Quality, Affordable Health Care in Mexico Tipping the Scales for Retirement Destinations
By Kristina Morgan
Many thousands of expatriates living in Mexico were drawn here by the beautiful beaches, wonderful climate and friendly people. But how does Mexico’s health care stack up?
It might surprise you to learn that Mexico has an outstanding health care system that is a model for developing countries all over the world. Mexico has been ranked by International Living as the number one retirement destination in the world for two years running. It is interesting to note that one of the reasons the rating was tipped so strongly in Mexico’s favor is the high quality of health care, as well as an opt-in national insurance plan called IMSS.
U.S. citizens living in Mexico are covered by Medicare only if they travel back to the U.S. However, IMSS is open to expatriates living in Mexico. The best part is the plan only costs between $100 - $300 per person per year.
Though not stringent, there are a few restrictions. For example, IMSS must be in place for two years to cover some pre-existing conditions, but emergencies are covered immediately. After the second year, IMSS coverage is quite broad and includes consultations, tests, hospitalization, surgery and medicines. It is interesting to note that prescription medications manufactured in Mexico are about 50% less than one would expect to pay north of the border, with generic equivalents frequently available for even less.
Why does Mexico offer so much in the way of health care? Because Mexico’s health care system is nationalized, there is financial incentive to make people well and keep them that way. Critics of the U.S. health care system point out that American health care providers, insurance and pharmaceutical companies don’t have that same incentive...that it is more profitable to keep treating sick people.
Another common complaint is that U.S. insurance companies seem to seek ways to deny coverage for expenditures. So, it comes as no surprise that savvy baby-boomers place quality, affordable medical care at the top of the list when choosing a place to retire. Mexico’s willingness to provide the low-cost IMSS to foreigners weighs heavily in Mexico being named one of the world’s best retirement destinations.
According to the Government of Canada:The majority of Mexico’s population has access to public or private services. Three-fourths of this majority use public health care services. Emergency medical care is available and accessible to everyone regardless of employment status, but wealthy people can afford better medical care.
The doctors’ training in Mexico is equal to those “north of the border,” with the same amount of schooling necessary to practice as is mandated in the U.S. Just like in the U.S. and Canada, there are doctors who have graduated at the bottom of their class in Mexico too, so it is a good idea to have someone refer you.
According to the expats I spoke with, the quality of service is far beyond what most of them have experienced.
For example: Julie Vargas was driving in Ajijic when a truck loaded with bricks slammed into her car from behind. She took all the impact in her neck. In horrible pain, she went to a private doctor who told her she had two herniated discs in her neck and needed to have surgery. He wanted to charge $50,000 pesos (about $5,000 USD in 1995—still a bargain.) Instead, Julie decided to go through IMSS.
Her IMSS doctor was reputed to be one of the finest surgeons in the country and had specialized in orthopedics in Germany.
Julie smiled and said, “I’m going to be in love with him for the rest of my life. He took 80% of the pain away.”
The surgery didn’t cost her a penny.
For Americans who have found themselves in similar situations without insurance this is an affordable option for expatriates who move to Mexico to winter or live there year-round.
Perhaps surprisingly, the University of Guadalajara Medical School isn’t just the best in the nation, it is also one of the best in the world. Chances are if you live in the U.S., you know a doctor who was educated at one point in Guadalajara, Mexico. IMSS has some of the most experienced doctors in the nation and the majority of the physicians who graduate from the University of Guadalajara’s Medical School opt to continue working in IMSS hospitals.
This begs the question, if they could earn so much more in private practice why would the majority continue working in IMSS hospitals?
Ray Bullock of Focus on Mexico relates this story, “A good friend of ours found out he needed triple bypass surgery. They had left Canada and were residents in Lake Chapala, and had IMSS insurance but weren’t yet eligible for major surgery coverage. John went to see the specialist (who at the time was the head of the IMSS in all of Mexico). John told the surgeon that he didn’t have coverage so his wife (a former nurse) was going to check in Canada and the U.S. to find out the cost of the same surgery and compare it to the cost in Mexico. In Canada the surgery would have cost him $88,000 Canadian (he had become a non-resident of Canada and was not eligible for health care coverage there), but even had he been eligible, he would have been on a waiting list for months and he was told he needed the surgery immediately, so this wasn’t possible. In the U.S. he could have had the surgery immediately, but the cost was $250,000 U.S. In Mexico the cost was $11,000 (Canadian equivalent) and he could have it immediately. Then the surgeon told him: ‘John, if you can’t afford the surgery, I will do it anyway so don’t worry. The main thing is you need to have it done and soon.’
“Needless to say, John was speechless. He told the doctor, ‘I can pay. I just wanted to check out the cost to compare.’ John not only had the surgery and it was successful, but he and his wife became good friends with the doctor.
“John told us later that this doctor was paid about $30,000 USD equivalent in Mexico (as the head doctor for IMSS), but frequently flew to the States to perform surgeries and received $100,000 USD per operation. Why did he stay at IMSS instead of going into private practice? Simple. They need him there. Yes, the doctors in Mexico are very caring indeed.”
