Another Reason to Choose Mexico: Quality, Affordable Health Care May 8, 2008 Campeche, Mexico Hola Mexico Enthusiasts! How would you like to pay only $300 a year or less for full-coverage health insurance—including your prescription medicines? Sounds incredible, doesn’t it? If you’re worried about the rising cost of U.S. health care and health insurance (not to mention other rising costs—and a falling dollar), then I have good news for you. In Mexico you’ll find one of the best health care deals for expats in all of Latin America. It’s Mexico’s national health care system, IMSS (Instituto Mexicano de Seguridad Social, or Mexican Social Security Institute). IMSS covers everything from doctor’s visits for the cold and flu up to major procedures like heart surgery and joint replacement. You can have your heart monitored, your cholesterol checked, and a broken bone set. It’s all covered. And on your way out of the doctor’s clinic or the hospital, you can stop by the pharmacy to fill your prescriptions—free of charge. IMSS is the medical system for all tax-paying Mexicans in the private sector, literally serving millions of people. As a result, IMSS has hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies scattered all over Mexico—so you’re never very far from an IMSS facility. You can’t beat the price—IMSS coverage costs from about $100 up to $300 a year per person, depending on your age—since it’s designed for Mexican citizens. But any expat with a residence visa for Mexico can get IMSS coverage—you just need to go to your nearest IMSS office and sign up. (True, expats have to pay the entire year’s premium upfront—but that total will probably cost you less than your plane ticket to Mexico.) And it gets even better…You can sign up for IMSS at any age. This is a huge advantage over private health insurers, which usually won’t open a new health insurance policy for anyone over 64. Some expats living in Mexico full-time use IMSS as their sole medical plan, getting rid of expensive U.S. policies. But at this price, it’s also a great option for those with second homes in Mexico who only spend part of the year there—U.S. and Canadian health care plans don’t tend to cover treatment in Mexico, so IMSS nicely covers that gap. IMSS is just another reason why Mexico is International Living’s #1 retirement destination… So the next time you pay your U.S.-style health insurance premium, think about paying a mere $300 a year in Mexico….less than $1 a day. It will make you look at that expensive morning latte in a whole new light. If you’re not a subscriber to Mexico Insider, you can become one here: Mexico Insider Best Regards, Glynna Prentice Editor, Mexico Insider International Living (c) Copyright 2008, International Living. All Rights Reserved.