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Healthcare in Chile: cost & waiting times

Mixed public / private

A dual system: FONASA (public insurance, ~80% of people) and ISAPREs (private insurers). Care is delivered by public and private providers; the GES/AUGE plan guarantees maximum waiting times for ~87 defined conditions.

Emergency number: 131 (ambulance) / 133 (police)

How residents get care

  1. Choose FONASA or an ISAPRE — A 7% health contribution goes to one or the other. FONASA has four tiers (A–D) setting your co-payment.
  2. Primary care at a CESFAM (FONASA) — Register at the family-health centre for your address; it refers you onward.
  3. Use the 'Modalidad Libre Elección' or private — FONASA B–D and ISAPRE members can see private providers with a co-payment ('bono').

Official waiting-time source

GES conditions have legally guaranteed maximum times; if the public system misses the deadline you gain the right to private treatment. Non-GES waits can be very long.

GES/AUGE guaranteed maximum times + public 'lista de espera No-GES' ↗

MilestoneReference
GES condition — guaranteed pathway (varies by condition)60 days (~9w)
Non-GES specialist / surgery (often long)200 days (~29w)

Typical private costs

Typical self-pay prices — for an exact figure use the official links above or ask a clinic for a written quote.

ItemTypical range
Private GP consultationCLP 25–CLP 55
Private specialist consultationCLP 35–CLP 80
Private MRICLP 120–CLP 300

Prescriptions

Co-payment depends on FONASA tier or ISAPRE plan; GES conditions include their medicines. Public pharmacies ('farmacia popular') and Cenabast lower prices.

Visiting Chile?

No reciprocal cover. Public emergency units ('SAPU', hospital 'urgencia') will stabilise you; you'll be billed unless it's a Ley de Urgencia life-threatening emergency (then billing routes through insurers).

Emergencies Call 131. Under the Ley de Urgencia, life-threatening emergencies cannot be refused for lack of payment.

Official links

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