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Medical Assistance
4 MINUTE READ
November 1, 2018

Embassy Responsibility: If a U.S. citizen becomes seriously ill or injured abroad, a U.S. consular officer can assist in locating appropriate medical services and informing family or friends. If necessary, a consular officer can also assist in the transfer of funds from the United States, see the financial assistance page, click here.  However, payment of hospital and other expenses is the responsibility of the traveler.

Be Prepared: To facilitate identification in case of an accident, complete the information page on the inside of your passport providing the name, address and telephone number of someone to be contacted in an emergency.

Health Insurance: U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad should be sure they have adequate medical insurance that will cover expenses incurred in a foreign country. In general, U.S. Social Security Medicare and Medicaid programs are only valid in the United States. Some private U.S. medical insurance companies will pay for expenses abroad, but most will require the patient to file for reimbursement after the fact; please contact your U.S. insurance company to learn whether your policy includes international coverage. Hospitals and health care providers in Colombia will expect payment before the patient is released.

The Department of State provides general medical information for travelers abroad, click here.

Note: For additional information visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, click here.

Please note that the U.S. Government does not provide medical insurance for U.S. citizens overseas and assumes no responsibility for payment of medical expenses for private individuals. The Embassy is not authorized to provide a physician or medical facilities to treat the general public and cannot recommend medical service providers. However, the Embassy provides the following list with contact information of Hospitals and Clinics across the country to assist U.S. citizens in Colombia.

The Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services provided by, the entities or individuals whose names appear on the following list. Inclusion on this list is in no way an endorsement by the Department or the U.S. government. Names are listed alphabetically by Department, and the order in which they appear has no other significance. The information on the list is provided directly by the local service providers; the Department is not in a position to vouch for such information.