Health Care

You will have few medical worries in Cotacachi. The cost of medical insurance is low, with an average price of $75.00 per month. Pre-existing conditions are not a factor. You will find well-trained medical doctors locally – some from Cuba. There are several well-known modern clinics within a 25-minute drive from Cotacachi. For more serious conditions, patients are transported to a top hospital in Quito for treatment.

Healthcare is through a national program operated by the country’s social security system. Expat retirees find various ways to cover health costs. Major medical treatments in Ecuador cost less than 10% of what they do in the States. Often, it is better to pay out of pocket if you have no serious medical problems. You can maintain your Medicare account back in the States, or wherever you live.

Cotacachi has a local government hospital for emergency care. There are private, general practitioners, homeopathic doctors, massage therapists, dentists, and several other modalities in the town. A general consultation is $10-15. In nearby Ibarra, there is a state-of-the-art American-style hospital with world-class specialists, who perform hip and knee replacements – for a fraction of the cost one would pay in the U.S.

A Cuban-trained doctor arrives twice a month from Quito, and offers stem cell therapy. Chinese medicine is available, along with acupuncture and therapeutic massage. If you are interested in the Chinese martial arts, he also teaches Qi Gong and Kung Fu!