Argentina regulates hospital payments for non-resident foreigners

Argentina's national government has officially established a system for non-resident foreigners to pay for medical treatment in national hospitals. This new regulation, detailed in Resolution 1066/2026 and published in the Official Gazette, aligns with similar policies already adopted by several Argentine provinces.

Provinces such as Salta, which pioneered the measure in 2024, reported a significant 95% drop in demand after implementing charges for foreigners, many from neighboring countries. Santa Cruz, Mendoza, and Jujuy have since followed suit.

The city of Buenos Aires also began charging foreign patients for healthcare in March 2025, based on a proposal by local legislator Pilar Ramírez. Nationally, it is estimated that about 20% of services in public hospitals are utilized by foreigners or patients from outside the hospital's jurisdiction.

The resolution specifies that the payment requirement does not apply to medical services necessary for the immediate evaluation, diagnosis, stabilization, and treatment of conditions posing a certain and imminent risk to life, organs, or bodily functions, or requiring urgent intervention to prevent severe or irreversible health damage. Furthermore, the regulation emphasizes that in emergency situations, access to social assistance or healthcare cannot be denied or restricted to any foreigner requiring it, irrespective of their migratory status.