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In most cases you would need to go to a SUS (GOV) ER. I say this due to private hospitals are as many in the world and ask for covering costs and if not able to pay you would be transferred to a SUS hospital.
I know of an instant of a visitor from EU who became seriously ill and the friend he was visiting went to the private ER where he was taken and they had to pay $R5.000 mil and sign a document which said friend was responsible for costs. Visitor became critical and died.
Now they friend has been sued by hospital and financial assets frozen, due to friend not having money to be paid. (Plus they are charging 10% on unpaid balance)

Bottom-line, when traveling have travel insurance and sign up for SUS at their office.

Thanks for your help. I don't carry travel insurance ever since having to make a claim in the USA - I am Canadian - and the 9 months nightmare getting them to actually come through with the money. It was an unbelievable fiasco of deception. They kept putting it off, losing everything I sent them, sending me the wrong forms, on and on and on, and each agent I spoke with couldn't find the file, etc. all in hopes I would simply give up and then they wouldn't have to pay. Blue Cross, an evil empire in my experience.

Sorry for the rant, but I just needed to get that off my chest!

You mentioned registering with SUS. Can you offer any information regarding that. I only found this page, which seems to be for Brazilian's to register for SUS.

Do you know how a foreigner would register?

How to apply for an SUS card
SUS cards are issued by all Brazilian municipal offices , hospitals, clinics, and health centers. They can also be pre-ordered online. The SUS card is issued free of charge.
The following documents are required to obtain an SUS card:
A Brazilian identity card or birth certificate. The identity card may be called a cartão/carteira de identidade, a cédula de identidade, or 'RG' (General Registry, Registro Geral) depending on the Brazilian state of residence.
Proof of residence
Individual Tax Payers Number (Cadastro de Pessoa Física - CPF)
Marriage certificate or divorce certificate (where applicable)
For more information on the SUS card visit the Ministry of Health website (in Portuguese)

If you're a permanent resident, registering for SUS is easy.  Just go to any local municipal health clinic with your CRNM, and tell them that you want to register.   If they don't do registrations, they'll direct you to a clinic that does.  They'll print out your card as soon as you're registered.

He has not stated his legal status whether to qualify or not.

Oh I need to clarify, I'm here on a tourist visa so don't have permanancy.

In that case, SUS won't register you.  A public hospital will probably bill you for services if you go there, probably less than  a private hospital.

In emergencies like a car accident SUS would take care of you especially in a life or death situation. But there may be cases like I´ve seen in the past that you may have to pay "other" expenses regarding your medical care especially if it´s ICU. I don´t recall what
my colleagues exactly said but I haven´t seen SUS to be completely free. Especially if you´re a foreigner.

robal

Thanks for your help everyone.

Sure thing.

My first year here, we had an international indemnity plan, like the one you had; our experience was bad, too, and we switched to a local plan.

As it happens,  Fortaleza is the headquarters of Hapvida, one of the biggest plans in the North and Northeast of Brazil.  I don't know whether they offer temporary plans, but if they do, it would probably be there, and easy enough to find out.

fifthhouse wrote:

Thanks for your help everyone.

Come back anytime!

Yikes. Amil sent notice of a 17.5% increase starting in Apr.

Texanbrazil wrote:

Yikes. Amil sent notice of a 17.5% increase starting in Apr.

That´s terrible. And I´m an investor of United Health (UNH) and also CVS which also bought the health Insurance Aetna in the US. They´re becoming bigger all the time to the expense of competition and lower prices for consumers...

robal