In Monday’s ‘Lectronic, we made a second-hand reference to an article about a health insurance plan in Mexico that’s available to Americans and is stunningly inexpensive yet comprehensive. We didn’t know where the article appeared but, fortunately, reader Bob Patton came to the rescue. The article by Chuck Hawley — not the former Singlehanded TransPac’er and West Marine honcho of the same name — appeared in the September 1 issue of USA Today. The first paragraph reads as follows:

"It sounds almost too good to be true: a health care plan with no limits, no deductibles, free medicines, tests, X-rays, eyeglasses, even dental work — for a flat fee of $250 or less a year."

If complete health and dental care for about $20 a month sounds interesting to you, visit http://www.banderasnews.com/0909/hb-mexhealthcare.htm.

John Skoriak of Sausalito writes that he’s familiar with the plan. It’s his understanding, however, that it requires Americans to have FM-3 residency status to qualify. Many cruisers get this status, rather than a typical tourist visa, for a variety of reasons. It takes about three weeks to get an FM-3, and requires some kind of address in Mexico. That shouldn’t be a problem, however.

According to Skoriak, "if Americans get the FM-3 residency visa, the coverage can be very good depending on where the resident is located and the facilities available in the area. A good working knowledge of Spanish would be very helpful as well, but not necessary. Some of the hospitals in Mexico are excellent, and the CIMA in Hermosillo is world class. The Naval Hospital in Guaymas is also said be to very good, but will only treat foreign residents for acute care and emergencies, not chronic care. They are reported to be world class for things like hip surgeries.

"The IMSS system in Mexico is a socialized medical system. IMSS stands for ‘Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social’, basically, Mexican ‘Social Security’. The federal government owns, manages and controls how the clinics and hospitals are run. Physicians — both primary care and specialists — are paid a set salary by the government. A government formula of meds is strictly adhered to, and the wait for care may be considerably longer than a private system, especially when one needs to see a specialist.

"Foreign residents are assigned a family doctor for everyday problems. For more complex health issues and doctor references to a specialist, it may take a week or more. It depends on the area.

"The coverage provides for all prescription medicines, x-rays, blood tests, urine tests, complete physicals and monthly check-ups as needed. There is no charge for any visits, services or medicines. The cost is about $200-300 a year depending on the resident’s age and other factors. After that, the individual is covered, and just needs to present a card for services or basic meds.

"There are many medical plans for foreign tourists in Mexico, or even long-term residents who do not get an FM-3 or FM-2 visa, but rather the normal FM-T six-month (renewable) tourist visa. These plans are very inexpensive compared to U.S. health plans and HMOs because the services in Mexico are so much less expensive. There is also ‘fee for service’ available at any hospital or clinic in Mexico, where the foreigner just pays for services rendered. Prices are a fraction of what they are in the U.S. Most areas in Mexico have a strong ‘Cruz Roja’ — Mexican Red Cross — presence, and even small villages generally have an ambulancia.

"Health Care in Mexico has improved considerably in the last 10 years, and foreigners visiting facilities in bigger towns and cities may see little difference between the treatment in Mexico and the treatment in U.S."
 
As we’ve said many times before, a thrifty cruiser can thrive in Mexico on what would be a poverty income in the United States. Much lower health care costs are just one of the reasons why. We’re not suggesting that life on a boat in Mexico would appeal to all, but it might to some.