Canadians
and Europeans moving
into the area and to
replace the aging
facility in Cortez
believed to have been
built by the United
Fruit Company.
Costa Rica nationalized
its health care system
shortly after abolishing
their military in the
1940's. The World Health
Organization (WHO) cites
that healthcare costs in
Costa Rica are only a
10th of the cost of
comparable care in the
US though Costa Rican
life expectancy is
longer than that of the
US.
Costa Rica is home to
over 30 hospitals and
more than 250 government
sponsored clinics
throughout the country
known as "Ebais".
The Caja Costarricense
de Seguro Social (CCSS)
is the agency
responsible for
providing health
services in Costa Rica.
Although CCSS covers
Costa Rican nationals,
it also provides
affordable medical
service to any foreign
resident or visitor.
Residents, both national
and foreign, can also
buy health insurance
from the state monopoly
Instituto de Seguro
Nacional (INS). Expats
may also join the CCSS
by paying a small
monthly fee based on
income.
Costa Rica' private
network has over 200
affiliated doctors,
hospitals, labs, and
pharmacies.
Since most Costa Ricans
as well as residents
have access to free or
extremely affordable
healthcare, the country
rates higher in
delivering quality
health services to their
population than does the
US.
|
