“Rentista” and “pensionado” are different statuses of legal residency. They are not synonymous(sp?) with “citizenship”.
Medicare and Medicaid do not cover services provided outside the United States, so that’s off the table. Once you have legal residency, you can enroll in the national CAJA medical system. The monthly premium is based upon ability to pay.
INS, the national private insurance monopoly, also sells at least two medical insurance policies with varying levels of coverage, deductibles, etc. I *think* it is true that you do not have to be a legal resident to purchase an INS policy, but somebody verify that for me, willya?
There are also international companies which will sell you medical insurance policies which will pay for care rendered in Costa Rica. Their coverages and premiums vary.
