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Exterior of Clínicas Hospital, affiliated with the National University of Buenos Aires School of Medicine, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. / AFP-Yonhap

Argentina, long known as South America's "medical tourism mecca," has shifted its public healthcare services from free to paid for foreign visitors — a change expected to sharply reduce the number of foreigners traveling there for medical tourism.

According to local media outlets including América TV, national hospitals across the country began charging foreign non-residents for medical services starting on the 12th (local time), though foreigners who have obtained permanent residency and live legally in the country remain exempt.

An official at a national children's hospital explained the change, saying it is intended to prevent cases of foreigners exploiting the system for medical tourism purposes and to provide quality care through more careful budget management, adding that the principle of universal free healthcare remains unchanged, so nothing changes for citizens or legally residing foreigners.

Since usage statistics across national, provincial, and municipal public healthcare systems aren't consolidated, exact figures are unavailable, but the number of foreign tourists visiting Argentina for free medical tourism is estimated at anywhere from 14,000 to 30,000 annually.

There have been persistent calls to end free medical tourism for foreigners, citing significant side effects. Such calls have been especially strong in provinces with frequent cross-border traffic with neighboring countries, as well as in the federal capital, Buenos Aires, which draws large numbers of foreign tourists. This is also why some provinces had already begun charging foreign tourists for public healthcare services.

Mendoza, in west-central Argentina, is a prime example. As cases of nearby Chilean residents crossing the border to shop in the area increased, Mendoza began charging foreign non-residents for public healthcare services in 2024.

An internal medicine specialist at a provincial hospital said that while no exact statistics have been compiled, the number of Chilean patients appears to have dropped by roughly 90% compared to when free services were offered to anyone regardless of residency status.

According to local media, using the public healthcare system in Chile can be so difficult that even booking an X-ray appointment may not secure a date until six months later. Mendoza had been popular among Chileans before the fee change, thanks to fast treatment and free precision testing and care.

Ramos Mejía General Hospital, a municipal hospital in Buenos Aires, reportedly saw a drop in foreign tourist patients after switching to paid services last year.

The hospital said that in the past, many foreign tourists visited not for treatment or medical care but simply for consultations or inquiries, adding that since the shift to paid services, the number of foreign tourist patients has dropped significantly, making the hospital more accessible for citizens and foreign residents who actually use it.

However, emergency situations — such as cardiac arrest, brain hemorrhage, and severe respiratory distress — remain free for foreigners, as before. National hospitals will only bill for medical costs incurred after the emergency has been resolved.

                                                                                                          Son Young-sik