By Marie Dwyer-Bullock, Focus on Mexico
Lake Chapala, Mexico
According to Paul Crist (AMMAC), a guest speaker at a recent AMAR conference in Mexico City:
“We are actively lobbying the U.S. Government to do a pilot project in Mexico where American citizens living in Mexico will be able to avail themselves of the benefits of Medicare for Medical Services administered in Mexico”.
Does this concept make sense?
When you consider the cost of Medical Care in the U.S. to the cost in Mexico (Sometimes lower by 50 to 70%, according to recent studies), the obvious answer is YES! It is no wonder thousands of Americans come to Mexico each year on Medical vacations; they are attracted by the quality and caring, low cost medical attention.
According to Crist:
“Doing a pilot project will allow the U.S. Government to establish whether extending 
Medicare/Medicaid benefits to U.S. citizens in Mexico is feasible, not only from a cost point of view but also a quality point of view as well as being administrable.”
“Mexican Medical Facilities would need to meet U.S. Standards.”
Currently numerous Medical Facilities throughout Mexico are seeking U.S. Certification in anticipation of this concept becoming a reality. Experts say that many of the facilities are already equivalent to the U.S. standards, so the expectations are high that this will happen in a timely basis.
So when will this happen?
Crist says: “If a pilot project is approved within the next 6 to 12 months, it could take up to a year for the study to yield the necessary information. If the information reveals that the concept is indeed viable, then we could see Medicare/Medicaid in Mexico within the next 3 – 4 years.”
(Claims in recent publications of a one year period may be a little optimistic.)
For Canadians?
The current thinking is that, if the U.S. Government approves Medicare in Mexico, then it just makes sense for the Canadian Government to follow suit.
If approved, this would be a tremendous boost to U.S. citizens considering retiring in Mexico and this is not lost on U.S. and Mexican developers. During the AMAR Conference a number of U.S. and Mexican developers discussed projects already in the pipeline that will cater to U.S. and Canadian retirees, including Assisted and Full-Care Living Facilities. These projects will be strategically located in popular retirement locations in Mexico, like San Miguel de Allende, the coast and Lake Chapala, to name a few.
U.S. Consultants speaking at the Conference stated that these types of projects make sense in Mexico. Fewer regulations, a lower cost of construction and operating costs means that Assisted Living would be available at a fraction of the cost for similar facilities in the U.S. Rising costs in the U.S. are putting these facilities out of reach for many Americans, so coming to Mexico is a very viable alternative.
An AMAR speaker revealed that: “For Americans 65+ the average health cost in the United States is $9000. By moving to Mexico, these retirees can spend 25% of that.” The 75% savings would certainly contribute to a more enhanced lifestyle.
Developers will be paying close attention to popular locations with a lower cost of living (equals lower costs for labor and materials), allowing them to build quality homes and communities that boomers are used to, but at a more affordable cost.
Lake Chapala will be at the top of that list, given it not only has one of the lowest costs of living amongst the popular destinations (30% lower than north of the border), it also has a huge established expat community with thousands of Americans and Canadians already living there.
Since health plays such an important role at this stage of life for boomers, the fact that Lake Chapala has the 2nd best climate in the world will also be a big draw for more boomers to come. No heating or air conditioning is necessary, which are big cost savings the developers can pass on to buyers.
The near-perfect climate is conducive to being more active which also contributes to better health. Retirees living in Lake Chapala are active, involved individuals who have reinvented themselves and live everyday with a sense of purpose, at the same time enjoying a slower pace of life in a stress-free environment; a perfect formula for a happy and healthy life. This way of life will continue to attract more boomers to the area.
Major developers will follow the boomers and look at the new trends of this younger and more active generation, and will focus on building Adult and Senior Housing Communities to the standard of excellence this new generation of retirees’ demands.
Watch this video “The Magic of Lake Chapala, Mexico ” to get a glimpse of life in Lake Chapala, commonly known by the locals as a little pocket of paradise and the Land of Eternal Spring.
Contact: Marie Dwyer-Bullock, Focus on Mexico
Email: marie@focusonmexico.com
Website: www.focusonmexico.com
Phone: In Mexico (376) 766 3987
From U.S. (210) 745 1404
From Canada (416) 619 9310
A life-changing experience!
Join us on a Focus on Mexico 8-Day Educational program to Lake Chapala Mexico. If you are remotely interested in retiring or investing in Mexico, you owe it to yourself to come on our 8-day program and see for yourself if Mexico is right for you. We have expert speakers to talk about health care, insurance, cost of living comparisons, the legal system and real estate, U.S. taxes, Canadian non-residency, banking, immigration, culture and just about everything you can think of that you’d want to know before moving to a foreign country. We also manage to pack a lot of fun into the equation. Many participants tell us they have to remind themselves that they are here to learn and not ‘just’ on a vacation as they are having so much fun.