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Seguro Popular Process?


gknippel

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We've completed the necessary Seguro Popular paperwork in Chapala but not sure about the next step. We took our papers to the clinic at Six Corners a couple of weeks ago but were told to return on today's date. When we went this morning we were told there was no doctor until Wednesday. It is our understanding that the initial visit/consultation can only be certain days of the month?? Can anyone shed some light on this process? It seems confusing as everyone just takes a seat and there doesn't seem to be any way to know who's next in line. Gracias.

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This is the procedure here in Chapala (I was there Friday with a friend, and for a friend) :

- Get there early (between 5 and 6 am) and ask the people outside who is last, for a certain doctor

- Around 8 you get in the building and follow that same person (who is in front of you). A new line for that particular doctor will be formed.

- If he still has space, he will give you a time to wait or to come back (same day or next day). If he is fully booked, you will have to come back and do the procedure all over, the next morning.

- Before your actual consultation, the nurse will weigh you and check your blood pressure.

- Make sure you have your little booklet (for the appointments) and that it is "active". If you do not go for a whole year, your membership will be suspended but you can start it up again any time (within the validity of 3 years) by just talking to the nurse there. This is all what the nurse told me on Friday.

- Find out in which consultorio your doctor is (1, 2 or 3). BTW, they also have a dentist.

- Sometimes the doctor you are waiting for, does not show up at 8, or not at all. You will have to come back then, the next morning.

Advice, .... make sure you pick out the right doctor. In Chapala, at least one of them, does not like foreigners to be a member of Seguro Popular.

Other people will probably have other ideas or opinion but I just wanted to share my recent experience and what they told me.

Best regards,

Rony

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I am offering special deals/rates in the form if a prepaid package/insurance to those who have Seguro Popular and want to avoid such hassles as were previously mentioned. You will not have to jump through such hoops in order to be seen by myself and I think that the money you invest in your health with me will more than offset the costs of your time and troubles in order to be seen by a doctor at the Seguro Popular.

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We can save you from having to get there at 5am and wait hours to get the booklet, cartilla de salud which some offices have run out of but you won´t find out until waiting hours.

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For those who are emailing me in regards to the programs I am offering for both SP and IMSS patients, here is a brief overview of what I offer.

I am offering two diferent programs for these patients. In order to let you know which program may be the best value to you,

I would need to know about any Pre-existing conditions. Why you may ask yourself? One is for patients who may only need

about 4-5 office visits in the next year vs. another patient who has a condition which in my medical opinion

may require regular/monthly visits such as would be the case with patient who has diabetes.

I believe that the programs and their prices are quite competitive with other Health-Care Providers in the area. I offer a

level of care that is on par with the level of care that I provided to patients while I was working in Primary Care Clinics in the U.S.

If a patient does not require "buying" into a program and wants to pay on a per visit basis, I will also let you know.

And I would charge what are my normal fees for an initial and subsequent office visit(s).

Initial office visit/Establishing Care: Usually takes about an hour. Includes detailed History, full physical examination and a full Electronic Medical Record that is Hippa Compliant.

Please email me at : Chapalamed@gmail.com for more personalized attention and individual questions.

Hope I can be of service to you.

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Just a question, doctor: In a previous posting, you mentioned that the cost of an office visit is $300pesos. This is over 30% higher than one of the most popular general practitioners in Ajijic, who charges $200 pesos per visit and takes his time with you. Another doctor on the Carretera has a sign in front advertising $150 per visit. Please explain the reason for the much higher fees.

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Actually, I have a wonderful and competent doctor here (and a lot of my friends go to her as well), who only charges 100 pesos. She knows a lot about the different systems (IMSS, Seguro Pop,...), through her, I can get an ambulance if I need to, she has a great reputation among the Mexicans here in Chapala, .... and she spends a lot of her time, just helping the poor people (for free).

And this is not about absolutely wanting to find the most inexpensive doctor but to help putting things in perspective.

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Actually, I have a wonderful and competent doctor here (and a lot of my friends go to her as well), who only charges 100 pesos. She knows a lot about the different systems (IMSS, Seguro Pop,...), through her, I can get an ambulance if I need to, she has a great reputation among the Mexicans here in Chapala, .... and she spends a lot of her time, just helping the poor people (for free).

And this is not about absolutely wanting to find the most inexpensive doctor but to help putting things in perspective.

That was the reason for my question. There are a number of excellent doctors in the area who go the extra mile to help their patients needing IMSS and Seguro Popular. Least expensive isn't the point. Most expensive raises the question of "why"?

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Santiago is US trained and licensed as well as has electronic medical records, something I don't think many locals have. Farmacia Similares charges 30 pesos. If it is a common cold and the generic pharmacy is close I would go there but for something that affects my health more profoundly, I'd rather spend a little extra for more experience and US standards and not for me but many of you would probably prefer someone who spoke perfect English.

