Foreigners in Argentina who do not reside in the country will be charged for medical services at public hospitals starting Tuesday, the government announced.
The measure was established by the Health Ministry through a resolution published on Tuesday in the Official Gazette. It establishes the procedure that hospitals administered by the national government must follow to bill foreigners who do not have permanent residency.
The regulation approves a new “Operating Procedure for the Provision of Health Care to Foreign Nationals in Health Care Facilities Administered by the National Government,” in line with amendments introduced to the Immigration Act by a decree signed in May 2025 by President Javier Milei.
It establishes mechanisms for collecting hospital fees from non-resident foreigners.
For patients with health insurance, the new regulations require public hospitals to seek reimbursement from the insurance company for the cost of the services provided. For those without coverage, a mechanism is in place for billing the individual directly.
The resolution aims to standardize procedures for providing care and recovering costs at health care facilities under the national government’s jurisdiction.
According to the Health Ministry, hospitals will ultimately be responsible for developing and implementing the necessary mechanisms to apply the system and recover the costs of services provided to non-resident foreigners.
What happens to foreigners with permanent residency?
Foreign nationals with permanent residency in Argentina are not affected by the new regulation.
The immigration reform maintains their access to the public health care system on an equal footing with Argentine citizens, provided their immigration status is up-to-date in accordance with current regulations.
The new procedure applies only to those without permanent residency.
What happens if a non-resident suffers a medical emergency?
Under the new regulation, the collection of fees cannot prevent or delay emergency medical care. No foreign national can be denied or have their emergency treatment restricted, regardless of their immigration status.
This means that a non-resident foreign national may receive emergency care even if they do not have insurance or have not paid in advance.
Cases considered emergencies include situations involving a certain and imminent risk to life or vital functions, such as heart attacks, strokes, severe trauma, massive hemorrhages, and obstetric, pediatric, or neonatal emergencies.
Once the emergency has passed, subsequent services may be subject to billing.
