Do you have a Mexico medical plan?

 

Did you just arrive in Mexico? Have you taken the plunge and are living here full time now?  Are you just visiting for the winters to escape the cold?  Are you planning on spending more and more time here?

 

We have to be realistic.

 

I know that none of us are planning on getting ill while in Mexico or for that matter, ever.  We need to realistic.  Accidents happen.  Illness happens.  Let’s make a plan for any unfortunate health issues that may occur in our future. Let’s take care of ourselves.

Don’t wait until you are having health issues to seek medical attention.  That puts you in a position where you don’t have a lot of time to find a healthcare provider.

 

How do you put together a health care plan in Mexico?

 

Start by choosing a hospital.  Go and visit your hospital options.  Get a feel for what would work best for you.  Do you like the facility?  Do you feel comfortable there?  Is it close enough to your home base in case of an emergency? Do they have an ambulance?  How much will that ambulance cost?  How long will it take?

 

Next step would be to choose your health care providers.  If your health care provider is under the same roof as the hospital you have chosen, even better.  It isn’t necessary but if their office is under the same roof as your hospital, and you are to be admitted, they will be close to you and you will get better attention.

 

I would also choose a lab to work with.  Is it close to me?  Do they have good facilities? How are their prices? Is there parking available?  Do they speak a bit of English?  Do they understand my Spanish?

Your lab doesn’t necessarily need to be under the same roof as your hospital or doctor’s offices.  They can share the results through email.  I just find it easiest to keep all my health care under one, two or three roofs.

 

I like to feel comfortable that in the event of illness or an emergency, I am not taken to a place where I don’t know the layout, nurses, receptionists, doctors etc.

 

It is scary enough to not be well.  I want to bring down my anxiety with having my medical plan in place.  I want to know the doctors who are caring for me.  I want to have a plan laid out to help bring my stress level down.  I want to feel confident in the care I will receive.

 

If you choose a medical facility and you decide to change that down the road, that’s fine.  If you begin working with one cardiologist, and choose to change doctors down the road, that’s fine.  I just think it’s important to get started and to begin understanding the medical system and how it works in Mexico.

 

The medical system in Mexico is a “for profit” system.  They are there to make money.  This is a business, and we have to look at it as such.

 

The doctors make money from consultations, medical procedures, surgeries etc.

 

The hospitals make their money from the doctors who pay rent, from surgeries/ procedures, and from your medical emergency/ getting admitted.

 

The doctors and hospitals are excellent in most cases but, they are running a business.  The faster we see this as it is, the easier it is to understand “why” it costs so much if we arrive at the hospital in a medical emergency without a plan mapped out, as a “tourist”.

 

It doesn’t matter that you live in Mexico 4 months a year or full-time.  If you are not registered as a “local”, you will be treated as a tourist.  Tourists pay more at Mexican hospitals.  I am not making this up.  This is the reality.

 

Mexico Medical Members MMM has agreements in place with local hospitals and providers throughout the Riviera Maya. These providers and doctors have agreed to treat MMM clients as “local patients” and not as “tourists”.

 

Our network is growing each month.  We are adding more specialists to our MMM group.  Check back often to see our latest additions for MMM Members.

 

I know that it’s hard to take a day to visit local hospitals when the sun is shining and there are so many more fun things to do. I also know that you will feel relieved having mapped out a medical plan/ emergency plan.  It will make those sunny days even sunnier.

 

Take care of YOU.
Your MMM Team.