Brazil: health insurance?

[Guest bobbalino]

I believe that even visitors have free reasonable access to the "public health care system", but it is wise to obtain insurance under the so-called "private system".

I understand that foreigners can also purchase private health benefits insurance directly in Brazil from Brazil-based insurance operators, at a cost less than in one's own country of origin for the same type of benefits while travelling abroad.

I realize that one important consideration is coverage for repatriation travel to home country if ill or deceased. It might be prudent to have insurance purchased in your home country on a stand-alone basis, or to supplement low-cost Brazil-based coverage.

My credit card's travel health insurance is good for 30- day trips, but I am now planning longer extended stays in Brazil.

Any experience, insights, etc, from long-stay visitors to Brazil, expats, what have you?

In my case, I am a senior with no pre-existing medical conditions. And having the correct coverage is more important than cost factors.

[Tomcal]

Get the private insurance!  many/most docs and dentists in Brazil have 2 offices, one for their national health care patients where there is long waits and imho less them optimal care and their private offices for their private insurance/cash customers! The private insurance patients go to office buildings where there are no names on the doors or directories but only numbers!  Nice modern offices compared to their general offices. I had lost a tooth several years ago and had a implant done there, and it was done in his office 1 block from the beach on Siwquerio Campos ! It is a 12 story bldg with no names but all offices have everyone from dentists to orthopaedic surgeons! It cost 1/4 of what it would have cost in the states! My dentist and his wife were both trained in the U S as are the majority of the better specialists there.

[ferrar]

I second that recommendation for private insurance!   And, contrary to popular belief, you do not need to have Brazil permanent resident status to qualify for local health insurance.   Aside from practioners on the rolls,  you'll want to look into the various plans' hospital networks.   For example, the Copa D'or is a world-class facility (and former hotel) that is centrally located in Copacabana on Figueiredo de Magalhaes, than I can personally recommend, but there are others.   If you end up a  resident, some local plans offer an overseas rider so that travel abroad including to your former home base is covered for urgent care, so you wouldn't need to purchase a separate plan there, which is what I do.   

[Guest bobbalino]

Thanks for the advice. I would remain a Canadian resident (with health care coverage in my province when in Canada) because my visits to Brazil are restricted to no greater than two 90-day durations within a one-year period. 

I will investigate local insurance options in Rio the next time I visit, with perhaps a "trial run" for the few weeks I am there. Then for sure, by necessity, on any subsequent long-stay.

[asdsrfr]

I would add that most short term travelers abroad (or full time expats for that matter) want to have some kind of medical evacuation insurance. I was recently kitesurfing in Jericoacoara and landed a jump badly fracturing my heel bone. Jericoacoara is a very remote area about 5 hours from Fortaleza. They had a local public clinic which had very limited resources. They took an X-ray which showed the fracture but they had no splint, crutches, or even ice. They did not charge me anything however for the x-ray. I arranged transport to Fortaleza and I was admitted to a private hospital there (credit card up front). I needed surgery for my fracture but I did not want it in a place where virtually no one spoke english and I knew nothing of the surgeon (I am also a physician). I had purchased a separate medical evacuation policy for $250/year through airambulancecard.com which arranged transport back via private Lear Jet to California. Most travel insurance companies would have said I was in an adequate facility in Fortaleza for the surgery but I think if you have something serious you want to be in your home country. I highly recommend that everyone have this kind of insurance that guarantees evacuation to a hospital of your choice regardless of medical necessity.

[Tomcal]

Ouch! Serious Calcaneus fractures are painful and I can only imagine the trip even by private jet had to be really uncomfortable!  I as well get the private medical evac. insurance that will fly me back home

[SolaceSoul]

I always use MEDEX for my travel health insurance and repatriation insurance. I have never had to use it yet (knock on wood), but I know it provides its customers with private medical insurance in most countries, usually up to half a million in value, as well as accidental death & dismemberment and repatriation if needed. For a 2-week trip, it's usually only about $50. My most recent 5-week trip MEDEX insurance to Brazil was about $110.

It isn't accepted for my upcoming Cuba trip, but Cuban medical insurance is required for all tourists and is usually included in the cost of the round trip flight, or it can be bought at the Havana airport.

[Guest KevinC]

On 12/26/2016 at 10:43 PM, asdsrfr said:

I would add that most short term travelers abroad (or full time expats for that matter) want to have some kind of medical evacuation insurance. I was recently kitesurfing in Jericoacoara and landed a jump badly fracturing my heel bone. Jericoacoara is a very remote area about 5 hours from Fortaleza. They had a local public clinic which had very limited resources. They took an X-ray which showed the fracture but they had no splint, crutches, or even ice. They did not charge me anything however for the x-ray. I arranged transport to Fortaleza and I was admitted to a private hospital there (credit card up front). I needed surgery for my fracture but I did not want it in a place where virtually no one spoke english and I knew nothing of the surgeon (I am also a physician). I had purchased a separate medical evacuation policy for $250/year through airambulancecard.com which arranged transport back via private Lear Jet to California. Most travel insurance companies would have said I was in an adequate facility in Fortaleza for the surgery but I think if you have something serious you want to be in your home country. I highly recommend that everyone have this kind of insurance that guarantees evacuation to a hospital of your choice regardless of medical necessity.

If you have medical treament in Fortaleza, your travel insurance would cover all.   But if you have airambulancecard fly you home, your home health insurance is the one to pay for your treatment, which may result in non-covered or high deductible. 

[asdsrfr]

True--but in my case I needed surgery. I wanted to recover close to home. If I had stayed in Brazil I would have had to recover for several weeks here before heading home. I am also a physician and I wanted to be treated at the hospital where I work and where I know the surgeons. Although I was in the best hospital in Fortaleza--and I would have probably gotten good care--that might not have been the case if I was stuck somewhere in a public hospital in Brazil or another foreign country. Given the high deductibles and co-pays we face at home I certainly understand your point though.