What are most of you doing for health insurance while in Brazil? I've read a few posts here and there. But, I'm wondering what most people have decided to go with and what the typical cost is right now. I'm thinking for ex-pats who have become residents of Brazil for 1, 2, 3 or more years. Or, for those that have gotten married.

Also, does private health insurance in Brazil normally get you into different doctors and hospitals in Brazil OR faster service at some public places (or both)? I'm not convinced that private hospitals are available in all cities.

Thanks,

Originally posted by JPJ2008 What are most of you doing for health insurance while in Brazil? I'm wondering what most people have decided to go with and what the typical cost is right now. I'm thinking for ex-pats who have become residents of Brazil for 1, 2, 3 or more years. Also, does private health insurance in Brazil normally get you into different doctors and hospitals in Brazil OR faster service at some public places (or both)? I'm not convinced that private hospitals are available in all cities.

I pay approx. what MoL stated.  The following comments are about Unimed, which is a large company here in the south:  If you don't travel much around the country, you can save by choosing regional coverage, rather than national.  Also, select the option that you're willing to forgo a private room if hospitalized.  Yet should the time come that you do need to be hospitalized, you can request an 'upgrade' to a private room, which there are usually plenty of.  Why pay a monthly premium for years and years, when the out-of-pocket expense for a private room would most likely be less, or on par with the total paid out in premiums?

Your insurance will not have any bearing on the speed and type of treatment you'd receive at a public (SUS) facility.  Essentially, at public facilities, if you're bleeding you go to the front of the line.  Those with basic aches and pains wait until their senha is called, to be examined.  With private insurance, to schedule an appt. for a non-serious issue could take you months.  I do an annual skin cancer screening, and I make the the appt 4-5 months in advance.  If I was willing to pay for the visit out of pocket (+/- R$200), I could get an appointment in 48-72 hrs.

The various doctors and hospitals covered are chosen by your insurance company.  If a private hospital is not available where you live, then that most likely means the public facility is over-whelmed and crowded.  Something to consider, when choosing a place to call home....



Edited by Gringo.Floripa - 15 April 2012 at 12:29

Well, I'm in my forties and would likely be living in the Cabo Frio, RJ area.

I currently see a couple of doctors each month for an ongoing condition, one a primary doctor and one a specialist. I currently take a couple of meds. So, that's about what I would need in Brazil. But, I also had a CT scan and several labs done over the past year. So, I'm not thinking SUS is going to be consistent enough for my regular needs. But, I'm not sure how extensive most private insurance is concerning labs, consistent visits, meds.

I'll look more into Unimed when my brain permits. Some googled websites offer to quote health insurance prices for Brazil, but maybe they're quoting for national coverage only.

Originally posted by spongebob It depends on what kind of $$$ you have too. The rich Brazilians I know fly to the US for medical treatment.

Or Hospital Einstein in Sampa... where rooms (no treatment or doctor's fees included in this price), are +/- R$20.000,00 per day!

Yes, that's correct: twenty thousand reais!!!  I hear the food is GREAT! 





Edited by Gringo.Floripa - 15 April 2012 at 22:00

Originally posted by JPJ2008 I think that R$20,000 per day is just crazy. I can't imagine. So much for going overseas to save on medical procedures. Hey - another question. How many of these private insurance doctors speak some level of English? The last time I was in Brazil I had dental work by someone who didn't speak English. But, I know 4 current medical students (friends in Brazil) that all speak English.

Well, Hospital Einstein is obviously for the top 1%.  If you had 100 million reais, and you knew 1 million of it would buy you the procedures and care to keep you alive, would you spend it?  Or to put it in more relative terms here... if you had R$100, would you spend one Real of it for the same purpose???

The dermatologist I mentioned, who I see once a year, has a degree from an Ivy League school hanging on her wall (Cornell University), so she obviously not only speaks english, but reads and writes it too.  Yet we always converse in portuguese.  An orthopedic I saw for a broken ankle attends conventions in the US all the time, so I'm assuming he speaks (some) english.  My accent is obviously gringo, and they both know I'm from the US, but have never offered to speak english with me, which is fine.  Yet if something really serious needs to be addressed, then I might want to push the physician to speak english with me.  While maybe few dentists speak english, I think most doctors do, and if pressed, will.




Edited by Gringo.Floripa - 16 April 2012 at 11:07