Costa Rica Health CareCosta Rica health care provides a high standard of medical services. Many of the doctors and dentists in Costa Rica received their training in the US. And yet with the high quality treatment, the costs are still about one tenth of that for similar procedures performed in the US. Costa Rica and continuing medical treatment are becoming more sought after as people realize the quality of care and substantial price savings they can achieve. The hospitals in Costa Rica provide free emergency treatment for both locals and foreigners and most prescription drugs are readily available at the pharmacies. Costa Rica health care standards are as good or in many cases better than the care received in Canada or the US. Interestingly enough, the life expectancy in Costa Rica exceeds that of the US. 
Private medical care is also widely available and there are some excellent private medical clinics in San Jose. Costa Rica medical tourism is becoming more and more popular as people continue to come to Costa Rica from the US and Canada for “health holidays” to obtain dental treatment and cosmetic surgery. I had been to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned before my trip. With the $400 bill fresh in my mind I decided to go into a dentist office while I was in San Jose and find out what the cost would have been if I had waited to get my teeth cleaned in Costa Rica. I was told the cost would be under $40. So I could have saved myself $360 which would have covered half the cost of my trip if I had just waited. Here is a comparison of medical costs for the same services performed in the US vs in Costa Rica. A service that costs over $1800 in the US costs $130 dollars here. 
Costa Rica continues to build and improve their medical facilities as development and tourism growth continues in the country. Recently a new regional hospital was built in the southern part of the country in preparation for upcoming development and a new international airport that is to be built. Click here for more information on the
upcoming development in the southern region.
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