CHILLIN Posted February 7, 2022 Report Share Posted February 7, 2022 I am surprised that Alan did not mention the INEGI hospitals, formerly Seguro Popular. The public and general hospitals in Guadlajara have been rated as among the best public and general hospitals in Mexico. General Hospital Occidente, is excellent, but public wards. I have heard good things about Cruz Verde hospital, the old civil hospital is chaotic, but has all the right equipment and staff. Also the new hospital at Tjamulco, just 20 minutes away from Lakeside. Also Jocotepec community hospital. You don't hear about them too much right now because COVID has locked most of the beds. You would hear about it in CDMX because AMLO has frozen all the funding to eliminate graft by starving out the parasites. While not completely free, they are all very affordable. You should supply all your own prescriptions, however, in case of shortages. If you are convinced you would receive better service or outcomes if you pay, you can negotiate with the Military hospital in Guadalajara or the Naval hospital in Puerto Vallarta. Both highly rated. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ea93105 Posted February 7, 2022 Report Share Posted February 7, 2022 1 hour ago, cstone said: I would say that to feel at all comfortable paying for catastrophic care, $250,000USD is a minimum. Day to day and minor surgical/treatments/interventions are reasonable and easy to pay out of pocket, but cancer, brain surgeries, open heart surgeries, kidney failure, trauma from a car accident, etc., can pile up the bills quickly. Then, if you spend $100K the first incident, you need to have enough to cover another one , whether for you or your spouse. At my age, it is highly unlikely that I would be able to easily earn more $$$ to put in the fund. trauma from a car accident should be covered in the car policy right ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cstone Posted February 7, 2022 Report Share Posted February 7, 2022 Well, if it YOUR car and you are properly insured for YOUR care , then yes. If you are riding in an uninsured car, then you are SOL. If you are hit by an uninsured driver, you are SOL. Knowing how slowly things move in Mexico and how many hospitals function, unless you can prove you have the ability to pay your bills (cash,credit card, a guarantor)you can be refused treatment. Even IF the person who hit you is insured, it can take FOREVER to get bills paid and in the meantime YOU are responsible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoneyBee Posted February 7, 2022 Report Share Posted February 7, 2022 2 hours ago, cstone said: I would say that to feel at all comfortable paying for catastrophic care, $250,000USD is a minimum. Day to day and minor surgical/treatments/interventions are reasonable and easy to pay out of pocket, but cancer, brain surgeries, open heart surgeries, kidney failure, trauma from a car accident, etc., can pile up the bills quickly. Then, if you spend $100K the first incident, you need to have enough to cover another one , whether for you or your spouse. At my age, it is highly unlikely that I would be able to easily earn more $$$ to put in the fund. For that amount of money you may as well buy the hospital and its content.😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanMexicali Posted February 7, 2022 Report Share Posted February 7, 2022 35 minutes ago, CHILLIN said: I am surprised that Alan did not mention the INEGI hospitals, formerly Seguro Popular. The public and general hospitals in Guadlajara have been rated as among the best public ajd general hospitaps I did. INSABI socialized medicine system was once the Seguro Popular which did cover 3rd. tier illnesses but INSABI does not. More of AMLO's taking money from the health care sector and putting it in his pet projects and doing the wrong thing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ea93105 Posted February 8, 2022 Report Share Posted February 8, 2022 3 hours ago, cstone said: Well, if it YOUR car and you are properly insured for YOUR care , then yes. If you are riding in an uninsured car, then you are SOL. If you are hit by an uninsured driver, you are SOL. Knowing how slowly things move in Mexico and how many hospitals function, unless you can prove you have the ability to pay your bills (cash,credit card, a guarantor)you can be refused treatment. Even IF the person who hit you is insured, it can take FOREVER to get bills paid and in the meantime YOU are responsible. Interesting. I wonder what percentage of drivers don't have insurance here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tingting Posted February 8, 2022 Report Share Posted February 8, 2022 11 hours ago, ea93105 said: Interesting. I wonder what percentage of drivers don't have insurance here Probably a lot more than we'd feel comfortable knowing about.