Marie Dwyer-Bullock, also of Focus on Mexico said, “You are not a number to them and they’ll treat you with kindness and care. The doctors here have such a gift for listening carefully to you and not making you feel as if they don’t have time to spend with you. They even make house calls!”
Adelle Cordero, an expat living in the Lake Chapala area for the last 15 years didn’t have IMSS when she needed to have an emergency surgery. She went through a private doctor and hospital to have a benign tumor removed several years ago.
“I think I got better care than I would have in the United States. They even allowed my family to be there with me to help care for me. I believe that was an integral part of my care. Even the nurses viewed that as important for my healing and well-being. And in the end, they allowed us to make payments as we were able to after the surgery.”
Her surgery cost $6,000 USD.
Bill McConnaughey (a Focus on Mexico team member) had two surgeries in a month at Puerto Hierro, one of the best hospitals in Guadalajara. Bill’s wife Karen said, “I kept accidentally referring to it as a hotel! They had maid service twice a day, restaurant room service (at the same price it would have cost me to go to have dinner in the restaurant itself), and a spa-like bathroom.” The second surgery was to replace a stent in his renal artery, which was 90% blocked. For the one-night stay at the hospital and the surgery and doctor’s fees, it was less than what Medicare stateside would have cost. That’s because Bill would have still been responsible for 20% of the cost of the operation. Karen added, “It really turned out to be a blessing that the emergency happened in Mexico rather than in the United States.”
Upon talking to other ex-pats in the Lake Chapala area, one sentiment was echoed again and again. One way or the other, if you need medical care, you will get help in Mexico whether you can afford it or not.
A few other options in addition to IMSS and privatized care in Mexico are:
Private Plans: For about $230 a year there is a clinic at Lake Chapala with no age or pre-existing condition limitations at all. This is a good supplement to IMSS. This clinic is bilingual, fully equipped with laboratory, x-rays, pharmacy and you can have unlimited office visits and get a variety of other benefits and discounts. And, two house calls per year!
The Red Cross: The Red Cross is open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They are the “go to” place for emergencies. They do charge for their services, but at a drastically reduced rate compared to the same services north of the border. An the charge is based on your ability to pay.
DIF: There is almost always a DIF (a center devoted to the development of infants and families) located in each village in Mexico. They offer classes on nutrition, parenting, how to manage diabetes and other illnesses. They also have periodic vision tests, auditory tests, mammograms, etc.
Centro de Salud: The Centro de Salud is a free health clinic located in most villages in Mexico. They have doctors on hand from the University of Guadalajara and IMSS hospitals who donate their time to these clinics as interns for two years. They are completely free and do not even require that you are enrolled in IMSS. This is the place to go if you have a cold or the flu, etc. If your condition is more serious they will refer you to the Hospital Civil in Guadalajara, unless you have IMSS.
Hospital Civil A hospital in Guadalajara that is one of the leading teaching hospitals for the Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud or University of Health Sciences. This hospital is free or very close to it. I would call this hospital very rudimentary care and unless it’s an emergency the waiting list to get in may be long. However, their obstetrics and gynecology branch is brand new, clean and modernly equipped. A birth there costs about $30 USD. If you plan on being treated there you must bring someone to help take care of you. Someone who can translate may also be necessary.
Even with all these free or low-cost options, many people still elect to go with a pay-as-you-go philosophy because medicines, procedures and office visits are so affordable in Mexico. The expats I spoke with at Lake Chapala cited private office visits as low as $5 USD and as high as $50 for a specialist. The average cited? Only $15-$20 USD for a consultation.
It looks like thousands of expats were right; Mexico’s health care stacks up very well. The beautiful beaches, wonderful climate and friendly people don’t hurt either! Bottom-line, health care in Mexico can be wonderful. When you retire in Mexico, you could have the kind of personalized, professional care that you can only dream of in Canada or at your HMO in the U.S.
If you’re considering an area to live in that has excellent medical care, near-perfect weather and all the amenities of home and all the charm of Old Mexico you should put Lake Chapala on your short-list. But be aware that there are some drawbacks to IMSS and other information you’ll want to know. Focus on Mexico has a week-long educational tour and will share with you the secrets of how best to utilize IMSS, private insurance, medical plans, etc., so you are getting the very best care possible. During the conferences you'll learn first-hand from expert guest speakers about the different levels of health care, how to apply, eligibility and costs, and if your coverage back home is all you'll need.
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Kristina Morgan: Director of Public Relations forFocusOnMexico.
Focus On Mexico offers 8-Day Educational Programs to Ajijic and Lake Chapala, Mexico (2nd Best Climate in the World). Join us on a Focus program and learn why thousands of Americans and Canadians chose to retire in Lake Chapala.
Our programs offer the perfect balance; a wonderful vacation and an insightful, educational experience. Our expert speakers cover all topics: Health Care, Real Estate, Legal System, Immigration, Bringing Pets, Cost of Living, US Taxes for Americans, Non-Residency for Canadians, Living on the Lakeside, Investing in Mexico, Mexican Economy and much more...
You’ll get everything you need to help you decide if Lake Chapala, Mexico is the place for you, plus have a lot of fun doing it. Retiring in Mexico couldn't be better.
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