Living in Peru : your everyday companion

By Rodney L. Dodig

Many people living in or coming to Peru to either stay for extended periods of time or live here are seeking information on health care and insurance in Peru. Recently LivinginPeru.com published a nice article on the five best places to get insurance here from a poll they ran. As a person who has decided to live here in Lima I found this article very informative and decided to pursue one of the options listed in the article.

I wanted to share this experience with you, the readers, to assist those making these decisions. Of the five insurances listed I was limited in those I could choose from. The insurance companies here in Peru who offers coverage to any facility, will not insure a person over 60 years of age unless they were with the company before that age limit.

Of the ones left I decided to select the least expensive. I chose to explore my options with the Clinica Good Hope, a clinic, hospital and emergency room ran by the Seventh Day Adventists. I have no religious affiliation so that did not affect my decision in any way. Another reason I chose this particular clinic was on the recommendation of friends and the fact that many of their physicians speak English.

I went with a Peruvian friend to speak with the people at the Clinic who sold the insurance. There we met a very nice woman, Angelita Lama Garcia, who explained what they had to offer adults over the age of 60. Unfortunately she only speaks Spanish so I was glad I had taken a Peruvian friend with me. She explained an extensive list of procedures, consultations (both medical and dental), pharmacy benefits, rehabilitation, psychiatric, nutritional, oncology, plus many more and how much was covered.

For those who have experienced health care in Peru, I don’t have to tell you how inexpensive it is even if you do not have insurance. They call the policy Golden Card and it offers a wide range of discounts on services ranging from 20 to 100 percent depending on the service and the length of time you have had the policy. They will even have a physician come to your home for 60 soles (about US $20) to see you if you cannot make it to the clinic for some reason. The cost of an ambulance ride to the emergency room is covered 100 percent. The list of coverage is extensive and she will go over it with you thoroughly.

In the end, the cost of coverage for me for a full year would be S/.812 ($285 at the current exchange rate). This included a 10 percent discount since I was paying the full year in advance. Also, a full physical with ECHO of the abdomen was part of that payment and you would receive a full physical fully covered once a year. My Peruvian friend was so impressed he bought the insurance also. He is under 60 and amazingly his was a little more expensive than mine (S/.916); an incredible price for either of us.

In the time since I have had the physical and my teeth cleaned. Both of the physicians spoke excellent English and were able to question me as well as explain everything to my satisfaction. I have walked through the clinic and they seem to have well maintained modern equipment and are well staffed. All my appointments were on time with virtually no waiting which is almost unheard of where I come from.  Naturally I hope I never have to use this insurance for anything serious but the relief of knowing that I am covered here and have a place to go where I can communicate in my native language is wonderful.

Let me be clear in the fact that this article is not a recommendation but merely my experience. Everyone’s health care needs are different and they should make their decisions accordingly.

Contact Information for Clinica Good Hope
Malecon Balta 956, Miraflores, Lima
610-7310
garantia@goodhope.org.pe
Agent: Angelita Lama Garcia, 994-636-158 (cell phone)

Read more about Peruvian culture, history and travel by Rodney Dodig. Click here to see his blog.

tags : health Peru retirement

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3 Comments

# George E. Muniz says :
21 April, 2010 [ 06:02 ]

Excellent article. I am planning on retiring soon and maybe moving to Lima and this answers one of my main concerns about the move.   Thanks a lot for your article. It was very timely and useful to me.

# Jennifer J. Rodriguez says :
25 April, 2010 [ 02:19 ]

I have been having Living in Peru sent to my husband's email for over one year now.  The above article, RE: health insurance in Peru was VERY comforting to know about , since my husband who is Peruvian and I plan to retire, (spending 4-5months a year) in Peru, and the rest in the United States.  I hope I will be able to keep this insurance in Peru since I will not be a permanent resident.
 Thank you so much,

 Jennifer J. Rodriguez

# Jim Olson says :
15 December, 2010 [ 09:05 ]

Good info Rodney! We've been urging Tim to get some coverage since we visited! Maybe you can drag him down there to get signed up :)

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