Can foreigners use the Dominican public health system?

Legally resident foreigners are part of the Dominican Social Security System, according to SISALRIL. In practice, the main route into the Seguro Familiar de Salud is through an employer that contributes to the TSS; retirees and rentistas without a local employer usually buy private local or international insurance.

Do I need travel insurance to visit the Dominican Republic?

It isn't required for most visitors, but it's strongly advisable. Private care is what most foreigners use, it's paid by the patient or the insurer, and a serious accident or a medical evacuation without insurance can cost far more than the trip.

Where are the hospitals on the North Coast?

Puerto Plata has the region's private hospitals and its public general hospital; the Government of Canada notes ambulances are more reliable there than in smaller towns. Cabarete and Sosúa have private clinics for everyday care, and a public trauma hospital has been under construction in Sosúa since 2023.

What should I check before buying health insurance in the Dominican Republic?

Which clinics on the North Coast are in the network, how pre-existing conditions are handled, waiting periods, whether emergencies abroad and medical evacuation are covered, the age limits for renewal, and whether the clinic bills the insurer directly or you pay and claim later.

Health Insurance in the Dominican Republic for Expats (2026)

Health care is the topic people moving to the North Coast ask about least and should ask about first. Everyone wants to know about beaches and taxes. Nobody asks where the nearest emergency room is until they need it.

This is how the system works for foreigners, what the insurance options are, and what's available between Puerto Plata and Cabarete. It's practical information from living here, with official sources where they exist; it's not medical or insurance advice.

How the Dominican system is organized

The Dominican Republic has a social security system (SDSS) with a family health insurance, the Seguro Familiar de Salud, run through private and public health risk administrators called ARS. The regulator is SISALRIL, which says legally resident foreigners are among the people the system covers (SISALRIL).

In practice, the usual way in is through a job: an employer that pays social security contributions (TSS) affiliates you to an ARS. A foreigner with residency who works for a Dominican company can be covered that way. Retirees, rentistas and remote workers paid from abroad usually aren't, and buy private insurance instead.

Most foreigners here use private clinics. Public hospitals provide care at low or no cost, but they're crowded, and most staff speak only Spanish.

Local insurance or international?

	Local private plan (ARS or insurer)	International plan
Cost	Usually much lower	Higher
Where it works	Dominican clinics in its network	Dominican Republic and abroad, depending on the plan
Medical evacuation	Usually not included	Often included or available
Best for	Residents who plan to be treated here	People who travel a lot or want the option to be treated at home

A common setup is to combine the two: a local plan for everyday care and a high-deductible international plan for the serious, expensive events.

What to ask before you sign

Which clinics in Puerto Plata, Sosúa and Cabarete are in the network? A plan that only works in Santo Domingo is useless here.
Does the clinic bill the insurer directly, or do you pay and claim later? Ask the clinic too, not just the insurer.
How are pre-existing conditions handled? Excluded, covered after a waiting period, or priced higher. Declare everything; an undeclared condition is the classic reason a claim is denied.
Is there an age limit for new policies or renewals? This matters most for retirees.
Are emergencies abroad and medical evacuation covered?
Does it cover water sports injuries? In Cabarete, kitesurf and surf injuries are a real category. Some plans exclude "extreme" sports.

Where care is on the North Coast

Puerto Plata is the medical center of the province, with private hospitals and the public general hospital. The Government of Canada notes that ambulances are more reliable in cities like Puerto Plata, and that private hospitals are available there (travel.gc.ca).
Sosúa and Cabarete have private clinics and medical centers for consultations, minor emergencies and tests. For serious cases, patients are usually transferred to Puerto Plata or Santiago.
A public trauma hospital in Sosúa has been under construction since September 2023, after more than 30 years of local demands. It was 75% complete in February 2026 (El Caribe), and the public health service (SNS) said in July 2026 that it was still building it (Diario Libre).

Before you need it, save the address and phone number of the nearest clinic that takes your insurance, and know how you'd get there at night. Emergency number: 911.

For visitors

Get travel insurance that covers medical care and evacuation, and check that it covers the activities you'll actually do. If you're coming to learn to kite or surf, that matters. Keep the insurer's emergency number in your phone.

If you're planning a move

Health care is one piece of the picture. Read my guides on living in the Dominican Republic, safety and property taxes too.

Settling on the North Coast?

I'm not an insurance broker. I'm a local who works with real estate agencies and many of the foreigners who move here. If you want a referral to a broker or a clinic people I trust use, ask me.

Information as of November 2, 2026, from SISALRIL, the Government of Canada and El Caribe. Insurance terms vary by company and policy; read the conditions and confirm the clinic network before you buy. This article is not medical or insurance advice.

Health Care and Insurance in the Dominican Republic for Foreigners