A Foreigners’ Perspective on Healthcare in Mexico

Many foreigners are cautious about visiting a doctor in a foreign country, but expats living in Mexico will find high-quality treatment and medical facilities with sophisticated technologically. I am a Canadian living in Mexico, and while living in Canada, I never had a family doctor. The doctor’s offices were always full and did not accept new patients. I regularly had to go to walk-in clinics, which are overcrowded with extremely long waits. Once you see the doctor, you are only allowed to discuss one health issue. Your time with the doctor is limited and impersonal.

I was pleasantly surprised when I made an appointment with a doctor in Mexico; these are the benefits I discovered and why I prefer to be treated in Mexico.

• You can get an appointment very quickly, sometimes on the same day.
• My new doctor speaks English, even if you speak Spanish, medical terms can be complicated in a second language.
• My appointment is typically one hour, and the doctor asks a lot of questions and discusses every health issue you have.
• The doctor recommends holistic treatments and physical therapies rather than immediately prescribing drugs.
• If you require X-rays, ultrasound, or blood work, you can make an appointment and receive your results by email within a day or two. Waiting six months for this type of test and has become the norm in Canada.
• The fees for consultations and tests are very reasonable, some expats pay out of pocket and use their health insurance for emergencies or surgery.
• Some doctors still make house calls.
• Many doctors provide their cell number and answer questions and review blood work through messenger, saving you a trip to the doctor’s office. In Canada you will not receive any results by phone or email you must wait for an appointment.
• I had surgery in Mexico within a week of the diagnosis. It is not uncommon to wait a year, and some patients wait up to three years for surgery in Canada.
• Luckily I have private health insurance which provided for the best laparoscopic surgeon in the area, a lovely private hospital room, which felt more like a hotel and excellent aftercare.
• The personal touch, after surgery, the surgeon and the referral doctor followed up by phone to check on my health.

Although quality healthcare is considerably lower compared to the rest of North America, it is crucial to purchase private health insurance to ensure you are covered in the event you require surgery or emergency treatment. Your other option is the public health care system, which is overcrowded and probably not up to the standard you may be accustomed to.

Guardian Insurance MX is ready to answer any questions you have regarding your health insurance options in Mexico.

You can reach us via email at contact@guardianinsurancemx.com or request a quote directly from our website www.guardianinsurancemx.com/mexico-medical-insurance/.