Why Is Health Care Less Expensive in Mexico?

The main drive for Americans who get their health care in Mexico is the lower price, right?

As usual, social phenomena is more complex that it seems. Yes, the prices are lower, but the quality isn't. Otherwise, Americans would have stopped coming years ago.

As to why Mexican health care is less expensive, despite what many people think, it's not just the lower labor costs and lower cost of living. There are several factors involved, and most of them have to do with medical practices.

For example, in Mexico, you are the keeper of your records. It is up to you to bring your medical history and all relevant documents with you, which means less work and less need for staff for the doctor.

Another one is that doctors in Mexico don't need as much malpractice insurance as American doctors. Thus they don't have an incentive to ask for lots of tests just to protect themselves. A Mexican doctor will ask for an x-ray only if he needs it for diagnosis or evaluation purposes. He will not ask for one "just in case."

Moreover, x-rays and other tests are frequently done at independent laboratories. So a doctor doesn't have a financial incentive to order an unnecessary x-ray, since it's the lab and not the doctor who will benefit from it.

Lastly, doctors typically own their practices. Since they do have an incentive to keep their costs down, they don't need to invest in expensive equipment that is available at the laboratory anyway. They are not the object of visits from pharmaceutical agents (pharmacy chains and government offices are), and since they don't deal with such sales agents, malpractice insurance salespeople, or record keeping in the same degree that their American counterparts do, they are able to keep their costs reasonable.

This is also the reason why they are able to spend more time with patients than their American counterparts, which is another reason why many Americans like to get their health care in Mexico.

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Robert Ervin is a freelancer who writes about healthcare, medical tourism, and living in Mexico.

If you're considering traveling to Mexico for healthcare or retiring in Mexico, you may want to get yourself a copy of The English's Speaker's Guide to Doctors and Hospitals in Mexico, in order to find a good doctor or hospital in the main towns and cities of Mexico, or The English Speaker's Guide to Medical Care in Mexico, to understand how the Mexican healthcare system works. 

Weight Loss Surgery: How It Works

Don't worry, your doctor will explain them to you.

One of the most common reasons medical turists come to Mexico is to get weight loss surgery, also called bariatric surgery. As usual, the lower prices are the main drive, but another reason is that the quality of the service is comparable to the service in the US. Moreover, since bariatric surgery is typically not covered by health insurance, it is sometimes not an option for Americans to afford it at home.

There are several types of bariatric surgery, but they all work with the same principle. The surgery reduces the size of your stomach. This means that you will need less food to feel satisfied or full. The surgery avoids the sensation of feeling hungry for longer, and thus the reduction of food intake, which over long periods of time, causes to lose weight.

The surgeon typically uses one of three methods. It constricts stomach with a band, makes the stomach thinner or tubular, or connects the intestine to the upper part of the body. All three methods involve some surgical cutting of the stomach. And obviously, theses procedures are more complex than that and they're not the only ones.

In order to prepare for bariatric surgery, there are certain conditions and requirements you have to meet.

You must be in general good health.
You need to be within a weight range.
You need to follow a certain diet for a certain period of time before and after the surgery.
You preferably need to be over 18 years old.
You must not have a health condition that prevents you from having bariatric surgery.
You may need to stop smoking and drinking for a period of time before and after the surgery.
You must be psychologically ready to have a surgery that will affect your image (even if it's in a positive weight).
Most importantly, you must have followed traditional weight losing methods, such as diet and exercise for a long time with no results.

You should expect to recover for at least 2 weeks before going back to work, although you may go back home if you don't have to drive and if the doctor authorizes it.

As with any type of surgery, you should always consult with your doctor and inform yourself of the details of the procedure and the risks involved.

On another note, aside from bariatric surgery, another procedure that is typically not covered by insurance is implants. And like bariatric surgery, many Americans come to Mexico to obtain them. You can read more about them here.

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Robert Ervin is a freelancer who writes about healthcare, medical tourism, and living in Mexico.

If you're considering traveling to Mexico for healthcare or retiring in Mexico, you may want to get yourself a copy of The English's Speaker's Guide to Doctors and Hospitals in Mexico, in order to find a good doctor or hospital in the main towns and cities of Mexico, or The English Speaker's Guide to Medical Care in Mexico, to understand how the Mexican healthcare system works. 

