Almost half (48.8%) of the Argentine population is covered by one of almost 300 obras sociales, which means “social works.” Organized by occupation, these obras are social groups that offer health care plans. They are considered semipublic groups because their existence relies on state certification, but they are self-governing and choose their own health plans. People tend to flock toward better coverage and, as a result, 10% of the obras control health care for 75% of the people who participate in the obras sociales program.
The other half of the population has several private plan options, but only a small percentage, less than 10% of the population, is covered by private plans. The majority of the group not covered by the obras (37% of the total population) has no coverage of any kind and pays for their own health care. The Argentine state sponsors a public health care plan, which offers coverage for most emergency services. However, this system is not very organized. Rather than governed at a state level, this is broken up into regional levels that are not very efficient and are mismanaged.
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