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How coverage works here: Argentina.

A take-home sheet for people at the session. Other countries: United States · United Kingdom · Canada · Australia · New Zealand · India · Philippines.

On your phone? Tap any address to open it. After the session: where to go next. Short address for this sheet: moraph.org/s/how-coverage-works-here/ar. Pass it on: cards to hand to someone.

Moraph for Good · Reach

How coverage works here: Argentina

Handout · moraph.org/commons/sessions/reach/how-coverage-works-here

This sheet explains how health care gets paid for, in general and where you live. It is general information, not medical advice or advice on choosing a plan.

Four ways care gets paid for

  • A public system, paid for through taxes.
  • Public programs for particular groups.
  • Insurance, through work or bought yourself.
  • Paying yourself at the point of care.

The words

  • Premium: what you pay to be covered.
  • Deductible or excess: what you pay before cover starts.
  • Co-payment or coinsurance: your share of each visit or prescription.
  • Out-of-pocket cost: anything you pay yourself.

Before you get care, ask

  • Is this covered, and is anything not?
  • Do I need a referral or a particular provider?
  • What will I pay, and does anything need approval first?

Stay safe

  • If it might be an emergency, call the emergency number first.
  • Real programs don’t cold-call to sell cover or ask for your details.
  • Check anything you’re unsure about on the official sites below.

In Argentina

  • Obras sociales. Employees, retirees and pensioners, and their families, must belong to an obra social (social health insurance fund). Monotributistas (people on the simplified tax regime) pay into one through their monthly monotributo payment.
  • The basic package. Every obra social and prepaga (private prepaid health plan) must cover at least the Programa Médico Obligatorio (PMO, the compulsory basic package), from the day you join, with no waiting period. Under the PMO, hospital stays (internación) are covered at 100%.
  • Prepagas. The Superintendencia de Servicios de Salud (SSS, the national health insurance regulator) supervises prepagas. A prepaga can’t turn you down because of an illness you already have, though it may charge a higher fee that the SSS authorizes.
  • Changing your obra social. You can choose your obra social. A change (opción de cambio) is made with your Clave Fiscal (tax ID password) and can’t be undone: you then wait a year to choose again. SSS procedures are free and you can do them yourself, without an intermediary. SSS line: 0800-222-72583 (SALUD).
  • PAMI. PAMI (INSSJP, the national institute of social services for retirees and pensioners) lets members choose a médico de cabecera (family doctor), who can’t charge them any fee.
  • No obra social or prepaga. The Ministerio de Salud’s Programa Sumar+ gives health coverage to everyone who has no obra social or prepaga, through provincial public hospitals and health centers. Its free line, 0800 222 7100, takes questions and complaints.

Official places to check:

General information, not advice about your own situation. Checked 22 October 2026. If an official source says something different, it is right. Free to copy and adapt. moraph.org/commons/sessions/reach/how-coverage-works-here Version of .