Cuba Health Insurance

The Republic of Cuba is located in the Caribbean and consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud and four smaller island groups. Cuba was formerly a Spanish nation. It subsequently became a territory of the United States until gaining independence in 1902. The capital city is Havana. It is the largest and most populated country in the Caribbean and is home to approximately 11.2 million people.

Cuba attracts many tourists to its shores each year, predominantly from Canada and the European Union. The country has invested a significant amount of capital into its infrastructure to support tourism. Many tourists come to Cuba each year from Europe, Latin America, Canada and even the United States, for a wide variety of reasons, including medical tourism, as the cost of medical treatment is cheaper than many countries around the world. The weather in Cuba is tropical and the country is located within the trade winds of the Atlantic, which allows for dry weather from November to April, rainy from May to October and prone to hurricanes on its east coast from August to November.

Cuba is well known for the Cuban Revolution which occurred from 1953 to 1959 and removed the country’s dictator from leadership. Fidel Castro’s communist government then took power. The country is still seen as authoritarian. Approximately 1.2 million Cubans live in the United States after fleeing Cuba. The United States has an embargo with Cuba which it says will continue until Cuba moves towards a more democratic government and has greater respect for human rights.

The Cuban Government has been accused of many human rights abuses including unfair trials, torture and executions. In 2008, it also had the second largest number of imprisoned journalists in the world. The right to use the internet and own a computer is restricted and monitored. Cuban citizens wanting to travel to and from Cuba need official permission as well as a passport and visa for the country of destination.

Most of the country’s labour force is employed by the Government. Cubans cannot change jobs or make a capital investment without the Government’s permission. The Government sets prices and rations the country’s food and commercial items. Up to 80 per cent of the country’s food is imported and is rationed out to the population. The Cuban Government spends approximately $1 billion each year subsiding food for its citizens.

Spanish is the official language in Cuba. The country’s main exports are tobacco, sugar, nickel, cobalt, medical products, fish, citrus and coffee. Venezuela supplies Cuba with barrels of oil in exchange for doctors and teachers.

Cuba Health Care and Insurance

Cuba has universal health care which demands a large number of medical personnel. All medical facilities available to Cuban citizens are run by the Government, there are no private hospitals. The national health care system administers and funds Cuba’s health care system. In 2009, approximately 11.8 per cent of the country’s GDP was spent on health care. Health care became a priority for the Government following the revolution of 1959 and the subsequent United States embargo against Cuba.

In 1976, the right to free heath care provided by the Government was added to the Cuban constitution and a program of universal vaccinations was implemented to eradicate diseases. The country now has the second highestdoctor to patient ratio in the world (behind Italy), 64 doctors per 1,000 residents. Unfortunately, the doctors are poorly paid compared to international standards. Cuba also sends many of its doctors to other countries around the world in a doctor exchange program. In 2007, a computerised national health register network was created to boost exchange among medical experts and research projects. Only Cuba and France have such a system in place.

Primary health care is available throughout the island of Cuba however shortages of medical supplies, poor facilities and equipment and a lack of drugs often exist. It has been reported by some that Cuba has a black market health care economy where doctors in hospitals charge patients under the table for better or quicker service.

Preventative care, laboratory tests and medications prescribed while in hospital are provided free by the Government. Outpatient prescription medications, hearing, dental, orthopaedics, wheel chairs and crutches need to be paid for by the patients and can generally be purchased from state stores where the cost is subsidised. Those patients on low income will receive them free of charge.

Cuba has one of the lowest rates of HIV/Aids in the world. The country had a campaign in the 1980’s where people were tested for the disease. Those people that tested positive were relocated to an island and not allowed to leave. The policy was discontinued in the 1990s. The Government has subsequently been subsiding anti retroviral drugs since 1996, and continued with an education campaign. All pregnant women in Cuba are tested for HIV and treated with anti retroviral drugs if found to be HIV positive.

Approximately 20,000 medical tourists come to Cuba each year. They contribute an estimated $40 million each year to the country’s economy. Cuba has special hospitals for treating foreigners and diplomats. Medical tourists to Cuba frequently have eye surgery, neurological disorders, cosmetic surgery, treatment for addictions and orthopaedic treatment. Some of the revenue from medical tourism is injected into to the health care system for Cubans, funding expansion and improvements at hospitals.

If you require medical assistance while visiting the capital city of Havana, as a tourist you will generally only be allowed to visit Cira Garcia Hospital (telephone: 537 204 2811). This is a tourist hospital and will require payment in cash for a consultation. For profit medical facilities and pharmacies, called Servimed (telephone: 07/24 01 41), have been established for foreigners. Approximately 40 of these medical facilities exist in Cuba.

Cuba Travel Insurance Concerns

Cuba has a strong military and police presence making it a safe country to visit. Tourists should avoid demonstrations as they may turn violent. Like most other countries, purse snatching and pick pocketing occur in Cuba, particularly in crowded tourist areas. Travellers should safe guard their belongings and not leave them unattended. Assaults during robberies have been increasing. Robbers should not be resisted by tourists as they may be armed and violent. Tourists should avoid engaging in discussions with hustlers who offer to act as tour guides or to assist with purchases. Such hustlers will try and extort money from you and may turn violent.

Visitors to Cuba are at risk of contracting hepatitis A and dengue fever. It is recommended that visitors be vaccinated against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid and rabies (if spending a lot of time outdoors). Child hood vaccinations should also be updated including, MMR, tetanus and polio. Travellers should take steps to prevent insect bites. Many medications are unavailable in Cuba so visitors should bring enough with them to last the length of their visit.

Tourists are able to access the internet in hotels however firewalls are in place so not all websites can be reached. Use of the internet is also monitored by the Government. Tap water should not be drunk. Bottled water is available for purchase.

If you require emergency assistance while visiting Cuba, you can telephone 106 for the police and 105 for the fire department.

From 1 May 2010, all visitors to Cuba are required to purchase medical insurance from companies approved by the Cuban Government. Insurance can be purchased when entering Cuba or before arriving. Medical facilities in Cuba do not accept US medical insurance cards or US credit cards. Medical services will need to be paid for in cash.

Cuban cigars and rum cannot be bought into the US and will be confiscated at the border. Only books, films, art, posters, photos, tapes and CDS (classed as “informational materials”) from Cuba can be bought into the US under the embargo.

Cash is king in Cuba as there are very few ATMs and if you find one you may not be able to withdraw cash. Payment by credit card in Cuba is not common and US issued credit cards cannot be used anywhere. It is recommended that you bring sufficient cash with you to Cuba to last the duration of your stay. The US dollar is no longer an excepted currency in Cuba and incurs a 10% exchange penalty if you try and exchange it in Cuba for Cuban Pesos or Cuban Convertible Pesos. Most visitors to Cuba enter with Canadian dollars, Pounds or Euros to exchange or bring Cuban currency with them.

Cuba Expat Health Insurance

At Expat Medical Insurance we specialise in international medical insurance and can help you select a medical insurance plan for Cuba. Such insurance can provide cover for doctor’s visits, hospitalisation, specialist visits and maternity care. Please contact us today for a free quotation. One of our medical insurance advisors can assist you with finding the perfect medical insurance plan for you and your family. Our service is impartial and free. We act as an intermediary between you and the insurance company and can even assist you with making claims.