Penny Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 My guests have told me they picked up a brochure when entering Panama that says they have 90 days of free health and accident insurance. I thought that law had expired and had not been renewed by President Varela. Who knows anything about this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 (edited) That program was discontinued and there is no mention of it on the Ministry's website. It was apparently another case of the Martinelli government overpaying a friend to provide the coverage. Here's the link to the Ministry of Tourism website. http://www.visitpanama.com/ Edited August 5, 2016 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger B Posted August 7, 2016 Share Posted August 7, 2016 The idea was good but the way it was done was probably not the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 17, 2017 Moderators Share Posted March 17, 2017 Quote Panama Could Provide Health Insurance to Tourists Again The Tourism Authority is considering redeploying the benefit of free insurance for medical expenses for visitors, but adjusting the scope and term of the coverage. Wednesday, March 15, 2017 Authorities are assessing the changes that would be needed in order to implement the free health insurance program for tourists once again, seeing as it was such a valuable promotional tool. The benefit was implemented by the Martinelli administration in 2011 and canceled three years later, due to its high cost.Gustavo Him, administrator of the ATP, told Prensa.com: "... We are consulting with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and we are reviewing some options to bring back this product." Antonio Alfaro, president of the Chamber of Tourism of Panama, "... described the idea of resuming provision of the insurance as positive, adding that it should never have been removed, but rather the terms changed if what was sought was a reduction in costs." http://www.centralamericadata.com/en/article/main/Panama_Could_Provide_Health_Insurance_to_Tourists_Again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 19, 2017 Moderators Share Posted March 19, 2017 Quote Free health insurance for Panama visitors mooted Posted on March 18, 2017 in Panama, Panama Tourists in Casco Viejo Post Views: 280 FREE HEALTH INSURANCE for visitors to Panama is back on the table after the initial attempt was abandoned due to cost concerns. The Tourism Authority (ATP) is considering re-introducing the benefit of free insurance for medical expenses for visitors, but adjusting the scope and term of the coverage. Authorities are assessing the changes that would be needed in order to implement program for tourists once again, seeing as it had proved a valuable promotional tool. The benefit was implemented by the Martinelli administration in 2011 and abandoned three years later, due to its high cost. Gustavo Him, administrator of the ATP, told Prensa.com: “… We are consulting with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and we are reviewing some options to bring back this product.” Antonio Alfaro, president of the Chamber of Tourism of Panama, “… described the idea of resuming provision of the insurance as positive, adding that “it should never have been removed, but rather the terms changed if what was sought was a reduction in costs.” http://www.newsroompanama.com/travel/panama-2/free-health-insurance-panama-visitors-mooted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted April 24, 2017 Moderators Share Posted April 24, 2017 Quote Panama: Return of Insurance for Tourists Granting insurance for a period of 15 days and limiting the scope to medical care are some of the changes that are being prepared to re-offer free medical insurance for tourists. Friday, April 21, 2017 Previously the insurance covered up to 30 days for tourists entering through the international airport of Tocumen, but now the new proposal that is under study by the Tourism Authority would reduce the term to two weeks, which is the length of time that most tourists stay in the country. The benefit was implemented by the Martinelli administration in 2011 and canceled three years later, due to its high cost. Prensa.com reports that "...Another change that the institution may make in order to resurrect this product is that it will only cover medical care and not compensation, as it did before, when it established a payment of up to $20 thousand.""... Also, they want to hire a company that will provide all of the logistics for medical care, without using an intermediary." Source: Prensa.com http://www.centralamericadata.com/en/article/main/Panama_Return_of_Insurance_for_Tourists Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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