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Just a question, doctor: In a previous posting, you mentioned that the cost of an office visit is $300pesos. This is over 30% higher than one of the most popular general practitioners in Ajijic, who charges $200 pesos per visit and takes his time with you. Another doctor on the Carretera has a sign in front advertising $150 per visit. Please explain the reason for the much higher fees.

Well I realize that I may charge more than other Primary Care Doctors in the area. I believe in the standard of care that I provide, my fluency in English and being

UP-TO-DATE in my diagnostic and treatments regimens that I have to offer are a great value at those prices. If I may say so, I believe my patients have been

satisfied with the service and care that I have thus provided. I am also board certified in the U.S. and a member of the AAFP. Look at my website and you can see the recommendations from reputable persons in the U.S. that I have posted and I invite you to come in for an office visit as well.

I know some plastic surgeons in that may charge $8,000 for one particular surgery and another which may charge double for the same surgery or how one hair stylist can charge $50 dollars for a cut and style and another charge $80 for the same cut and style? It comes down to the level of knowledge, talent and the service that they provide that is worth paying the extra money. I have the U.S. mentality that better service and a standard of care that is on par with U.S. standards is worth the added expense.

I think that when I can I do my part to help those who do not have the funds to pay. Just last week I made a home visit for a patient who lives in an adobe home. As a physician it is my duty to help those who are most in need of my services regardless of their ability to pay.

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Doctor,

No offense meant, but my primary care physician practiced in the U.S. for years before moving here. I was not impressed with the standard of care I received in the U.S., and I believe I have received a higher standard of care here in Mexico. I believe most of the doctors here speak English as well as Spanish and also treat the poor gratis, when appropriate.

However, each doctor establishing a practice is entitled to charge whatever he feels his expertise is worth.

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Back to the original question -- about Seguro Popular procedure in Chapala. My husband and I went for our first visit about 6 months ago. We got there about 7:30 am, the doors open at 8:30 am and the lines form (somewhat haphazardly) to make doctors' appointments. We told one of the ladies working there that this was our first time at SP (it's a big help if you speak Spanish so you can communicate with them...). We were given an appointment for later that day but were told to come half an hour earlier to get our chart set up. Did so. We spent over half an hour with the doctor, he asked a lot of questions, answered ours, gave us some prescriptions which we had filled for free at the PS pharmacy (NB - we generally pay for our own prescriptions). I asked him about an earache/stuffed ear that I'd had for several months, the doctor said oh it was just because I was getting older. Our private physician later diagnosed the earache as due to congested sinuses possibly due to allergies; some antihistamines have fixed the problem.

I went back to SP a month or two later to sign up for a free mammogram. Was given an appointment time but had to wait a couple of hours longer than that. Great modern equipment.

Went to SP around 11 am 2 weeks ago to get flu vaccinations. Forgot to bring our booklets but had a copy of our SP document which we always carry in our cars. Had to wait less than 30 minutes (lots of people getting vaccinations) and the lady giving the shots was also the one doing paperwork, she just wrote out the info about the vaccination on a piece of scrap paper and gave it to us. I had a badly bruised arm which I was afraid might have a cracked bone (horses!) and I asked if I could see a doctor - was told to follow the usual procedure, come back the next morning at 8:30 am to get an appointment. Went to private physician instead.

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I also heard from other friends that have been there that it (waiting or not) all depends on the day and how lucky you are. Some days it seems almost impossible to get an appointment for the same day and other days you can practically walk in and see the doctor almost right away.

On a positive note, all the people, I talked to there, were very friendly and helpful (Chapala).

When I went there last Friday, there were at least 50 people waiting outside.

For an emergency, you do not need an appointment (fortunenately) and they will help you right away (that is what the nurse told me).

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Doctor,

No offense meant, but my primary care physician practiced in the U.S. for years before moving here. I was not impressed with the standard of care I received in the U.S., and I believe I have received a higher standard of care here in Mexico. I believe most of the doctors here speak English as well as Spanish and also treat the poor gratis, when appropriate.

However, each doctor establishing a practice is entitled to charge whatever he feels his expertise is worth.

No offense taken. And I guess you answered your own question as to why I charge more. And let me say this, if you are pleased with the quality of care and service

that you are getting at the present moment for what you are paying, then I would advise you continue with your current healthcare provider. In the end, what I believe

is that everybody should be getting and have access to the best level of care that is available and is satisfactory to the community.

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" And I guess you answered your own question as to why I charge more." If you are referring to my last sentence, then that is correct. You can charge whatever you can get.

The proof, of course, will be when your patients are singing your praises for having received better results under your care and there is a line in your waiting room.

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  • 1 year later...

I have obtained a single sheet of paper in Chapala for starting my Seguro Popular. I understand I am to visit some clinic called Six Corners, but can't find an address.

