The governor of Salta, Gustavo Sáenz, recently signed a decree that would require foreigners who are temporary or precarious residents to pay for health care services in public hospitals. This measure was later transformed into Law No. 8421.
After the implementation of this law, the Minister of Public Health of Salta, Federico Mangione, reported a significant decrease in the number of patients seeking care. During a conference on “State, Health, and Current Reality” at the Austral University of Buenos Aires, Mangione shared that there was a drop in patients from 3,300 to 60 after the legislation was enforced.
Governor Sáenz took to Twitter to emphasize the importance of prioritizing the most vulnerable Argentines and ensuring that they have access to health care services. He mentioned that the country should not be providing free health care to foreigners and should follow the global standard of charging for such services.
The province of Santa Cruz also announced plans to charge foreigners for care in public hospitals, following the example set by Salta. This decision was made due to the economic challenges faced by the province, including budget cuts from the national government. The Minister of Health and Environment of Santa Cruz, Ariel Varela, stated that the measure would apply to tourists and visitors passing through the province, not to foreigners with permanent residency.
Overall, the move to charge foreigners for health care services in public hospitals is part of a broader trend in several provinces in Argentina, including Neuquén, Mendoza, and Córdoba. As the economic situation remains challenging, authorities are looking for ways to ensure that health care resources are allocated efficiently to those who truly need them.