| Medical insurance in Panama is offered by insurance | | | | We are not advocating not having physical exams or |
| brokers much like in the U.S. They basically offer two | | | | self medicating, however; being able to be more |
| types of insurance and under these two types fall a | | | | hands on in your own health care is easy to achieve |
| variety of companies and benefit packages. | | | | in Panama. |
| You can buy a) hospital or catastrophic insurance via | | | | One last thing along there lines: U.S. Social Security |
| international companies, b) you can subscribe to a | | | | plans A & B do not work in Panama. |
| particular hospital’s private plan. If you have a | | | | Insuring after 60 |
| pre-existent medical condition you will most likely be | | | | In Panama medical insurance after 60 years of age |
| able to get coverage that excludes the pre-existent | | | | becomes challenging, but not impossible. As almost |
| condition. | | | | always is the case, but especially after the age of |
| MSA (medical savings accounts) are common proto | | | | 60; pre-existing medical conditions will most definitely |
| call in the Panamanian banking industry. | | | | be excluded. |
| Another idea is to self-insure since health care is so | | | | You can be insured and will probably have to have a |
| inexpensive and excellent. You can bypass most U.S. | | | | more extensive medical insurance exam. You may |
| proto call in Panama. For instance, in order to be able | | | | have to wait a period of 90 to 120 days for |
| to have a blood test in most U.S. states a physician | | | | insurance coverage to begin. At the time of this |
| must write you a prescription to take to the lab for | | | | writing, once approved your insurance is not subject |
| your blood work. In Panama if you want to walk into | | | | to cancellation as long as the premiums are paid. |
| a lab and have your levels tests for you can do so | | | | Hospitals in Panama will not take you if you don’t |
| without first having to see a physician and pay an | | | | have insurance or cash/credit card to pay a deposit |
| office call fee, then take the results to your doctor | | | | in advance. We have heard stories of people waiting |
| to read. Ever gone to get a refill on your | | | | on family members to raise the money needed to |
| ‘etrogene’ or some other maintenance | | | | pay the required deposit for medical treatment. |
| prescription just to find out you don’t have any | | | | The bottom line is you are going to pay more for |
| refills left and will have to obtain an appointment with | | | | insurance after age 60, but when compared to the |
| the doctor to have a refill written? In Panama this is | | | | rates in the U.S. it’s a bargain. |
| much, much less likely to happen. | | | | |