Argentina mandates medical fees for non-resident foreigners

The Argentine government has officially implemented Resolution 1066/2026, which mandates that non-resident foreigners pay for medical services in national hospitals. This regulation follows Decree 366/2025 and applies to all foreigners without permanent residency, including those who have not yet completed residency paperwork or do not possess an Argentine ID.

National hospitals are required to establish procedures for registering services, determining costs, and managing billing. Official estimates suggest that approximately 20% of services in public hospitals are provided to foreigners or individuals from other jurisdictions. Similar measures have already been adopted in provinces such as Salta, Mendoza, Jujuy, and Santa Cruz. In Salta, authorities reported a 95% reduction in demand following the implementation of similar schemes.

Exceptions are made for emergency situations. Hospitals are prohibited from charging or limiting care when a patient requires immediate evaluation, diagnosis, stabilization, or treatment for conditions involving a certain and imminent risk to life, such as cardiac arrest, acute airway obstruction, shock, or myocardial infarction.

In the province of Jujuy, Health Minister José Manzur reported a 40% reduction in medical attention provided to non-resident Bolivians since the implementation of migration regulations. Manzur noted that some individuals are now seeking private clinics instead. He stated that the measure was driven by a lack of reciprocity in medical care from neighboring countries.