Colombia (CO)

Through EPS: each enrollee is assigned a primary care clinic (IPS de primer nivel). Make appointment online (some EPS have apps) or by phone. Arrive with your carné (EPS ID card) or national ID/CE. Médico general (GP) consultations are the entry point for all non-emergency care. Queues can be long in public clinics. Private medicine prepagada: much faster access, often same-day appointments at private clinics.

EPS system: GP refers to specialist; you then book at the IPS providing that specialist. Referral system can be slow — 1–8 weeks for non-urgent specialist appointments. If your specialist request is denied, you can file a tutela (constitutional legal mechanism) within 10 days — courts have ruled that EPS must provide timely care. Medicina prepagada: access specialists directly within the Prepagada network, often within days.

All hospitals and clinics with urgencias (A&E) must provide emergency care to anyone regardless of EPS status or insurance. After stabilisation, the hospital bills the patient's EPS. If uninsured, costs are billed to the patient. Emergency: call 123 (national emergency) or 132 (Cruz Roja). Major city hospitals are generally competent; Bogotá, Medellín, Cali all have Level 3/4 trauma hospitals.

No formal 24-hour GP hotline. Most EPSs have a nurse/doctor phone line. Urgent but non-emergency care: go to urgencias of any EPS-affiliated clinic. Many Medicina Prepagada plans include 24-hour doctor-on-call phone service and home visits. Private clinics (like Clínica del Country Bogotá) have 24-hour urgent care.

EPS: doctor issues prescription digitally or on paper. Fill at the EPS-affiliated pharmacy (farmacia dispensadora) — medicines on the POS list are free or very low-cost (~COP $1,500–10,000 per item). Non-POS medications: bought privately at pharmacies like Drogas La Rebaja, Colsubsidio, Farmatodo, Cruz Verde — significant savings vs Europe/USA. Many medications available over the counter in Colombia that require prescription elsewhere.

EPS covers only: basic extractions, scaling/cleaning, fluoride for children. Everything else — fillings, root canals, implants, orthodontics — is private pay. Private dentistry in Colombia is excellent and very affordable: filling COP $40,000–80,000; root canal COP $200,000–400,000; implant COP $1.5M–2.5M. Dental tourism is a major industry — many expats get extensive dental work done here.

SGSSS covers psychiatric emergencies, hospitalisation for mental illness, and some outpatient psychology. Wait times for outpatient psychology through EPS: 1–3 months. Psychology sessions in Colombia (private): COP $60,000–150,000/hour — exceptionally affordable. Psychiatrists (private): COP $80,000–180,000. Growing network of English-speaking psychologists in Bogotá and Medellín especially. Apps like Mindful Colombia and international platforms (BetterHelp, Talkspace) also used.

Prenatal care, childbirth, and postnatal care are fully covered under SGSSS with no co-payment. Enroll your pregnancy early with your EPS to ensure assignment to a maternity clinic (IPS de segundo/tercer nivel). Control prenatal appointments: free, monthly. Childbirth: EPS covers natural birth and C-section when medically indicated. Private clinics offer luxury birthing suites via Medicina Prepagada. Register newborn with EPS within 30 days of birth to transfer coverage.