A recent study by the National Institute of Statistics and Census (Spanish acronym: INEC) reveals that only six percent of all public health care treatments in Costa Rica are provided to foreign patients. This finding dispels the notion that immigrants are a burden on La Caja, Costa Rica’s public health care system. In fact, immigrant workers are more likely to contribute to La Caja and not take advantage of its services that their non-immigrant counterparts.

As reported by Manuel Sancho of online news daily CRHoy.com, the government of Costa Rica is taking a closer look at the economic contributions of migrant workers; to this effect, the figures recently compiled by INEC do not portray a pattern of abuse of La Caja or other social security benefits.

A 2013 household survey shows that out of 185,778 foreigners working in Costa Rica, 180,436 are duly registered in the social security system and are actively contributing. This works out to 90 percent of foreign workers being insured and entitled to public healthcare benefits; however, they are more likely to seek private medical care.

About 23 percent of foreign workers are housekeepers and domestic helpers whose employers prefer to send to private clinics and cover out-of-pocket costs instead of having to endure extended employee absences when they go to La Caja. It is estimated that about half of all foreigners living in Costa Rica are part of the visible workforce. Another 25 percent may labor in the informal or underground economy.

A little more than 11 percent of contributors to La Caja are foreigners. They may be immigrant workers, expats or foreigners doing business in Costa Rica; in this group, 28 percent are self-affiliated, which means that they may be self-employed or retired -although some may not trust their employers to report earnings and contributions as required by law. In the past, The Costa Rica Star has reported on different ways expats can access benefits from La Caja; still, many prefer to get higher quality private health care at affordable prices.

Vice Minister of the Presidency Freddy Montero leads a working group that aims to improve the lives of immigrants in Costa Rica; he believes that statistical studies and research are important insofar as presenting facts to legislators who must vote on immigration policies.