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrbower Posted February 8, 2022 Report Share Posted February 8, 2022 Something else to consider when talking about medical insurance (it's not health insurance) is that based on age and current health issues one might not qualify for coverage at any price. Me, for instance. I had a stent placed at age 65 and I was then unable to secure any kind of private coverage at any cost...even if excluding heart issues. You have to know that if, on average, medical insurance was a good deal for the customer, they would not sell it to you. My wife got coverage at age 61 with a very high deductible and after one year it went up over 20% because she was a year older. We were told that in the near future they would cancel due to her age. We beat them to it by cancelling them. She is perfect health so we've just been banking what would have been payments to the provider and are hoping for the best. Just like most folks in the world. You can't cover for any and all possibilities. Life just doesn't work that way. Alan 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyjillin Posted February 8, 2022 Report Share Posted February 8, 2022 On 2/6/2022 at 4:09 PM, MakeItSo said: I don't mean to hijack this tread. I find it a fascinating and horrifying topic for a European / Canadian, who's been through several long term hospitalizations and surgeries in Europe and Canada, and never in my life saw a bill or paid out of pocket (universal healthcare), with the exception of paying for medication in Canada. I've been coming to Mexico for 20 yrs, with only travel insurance. Later this year I'll be applying for permanente visa, with the goal of becoming a citizen down the road. And I hope to get on the national medical insurance here. Is there a reason for a permanente / citizen to buy private insurance? I answered you by PM and you haven't looked so I will remove it shortly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted February 8, 2022 Report Share Posted February 8, 2022 ... so there, take that! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHILLIN Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 I thought this was a pretty good summary of healthcare in Mexico, although a little biased to conservative. Sorry Alan for my constant dictionary soup error about INSABI. https://mexicobusiness.news/health/news/mexicos-right-health 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrbower Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 We had Seguro Popular for several years but have not signed up with the new and "improved" AMLO version. We'll probably take a look at it in the future once they seem to have kinks worked out. The national programs seem to work pretty well as long as you meet the criteria. My heart issue was an emergency although I as having no symptoms that were noticeable to me. So I would have been on a waiting list at Seguro Popular. My GP noticed a problem, next day I saw a cardiologist, next day I had a stent placed in the widow maker 90% blocked artery, and it cost 7,500 USD. I could have gone the Seguro Popular route but I would probably have died before getting anything done. I also had the medicated stent placed instead of the cheaper ones that are used at SP. I think as long as you consider the national plans an option and if you can make the details work for you, then great. For many poor folks that is the only option and it's great to have that. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakeItSo Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 On 2/7/2022 at 4:33 PM, AlanMexicali said: I did. INSABI socialized medicine system was once the Seguro Popular which did cover 3rd. tier illnesses but INSABI does not. What are 3rd tier illnesses? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakeItSo Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 Thanks everyone for the fascinating topic. Now I understand why so many Canadians do not / cannot move down permanently, and cling on to their Canadian healthcare: I just scheduled a surgery in Canada for the summer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyjillin Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 31 minutes ago, MakeItSo said: Thanks everyone for the fascinating topic. Now I understand why so many Canadians do not / cannot move down permanently, and cling on to their Canadian healthcare: I just scheduled a surgery in Canada for the summer... Au contraire. Lots of us have moved down here and it costs us waaaay less than if we would have stayed in Canada. Don't just look at the tree[med expense]. Look at the forest[total expense] of living here. I speak as a home owner which I was in Canada too and paid cash for the home here. I don't know if the same applies to renters. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanMexicali Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 50 minutes ago, MakeItSo said: What are 3rd tier illnesses? Diagnosis and treatment of illnesses that are complex, specialized and expensive. "Tertiary Healthcare: Tertiary care is specialized consultative health care, usually for inpatients and on referral from a primary or secondary health professional, in a facility that has personnel and facilities for advanced medical investigation and treatment, such as a tertiary referral hospital. Examples of tertiary care services are cancer management, neurosurgery, cardiac surgery, plastic surgery, treatment for severe burns, advanced neonatology services, palliative, and other complex medical and surgical interventions. This type of healthcare is known as specialized consultative healthcare usually for inpatients and on referral from primary and secondary healthcare for advanced medical investigation and treatment. following examples of tertiary care services are plastic surgery, burn treatment, cardiac surgery, cancer management, neurosurgery, complex