Do I have to go to the six Corners Clinic? Where is it?

Can I visit a Chapala clinic? If so, what is the name and address of the Chapala Clinic?

How do I determine what doctor I want or need, being a newcomer who does not have a doctor?

Is there a list of S.P. doctors?

I have read about booklets that must be presented. How do I get a booklet, what is the booklet or?

I'm sorry for all of the questions. But trying to research this makes me feel like the first expat in ajijic. I wish there was a single resource for questions about Seguro Popular, but I get the impression everyone here is required to reinvent their own wheel.

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Just go to seiz esquinas (six corners) and you will find the clinic easily, on Ocampo. Take your usual ID and proof of residence, visa, etc. They will advise you. If you do not speak Spanish, take someone who is bilingual.

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I find the smaller clinics are much easier to get assistance in as they are not as crowded as the main one in Chapala (Calle Flavio Romero). Getting set up on SP and getting in to see a doctor is only the first step in the process. You don't have to have a specific doctor, you can go to any one of the doctors that provide service in the SP clinics.

The second step is to get set up (registered) at the hospital in Guadalajara. SP patients are directed to Hospital Civil Nuevo which is just on the east side of Independencia at C. Hospital. The hospital also issues a little white book once you are registered and this is where you have to go for some tests (X-rays, etc.) and to see a specialist. There is a document floating around that was written a while ago in English that details the process. I have a scan of it in a .pdf format so if you need it, PM me with your email address and I can forward it to you.

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My wife is Mexican. & belongs to Seguro Popular. We live in Tlaquepaque

Recently she needed a Cardiologist and went to the prescribed clinic. She was told that first she had to go to Hospital Civil

There, she was examined - bood pressyre temp, etc , and then told that the next available app't with a Cardiologist was in Feb 2016.

We then went to Dr Bresino in San Antonio.

Lesson- If you are dead , your money will not be important !!

There is a Laboratory( that is part of a Mexican,chain) called SaludDigma in Guadalajara on San Javiar close to San Juan Dios that is very professional & Clean

I had a very thorough blood work, exam, EKG, stool diagnosis, urine exam, chest/abdomen sonogram, Chest X-ray, etc

Total cost was 1250 pesos

I know some of this is off the subject, but in the interest of helping.

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My wife is Mexican. & belongs to Seguro Popular. We live in Tlaquepaque

Recently she needed a Cardiologist and went to the prescribed clinic. She was told that first she had to go to Hospital Civil

There, she was examined - bood pressyre temp, etc , and then told that the next available app't with a Cardiologist was in Feb 2016.

We then went to Dr Bresino in San Antonio.

Lesson- If you are dead , your money will not be important !!

There is a Laboratory( that is part of a Mexican,chain) called SaludDigma in Guadalajara on San Javiar close to San Juan Dios that is very professional & Clean

I had a very thorough blood work, exam, EKG, stool diagnosis, urine exam, chest/abdomen sonogram, Chest X-ray, etc

Total cost was 1250 pesos

I know some of this is off the subject, but in the interest of helping.

Thank you for the information.

I think your observations should be seriously considered by folks who have joined SP (or IMSS)..if you are dirt poor or want to save money for more lavish dinners..then be prepared to hang around and wait...

also if you have a good relations with your primary care doctor, then why bother to experiment with trying to save 50-150 pesos (the price of a dozen doughnuts) to boast that you have low cost care..

how darn low do you want to get..it is your body that you are talking about not getting an oil change for your automobile

The bottom line, here in Mexico you have the choices...

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  • 1 year later...

Hello! Over a year since the last p;ost on this subject, so I wanted to see if there are any newer experiences with Seguro Popular. I just went and received my single sheet of information and am unsure of what I need to do now that I have that. In what little Spanish I know, I asked what do I do and was told that there was nothing else to do? Don't I need to do an initial visit to get a booklet or something? I am confused about the process.

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There is no annual fee for Seguro Popular. No exam is needed for the application. We retained the law office of Julia Vargas (Office 376 765 3894) to help us and it was an easy process. For minor or routine health care, it seems to make sense. We have a family physician (Dr. Hernandez) and I have a cardiologist (Dr. Briseno) for more serious health care concerns.

 
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14 hours ago, Joco said:

My suggestion is if you have surgery at SP to bring your own pain killers. They do not have anything stronger than NSAID or Tylenol. Those do not put a dent in most surgical pain.

I have had 2 operations here in Mexico. I asked my Dra. sister in law why this was common. The theory behind that is if they give you pain medicines to kill all the pain you might do something stupid like get up and move around too much or go back to work too early and need another repair job at no charge and take up more of their time and space they need for other patients. Mexico still has a large "macho man" population and this is a contingency they might expect from some, unfortunately.  Private Dr.s use the same way of thinking. It is better to follow the Dr.´s orders. IMO.

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