$1200 for 16 Days in the Hospital in Panama

Panama has private hospitals and public hospitals.

Private hospitals are sometimes nicer, for-profit, hospitals so it cost more if you go to the emergency room, get x-rays, or if you are admitted. It’s about $50 an hour if you go to the emergency room and about $1000 a day if you are admitted to a private hospital. I paid $15,000 when I was admitted to Hospital Chiriqui, a private hospital when I had covid last year. Luckily, I have insurance that reimbursed me.

Public hospitals are subsidized by the government. Panama has many state-of-the-art private hospitals with the latest equipment. To see a doctor at a public hospital, you’ll pay about $2 or $5 for a specialist. These prices are without insurance! If you’re admitted to the hospital, it’s about $100 per day.

See this short video of Alicia talking about her 16-day stay at a public hospital when she had pneumonia. Total cost $1200…. with no insurance! (excuse the audio & lighting problems)

YouTube video

You’ll get quality care regardless of which hospital you go to!

In fact, the doctors that work at private hospitals are required to work a certain number of hours each week at the public hospitals. So you could see the same doctor regardless of which hospital you go to. Many doctors in Panama speak English.

You really can LIVE BETTER for LESS in Panama!

Jackie Lange

Jackie Lange is the founder of Panama Relocation Tours and lives in the highlands of Boquete Panama. She has helped thousands of people relocate to Panama.

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Comments

  1. Kelly Nadeau says

    Hello Jackie, starting our research for a move that may be 3 years down the road. I have a couple of quick questions. What is the temperatures like where you live and are we able find a places to rent with a private swimming pool to rent?

    Thanks, Kelly
    Calgary, Alberta

    • Jackie Lange says

      Daytime temps where I live, at 4600feet, are 70-75F. There are no pools at this elevation. You would need to go to a much lower elevation to find a property with a pool.

  2. Edward Attallah says

    Hello Jackie, All the pictures of Panama show cloudy skies. With all the clouds, how often is it sunny in areas such as Coronado? … Thanks.

    • Jackie Lange says

      Even in the rainy season, you usually have blue skies and sunshine from sunrise until about 3pm. Some days it is sunny all day. IN the dry season, it is sunshine all the time.

  3. Mauro M Ghio says

    Hi Jackie what is the best area to stay in Panama City Panama?

    Thaks

    • Jackie Lange says

      Mario, there are a lot of great areas in Panama City like El Cangrejo, San Francisco, Belle Vista,

  4. Mary Burt says

    I am 81 years old , will it be hard for me to go to Panama and live. I have no pre existing medical problems, Mary

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