Pharmacies, Prescriptions, and the Drug You Can't Get Here
How pharmacies work for a foreign resident in Cuenca, Ecuador: generic names, prescriptions, and what to do if your medication is not sold in the country.
Category
Health
Altitude at 2,560 Metres: The Decision, Not the Diagnosis
Cuenca, Ecuador sits high enough that altitude belongs in the decision to move — as an access and cost question, and one conversation to have with your doctor.
Cuenca's Hospitals: Which One, for What, and What a Visit Costs
The four tiers of hospital care in Cuenca, Ecuador: which to use for what, what you are asked for at the door, and how to get a price before treatment.
Private Insurance in Ecuador: What a Policy Costs at 65, and the Exclusions
Private health insurance for a foreign resident in Cuenca, Ecuador: how age and underwriting set the price, which exclusions matter, and what to ask first.
The Insurance Your Visa Application Wants, and What It Accepts
The health cover an Ecuador residency visa application asks for, what the wording must say, and why it is rarely the policy to live on in Cuenca, Ecuador.
The IESS 30-Day Clock: Voluntary Affiliation, What It Costs, and What It Covers
IESS voluntary affiliation in Cuenca, Ecuador: the cédula that gates it, how the contribution is calculated from a figure you declare, and when to affiliate.
Healthcare in Cuenca: IESS, Private, and What a Resident Is Entitled To
How healthcare in Cuenca, Ecuador works for a foreign resident: IESS, private insurance, the hospitals, and which combination is worth paying for.