City life
Panama City
A city full of possibilities.
Explore neighborhoods, everyday routines, and questions about access to care.
Explore the region Start with healthcare basicsFeel at home. Feel informed.
Health resources for retirees and expats making a life in Panama. Find your bearings, ask better questions, and enjoy what comes next.
Explore the resources Planning your move? Start here
A fresh perspective.
Made for your next chapter
Clear, useful starting points
Panama at the heart
For you. For the people you love.
Death, family support, and property.
Find a clear place to start, together.
Local arrangements, documents, and the next steps for family abroad.
Explore this sectionBring the right people together. Make wishes and important records easier to find.
Explore this sectionUnderstand the ownership questions, ongoing costs, and choices for the home.
Explore this sectionA little perspective
City, coast, or a little mountain air?
Choose a place to take a closer look.
↔ Move across the map, or choose a place below.
City life
A city full of possibilities.
Explore neighborhoods, everyday routines, and questions about access to care.
Explore the region Start with healthcare basicsPacific coast
Make room for sea air.
Explore the beach corridor, community life, and the practical side of a coastal home.
Explore the region Start with healthcare basicsChiriquí highlands
Find your mountain rhythm.
Get a feel for Boquete, the surrounding highlands, and life across Chiriquí.
Explore the region Start with healthcare basicsChiriquí city life
An everyday base in the west.
Compare life in David with the neighboring highlands in the Chiriquí guide.
Explore the region Start with healthcare basicsAzuero peninsula
A different pace of life.
Start in Chitré, then explore the towns and coastal communities of the Azuero peninsula.
Explore the region Start with healthcare basicsMountain town
A greener kind of everyday.
Explore the El Valle section of our combined mountain-and-island guide.
Explore the region Start with healthcare basicsCaribbean islands
Life with a little more blue.
Explore the Bocas section of our combined mountain-and-island guide.
Explore the region Start with healthcare basicsTown markers are for orientation. Confirm routes and services locally.
Boundaries: Natural Earth (public domain). Town centers: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Selected and styled for this map. Region illustrations are conceptual.
Find your starting point
Explore the questions
that matter to you.
One step leads to the next
Choose your starting point.
We’ll bring a few useful guides together.
One step at a time
A little preparation makes room for everything you’re looking forward to. Start with these six conversations and to-dos.
Let’s make a planYour next chapter starts with a little clarity.
0 of 6 steps complete. One small step is a great start.
A few good places to begin
Official information, thoughtfully gathered.
Bring your questions to
the people who care for you.
6 resources to explore
Start with the Ministry of Health for public health information and links to local services.
Explore MINSA (opens in a new tab)PANAMA MINISTRY OF HEALTHFind official CSS information. Ask CSS directly about eligibility and the services relevant to you.
Visit CSS (opens in a new tab)CAJA DE SEGURO SOCIALA useful starting point for U.S. retirees: Medicare’s own explanation of care outside the United States.
Read Medicare’s guidance (opens in a new tab)MEDICARE.GOVExplore travel insurance considerations, then ask your insurer what applies to a longer stay or a move.
Explore insurance guidance (opens in a new tab)U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATEUse the CDC’s Panama travel health page to prepare questions for your own clinician.
Visit CDC Travelers’ Health (opens in a new tab)CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTIONRead about preparing for health needs abroad, including medicines and finding medical assistance.
Read medicine & health guidance (opens in a new tab)U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATENo resources match those words in this topic. Try “insurance,” “medicines,” or see everything.
These links take you to independent official sources. Check each source for its latest guidance. Links checked October 14, 2026.
A thoughtful place to start
There’s a lot to love about a new chapter in Panama. Figuring out where to begin with your health shouldn’t take the joy out of it.
Panama Medical Hub brings useful starting points into one calm, welcoming place—for retirees, expats, and the people helping them settle in.
Find your first resourceGood questions welcome
If you’re planning a move, start with the six-step checklist. If you’re already here, choose a topic in the resource hub and explore the official sources. You can search by words like “insurance” or “medicines.”
No. Panama Medical Hub is an information and planning resource. We don’t provide diagnoses, treatment, insurance policies, or appointments. A qualified clinician can help you make decisions about your own health. For urgent medical needs, contact local emergency services.
Everyone is welcome. Resources marked “U.S.” address U.S. programs or guidance; other resources focus on Panama or travel health. Your eligibility, insurance, and requirements depend on your circumstances—confirm them with the relevant organization.
Your checked boxes are saved in this browser on this device when browser storage is available. We don’t ask you to enter medical records or personal health details. Clearing browser data removes your progress; the download button lets you keep a text copy.
Yes. All 22 reference guides are available in English and Spanish. Choose Español in the guide library, or use the language switch on any article. The main section pages and checklist are currently in English.