Panama Living

Are the medical facilities up to date?

Panama offers medical care on a par with the United States where many of their doctors have been trained. For the best services you’ll want to go to either Panama City or David both of which have top of the line equipment and services -- some offices will even honor selected U.S. insurance policies. And no need for malaria pills or medication unless you’re planning to trek the densely jungled Darien province just across the border from Colombia ... not a good idea regardless.

If you’re a retiree, you’re eligible for the discounts mentioned earlier ... but even if you’re not, you won’t pay anything close to what you’re used to. A doctor’s visit in the outlying smaller towns may run as little as $10, while a private hospital stay might be only $800, and that includes everything. Dental care meets the same high standards but will cost roughly one-third what it does in the U.S.

Each province provides state health care centers and hospitals as well as private clinics. Panama guarantees (by law) health care facilities to all nationals (and residents), and foreign travelers, regardless of any reciprocal agreement with their respective countries. However, as a traveler, it’s always smart to take out insurance. And as a resident, if you prefer having a complicated procedure done in the U.S., remember Miami is just a two and a half hour flight away.