Health Care in Nicaragua
Updated March 27, 2020
Getting excellent care is easier than you may think
Thinking about investing in or moving to Nicaragua? Health care is always an important consideration. There is a free public system but most foreigners opt for private insurance and hospitals. For most people it's easy to find options for private health care in Nicaragua that fit.
If you are thinking about retiring in Nicaragua, have kids, or just want to chat about medical care, we have a solution for you!
Virtual Medical Consultations
Want to speak to an English speaking Nicaraguan doctor? My lovely wife (and much better half) is a medical doctor here in Nicaragua.
Dr. Melida Manzanares Stott-Jess was the academic valedictorian in her graduating class from the Hospital Military Dr. Alejandro Davila Bolanos in Managua. The premier teaching hospital in Central America, and the only hospital in the Latin America certified by the government of Canada as meeting it’s accreditation standards for international medical facilities.
If you are looking to move here and have questions about medical care she is the one to talk to. Dr. Meli can assess your needs, refer to specialists, recommend insurance plans, refill and write prescriptions, as well as providing ongoing medical supervision. She provides Zoom calls for expat patients across Nicaragua, as well as in person care here in San Juan Del Sur.
Want to schedule a chat with my favourite doctor? Send us the details.
Ok my shameless plug for my wife is over ;) Here is the rest of the article:
If you are relatively healthy and/or only require occasional doctors visits, there are excellent options for health insurance for expats living in Nica.
The Vivian Pellas Hospital
Private insurance plans are offered by Seguros America, as well as plans directly from the Vivian Pellas Metropolitan Hospital, one of the leading hospitals in Central America. These plans can be used to supplement the essentially free socialized healthcare offered by the government.
Many younger and healthier expats in Nicaragua here live perfectly fine without health insurance and only pay for services as needed at private walk in clinics.
Some common fees for services at a clinic are:
Doctor's visit: $10 to $25
EKG: $15
X-Ray $20
Ultrasound $20-$25
Consultation with a specialist: $30-$50
Biopsy: $40
Overnight Hospital Stay $100
MRI: $400-500
Dental Clinic:
Routine Cleaning: $20-25
Cavities Filled: $20 - $30 each
These fees do vary based on the quality of the hospital and where it is located. Managua has the highest concentration of doctors. Granada, Leon, Rivas and San Juan Del Sur all have and above average number of medical professionals. The Caribbean Coast and rural areas are underrepresented by the medical community and have issues providing sufficient local services.
Private health insurance in Nicaragua does exist. It's much different than in the United States, Canada or Europe. ASSA Group offers personal accident insurance but this is limited to accidents rather than ongoing health care in Nicaragua so we won't delve too deeply into into it.
The two main options for Nicaraguan health insurance are:
Private 3rd party health insurance from Seguros America
Health plans offered directly by the Vivian Pellas Metropolitan Hospital.
Seguros America: offers multiple levels of Nicaraguan health insurance, under the Mi Salud brand. There are no age limits, low deductibles, but there is a mandatory physical for people over 40.
The top tier plans are the Gold and Gold Plus. Seguros America doesn't list all their prices but you can fill in your information on one page and they will provide a a quote.
The gold plan is around $800 - 1200/year for most people with up to $1,000,000 in coverage and low deductibles. Here is an overview of their table of coverage (sorry, Spanish only)
Seguros America works with the Vivian Pellas hospital in Managua as well as other smaller hospitals in other cities. So they are great if you are based in Leon or Granada.
The contact page for Seguros America lets you request information and their phone number is: (+505) 2274 4200
Vivan Pellas Metropolitan Hospital: The private hospital used most often by expats is the Vivian Pellas Metropolitan Hospital. They are the first choice when a foreigner needs medical attention in Nicaragua. The facilities are modern, the medical equipment is world class, and the staff is extremely professional and multilingual.
Most of the doctors at the hospital have trained abroad. Vivian Pellas offers packages under the Club De Salud (health club) program. There are programs for children, adults and seniors.
Plans:
Main discounts:
100% emergency
Laboratory 70%
Hospitalization 80%
Medicines 30%
Replacement materials 50%
Adult Plans - Standard $30 / month , Gold $60 / month:
Main discounts:
Emergency 100%
Laboratory 70%
ICU 80%
Hospitalization 80%
Medicines 30%
Replacement materials 50%
Senior Plans - Standard $45 / month, Gold $95 / month:
Main discounts:
100% emergency
Laboratory 70%
ICU 80%
Hospitalization 80%
Medicines 30%
Replacement materials 50%
Here is the contact information for Vivian Pellas insurance:
Address: Carretera Masaya, Km. 9.8, 200 mts al oeste Managua, Nicaragua.
Email: info@hospitalvivianpellas.com
Phone number: +505 2255-6900
The bottom line is that health care in Nicaragua is very inexpensive by North American standards. If you have the money to purchase supplemental health insurance the doctors and the standard of care are excellent!
Joel Stott-Jess
Cell / WhatsApp: (+505) 8176 8624
Skype: joelstottjess
Joel Stott-Jess is a New York Times featured agent / broker in San Juan Del Sur.
Originally from Alberta, Canada he has been doing business in Nicaragua since 2014.
An investment consultant, serial entrepreneur, surfer, and outdoor enthusiast he is an expert on the real estate and business markets in Nicaragua. He also operates The Central Investor, a real estate and investment blog focused on the entire Central American region.
Thanks to his lovely Nicaraguan wife, a medical doctor, he is also well informed on health care services in the country.