Healthcare in Costa Rica
Who is covered, from what date, and what insurance you need
Residents join the CAJA, a comprehensive public system with no exclusions for pre-existing conditions and no age limits, and pay a percentage of declared income. Most foreign residents combine it with private care to avoid waiting lists for non-urgent treatment.
| Public system | CAJA, compulsory for residents source |
| Contribution | A percentage of declared income, commonly 7–11% |
| Pre-existing conditions | Covered; no exclusions |
| Private consultation | Commonly USD 60–100 |
| Private insurance | Optional; INS and international insurers |
Why CAJA matters more than it looks
For an older applicant this is the country's strongest feature. Private insurers elsewhere decline pre-existing conditions and refuse new policies over an age threshold; the CAJA does neither. It covers consultations, hospitalisation, surgery, and prescription medication, including expensive chronic treatment, for a percentage of income.
Enrolment is a condition of residency, not an option, and lapsed payments jeopardise renewal.
The waiting list problem
The system's weakness is queues for non-urgent specialist appointments and elective surgery, which can run long. Emergency and serious care is prompt.
The near-universal foreign strategy is therefore to use the CAJA as catastrophic and chronic cover while paying cash for routine private consultations, which are inexpensive.
Private care and medical tourism
Private hospitals in San Jose serve a significant medical tourism market, particularly in dentistry and elective procedures, with internationally trained and often English-speaking staff. Costs are far below United States levels and above those in Mexico.
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Official sources
Checked against these pages in September 2026. Fees and processing times change without notice — confirm before you act.