Even with Obamacare, Americans Are Still Going to Mexico to get Healthcare

Regardless of whether you're in favor or against the Affordable Health Care Act, many Americans are signing up for it, but that hasn't stopped several of them to continue going to Mexico for health care.

Despite the increase of people under health coverage, many Americans, mostly from California, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico continue to travel to Mexican cities along the border for health care. However, while those areas receive the bigger influx of patients, some Americans from as far as New York and Washington are flying to central Mexico to get more complex treatments, like surgery (both needed and cosmetic).

Steven Wallance, associate director of the UCLA Center, may have the explanation: "Even with insurance, it can sometimes be cheaper in Mexico." Although more Americans have health insurance now, they save it for emergencies and continue to go to Mexico for regular health care.

Other patients claim that the lower prices are not the only reason. Irma Montalvo, from California, signed up for insurance, but she still prefers to go to Mexico, 16 miles south of her home in Chula Vista. "I can't use my insurance outside of California, but seeing my doctor costs me only $15 dollars and I don't have to worry about deductibles. But most importantly, she makes me feel comfortable."

This experience reflects an aspect of Mexican health care that many Americans appreciate: doctors spending time with their patients and, in the opinion of some, making them feel like people.

"She (the doctor) listens to me," says Montalvo, "I come here feeling really bad and three days later, I am better."

Xochitl Castaneda, director of the health initiative of the Americas at U.C. Berkeley's School of Public Health, expresses it in another way. "Mexican clinics offer something not always found in the U.S., quality (of service) and warmth. When you are sick, you need medical support. You also need emotional support. That is something that Mexican physicians give."

Another cultural difference that Americans are often surprised of is that most Mexican doctors give their patients their personal numbers and they answer them.

But what do you think about the Affordable Health Care Act and the influx of American patients in Mexico? Tell us your opinion in the comments. Alternatively, you can read about how safe Mexico is here or about the experience of an American woman who decided to retire in Mexico here.

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Robert Ervin is a freelancer who writes about healthcare, medical tourism, and living in Mexico.

If you're considering traveling to Mexico for healthcare or retiring in Mexico, you may want to get yourself a copy of The English's Speaker's Guide to Doctors and Hospitals in Mexico, in order to find a good doctor or hospital in the main towns and cities of Mexico, or The English Speaker's Guide to Medical Care in Mexico, to understand how the Mexican healthcare system works. 

How High Is Your Fever... Abroad?

To be fair, the metric system is more efficient

Recently, a friend of mine went to a doctor in Mexico. While she was being examined she explained that the night before, her fever was 101 degrees. The doctor looked shocked, then a bit puzzled. Finally he asked her, "How much is that in Centigrade?"

Fortunately, it was no big deal, but if you're dealing with an emergency you are not going to want to spend precious time "translating" numbers. So, here's a quick guide for you. You can memorize the numbers that apply to you or print the guide and carry it in your purse or wallet

Weight: The rule for a good approximation is 1 pound equals 1/2 kilogram. But if you need more exact information, here are some quick equivalences.

Pounds           Kilograms
100                 45.36
110                 49.85
120                 54.43
130                 58.97
140                 63.50
150                 68.39
160                 72.57
170                 77.11
180                 81.64
190                 86.18
200                 90.71
210                 95.25
220                 99.79
230                 104.32
240                 108.86
250                 113.40
260                 117.93
270                 122.47

Height

Feet and inches            Meters
5'                                 1.52
5'4"                              1.62
5'8"                              1.72                             
6'                                 1.93
6'8"                              2.03

Temperature: Here is the range for detecting a fever.

Fahrenheit                   Celcius
98.6                             37
99                                37.22
99.5                             37.5
100                              37.78
100.5                           38.06
101                              38.33
101.5                           38.61
102                              38.89
102.5                           39.17
103                              39.44
103.5                           39.72
104                              40

When living abroad, it's best to understand the metric system, since most of the world uses it. Remember, it's you who has to adapt to the local culture, not the other way around.

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Robert Ervin is a freelancer who writes about healthcare, medical tourism, and living in Mexico.

If you're considering traveling to Mexico for healthcare or retiring in Mexico, you may want to get yourself a copy of The English's Speaker's Guide to Doctors and Hospitals in Mexico, in order to find a good doctor or hospital in the main towns and cities of Mexico, or The English Speaker's Guide to Medical Care in Mexico, to understand how the Mexican healthcare system works.