Medical Care in Panama

$32 for Three Days in a Panama Public Hospital (no insurance).

  • Panama's philosophy is that affordable healthcare should be available to all. Regardless of pre-existing conditions or age, you can use the public healthcare system for routine or urgent care. The public healthcare system does not charge a monthly fee; you pay when you go. A routine doctor visit costs about $2 (sometimes less), and a specialist visit costs $5.
  • Recently, a couple had two emergency visits to a public hospital. Francesca got stung by an ant and was in severe pain. Her urgent care visit was just $2. Her husband was having serious heart problems, which required three days in the hospital. His total bill was just $32!

The Best Hospitals in Panama City


Panama has a very good healthcare system and is very inexpensive compared to North America and Europe.  Panama has several local insurance companies providing medical insurance coverage for as low as $35 a month.  Healthcare insurance plans cover up to 80% to 100% of the surgery, hospitalization, medicines, and therapy.

Panama's healthcare costs are half that of the United States, and more foreigners are taking notice.  Panama City has many good dental clinics and four large hospitals affiliated with respectable U.S. medical hospitals that offer first-class equipment and facilities.

Regular medical care, all types of surgery, hospitalization, and minor and major dental care in Panama cost less than half as much as in Europe or the U.S. For example, an MRI costs $900 in Panama while it costs $2,000 in the U.S.

Panama City Hospitals

The best private hospitals in Panama are in the capital.   They offer the highest levels of excellence in care and superior medical procedures, technology, and equipment.   Four of them affiliate with prominent U.S. hospitals.

The 4 Major hospitals in Panama City include:

Centro Medico Paitilla is located near the main ocean view on Balboa Avenue. This hospital is affiliated with the Cleveland Clinic, where the two hospitals have held joint annual conferences in Panama for the past eight years.   This hospital boasts having Panama’s best-known Oncology Unit.

Clinica Hospital San Fernando, Located on busy Via España Street, has an “international office” helping ex-pats unfamiliar with Spanish.   The San Fernando Hospital affiliates with three respectable U.S. hospitals: Miami Children’s Hospital, Baptist Health International of Miami, and Tulane University Health Services Center.

Hospital Nacional, Located just three blocks from Balboa Avenue, is run by the American Hospital Management Company, which affiliates with the Kendall Medical Center in Florida and the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Hospital Punta Pacifica is newer than the other three and is considered Latin America's most technically advanced hospital.   They have state-of-the-art diagnostics.  They offer advanced video conferencing, allowing authorized doctors worldwide to watch surgeries and view and analyze patient data.   This is the only hospital and medical center affiliated with Johns Hopkins Medicine International in the Caribbean and Latin America region.   Johns Hopkins Medical Center is rated the Number 1 hospital in the USA.

Many Doctors in Panama are U.S. TrainedScreen Shot 2017-05-15 at 11.14.01

Another reason Panama's health care has such a good reputation is that many doctors here are U.S. trained and speak English. The standards at the top hospitals in Panama compare favorably with those in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

Panama’s private health insurance is available through several companies, including Blue Shield. Premiums are much less than those in the U.S. In addition, Panama’s medical fees and hospital stay costs are much cheaper.

Panama Hospital Plans

Polizia de Salud 2021 06 13Many Panama ex-pats find Panama hospital membership plans are better than purchasing medical insurance.

One popular Panama hospital plan is with Hospital Chiriqui in David, a city of 100,000 in the interior.   This private Panama hospital is modern and treats ex-pats living in the Chiriqui province and as far away as Bocas del Toro.  Members receive discounts from 50% to 70% for most procedures.   This is on top of the fact that this hospital is inexpensive.

Hospital San Fernando in Panama City also has a similar plan.

Panama hospital plans help to limit diagnostics, surgeries, hospital stays, and post-op therapy and treatments, which gives Panama ex-pats peace of mind.

Panama Medical Tourism

Many foreigners are taking advantage of Panama’s health care through its “medical tourism” programs, which are rapidly increasing in popularity in the Central American city.

Panama's health care is so good that Panama's “medical tourism” companies are flourishing.  Most of the participants come from countries where health care is prohibitively expensive.   Foreigners come for almost every procedure, from cosmetic surgery to complete dental work.   Panama medical tourism companies offer help with all arrangements, including booking the procedures and airfare, transportation, and hotel stays.

Medical procedures in Panama can cost half the cost in the U.S.   In addition, Panama City, as an international hub, is easily accessible from nearly all parts of the world.

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