medical and surgical interventions etc. The main provider of tertiary care is national Health system consist of Regional hospitals and National Hospital. Regional hospitals receive a reference from various county hospitals and serves as training sites complementary to the National referral hospital. It also provides additional care services and remains open for 24 hours every day." https://www.sweducarebd.com/2018/09/levels-of-health-care.html?m=1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyjillin Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 1 hour ago, AlanMexicali said: Diagnosis and treatment of illnesses that are complex, specialized and expensive. "Tertiary Healthcare: Tertiary care is specialized consultative health care, usually for inpatients and on referral from a primary or secondary health professional, in a facility that has personnel and facilities for advanced medical investigation and treatment, such as a tertiary referral hospital. Examples of tertiary care services are cancer management, neurosurgery, cardiac surgery, plastic surgery, treatment for severe burns, advanced neonatology services, palliative, and other complex medical and surgical interventions. This type of healthcare is known as specialized consultative healthcare usually for inpatients and on referral from primary and secondary healthcare for advanced medical investigation and treatment. following examples of tertiary care services are plastic surgery, burn treatment, cardiac surgery, cancer management, neurosurgery, complex medical and surgical interventions etc. The main provider of tertiary care is national Health system consist of Regional hospitals and National Hospital. Regional hospitals receive a reference from various county hospitals and serves as training sites complementary to the National referral hospital. It also provides additional care services and remains open for 24 hours every day." https://www.sweducarebd.com/2018/09/levels-of-health-care.html?m=1 That's USA applicable. My GP,Gastro and Cardio are my initiation contacts for research into my complex multi tier problems who with my input determine what is necessary like PET scans,etc.. Mainly my GP now, who thankfully is an excellent, serious researcher and doesn't downplay my input. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakeItSo Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 2 hours ago, happyjillin said: Au contraire. Lots of us have moved down here and it costs us waaaay less than if we would have stayed in Canada. Don't just look at the tree[med expense]. Look at the forest[total expense] of living here. I speak as a home owner which I was in Canada too and paid cash for the home here. I don't know if the same applies to renters. The idea of having to pay cash for a house here was nerve-racking at the start of the process, but turned out surprisingly smooth. We're going to keep and lease the house in Canada as long as it keeps appreciating in this crazy real estate market, and when the time comes to sell it will provide the medical slush fund and them some... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHILLIN Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 I am sorry Pedro. I had a look at those cost of living websites on the internet last year. I was very surprised to find that the cost of living in Guadalajara was the same as Abbotsford, a community about one hour south of Vancouver. On the other hand, the cost of living in Vancouver was 117% higher than Guadalajara. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 117% higher..... as in more than twice the cost of living in Vancouver? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHILLIN Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 Yes. But medical is free. Public education is free. Tax on a shack valued at 1.5 million is not free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakeside7 Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 1 minute ago, CHILLIN said: Yes. But medical is free. Public education is free. Tax on a shack valued at 1.5 million is not free. Where does" everyone "in Canada come up with this "free" business. So the people who work in the medical system do not get paid and meds grow on trees Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudgirl Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 15 minutes ago, lakeside7 said: Where does" everyone "in Canada come up with this "free" business. So the people who work in the medical system do not get paid and meds grow on trees You should educate yourself on how socialized medicine works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHILLIN Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 Because it feels like free. Taken out of tax collection in the middle of the night, by politicos wearing ninja black and wearing felt slippers. Canadians can't handle the truth that the biggest income earners and many corporations pay no tax at all. Just like the U.S.A. and offshore banking business. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Shrall Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 How did a question about health insurance turn into a conversation about the cost of living in Vancouver? Please start a new topic if you want to continue. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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