Salta began to charge for healthcare for non-resident foreigners starting in 2024, and according to official data, the measure has already produced a significant cost savings in the Health sector and allowed resources to be allocated to improve care for the local population.
Among the highlighted results, the province managed to purchase 34 new ambulances with those funds, in addition to an improvement in the emergency response capacity of the system.
The implementation of the charge also allowed for a reversal of the presence of the so-called “Health Tours” from neighboring countries, in a context where the number of foreigners entering the Salta public health system has fallen to historic lows.
The Salta Health Minister, Federico Mangione, referred to one of the main effects of the measure: “now we have beds for our patients”, he stated.
The policy applied in Salta, driven by the Government of Javier Milei at the national level, is based on a defined criterion of prioritizing resources for the people of Salta and bringing justice in light of the lack of reciprocity for Argentine citizens who need medical care abroad.
From over 31 thousand foreign patients to just 10
One of the data points that clearly shows the impact of the measure is the sharp reduction in foreign patients treated in the Salta healthcare system.
During 2023, before the implementation of the new scheme, 31,561 foreign patients were treated. In 2024, the number drastically dropped to 77 people, while by July of this year, only 10 foreign patients were recorded.
