BajaNomad

Why Seguro Popular is better than IMSS for a expat

EnsenadaDr - 6-16-2012 at 03:03 PM

IMHO, there is no comparison between the US and Mexican health care system. The US has more resources, newer equipment, and higher expectations of doctors on their medical boards. Which leads me to an interesting fact that I had just been talking about yesterday to someone. They brought again to my attention that IMSS has a sindicato or a union. In addition, the Seguro Popular health care facilities have much nicer facilities than IMSS. The reason is that because of the Union, the workers at IMSS get more of a cut of the money provided by the Mexican government, therefore less of the money goes to the patients and equipment. IMSS is known for the "great" pay...from what this person told me a nurse at IMSS gets paid $5000 every quincena, or every 15 days. Right now that amounts to less than $200 a week. Which is considered great pay for a nurse in Mexico. IMSS's faciities are run down, the equipment outdated, and are not kept as clean as they should be. In constrast, for example, Hospital General Ensenada (which is Seguro Popular) just got a brand new state of the art Mammogram machine, which cost them over $250,000 American. So who should benefit, the workers or the patients? It seems there is no regulation with a workers' union at IMSS.

chuckie - 6-16-2012 at 03:18 PM

This is good stuff..I will be a full timer, after I close out some property in July, and will enroll when I get back....Thanks

DavidE - 6-16-2012 at 03:58 PM

I'm about to offer some strange sounding advice to folks that live south of the border.

If you have USA health care or not, you might want to consider asking for an Rx for strong narcotic pain relievers "just in case". Fill the prescription in the states. Even though México manufactures a spectrum of narcotic pain medication, it is virtually impossible to obtain. For instance, with a 2nd and greater herniation of a lumbar disc, the for a badly broken arm that required a total of eight hours in surgery, the strongest pain reliever I found, after long, hard and thorough searching is called TYLEX. Simple codeine, with paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen north of the border. More effective was simple OTC Tramadol. But what I needed for almost a YEAR of recovery from the herniation was Oxycodone, and oral time release morphine. I was on a walker for six months, a crutch for six months and am now able to hobble around a bit. But I am still on Tramadol, Nimesulide, and Tylenol, full time. I am hording a pair of strong oxycodone tablets "just in case". A cortisone injection in the states proved to be ineffective. The neurosurgeon declared "Let's Operate" I replied "Let's say we did but not do it". Very strong pain relievers would have made my life bearable getting back to the states. BTW, the disc herniation seemingly was a hundred times more painful than the broken arm.

EnsenadaDr - 6-16-2012 at 05:40 PM

David, I want to say that this is EXCELLENT advice. I had 2 good friends come down here for Plastic Surgery and told them to ask their Drs. in the states for some pain killers. They don't give any pain medications except anti-inflammatories for pain, even after major surgery. I have seen them give Tafil, which is something like a strong muscle relaxer, but very infrequently. I have worked in all of the hospitals in Ensenada, and the only Dr. that I ever come in contact with that has the full gamut of narcotics and anti-anxiety medications is Dr. Esquer in Maneadero. He has a license for these medications, and I refer all of my chronic pain management patients to him, because Seguro Popular just has anti-inflammatories and Metamizol which works for about 90% of the patients, but the other 10% need to be referred elsewhere.

[Edited on 6-17-2012 by EnsenadaDr]

DavidE - 6-16-2012 at 06:12 PM

The sad part is the proveedores deny they carry narcotic analgesics and furthermore "there is no mechanism in place for them to secure opioid Rx medications". Mexico Sector Salud seems to classify such medications as "Schedule 1"

I had to purchase oral medications from an outside source (nearby farmácia), and those that are located near a hospital charge full retail price "Precio Maximo al Publico". Seguro Popular in La Paz would administer no medication that was not intravenous, even NSAIDS. A direct jolt of Ketorolaco on an empty stomach is a little hard to take. Really sad when a COX 2 inhibitor like Nimesulide was available at Farmacias Similares for 30 pesos for 10 tablets, worked better as an anti-inflammatory and did not try to destroy my gastric region. Sector Salud and COFEPRIS seems riddled with incompetence, and cronyism.

"No Cost Medical Care" for tourists can be explained best by the following:

"Medical personnel and facilities are required under federal law to treat a patient in need of emergency care until such time as they are stabilized".

After which the patient is required to obtain medical service on their own. If they have health care coverage, fine. If they do not, they are expected to prove they can pay for it while being treated. The no cost service is only for triage. This means a severely ill or injured patient can be discharged if the triage facility feels confident the patient can make it to a "for pay" medical facility. Of course some hospitals have triage and primary care combined.

Lee - 6-16-2012 at 06:17 PM

Es verdad, sad but true.

An accident ruptured a lumbar disc couple years back, Oxy I brought down helped, and MD in Cabo told me pain meds (narcotic) was not available. He offered a spinal but I passed.

BYOM's or you'll be sorry.

Pain control

EnsenadaDr - 6-16-2012 at 06:40 PM

There is quite a need for strong pain medications for people with chronic neurological problems such as ruptured discs, cancer patients, and post-op/fibromyalgia. Like I mentioned, this physician is the only one I have seen in all of the hospitals and clinics that writes medications freely for these strong pain and anti-anxiety medications. They need to be more accessible for everyone suffering from these conditions.
Quote:
Originally posted by Lee
Es verdad, sad but true.

An accident ruptured a lumbar disc couple years back, Oxy I brought down helped, and MD in Cabo told me pain meds (narcotic) was not available. He offered a spinal but I passed.

BYOM's or you'll be sorry.

Alm - 6-16-2012 at 07:53 PM

What about private hospitals - same red tape there?

DavidE - 6-16-2012 at 08:05 PM

EnsenadaDr.

First of all, thank you for all your excellent information and advice.

Would you happen to have a telephone number for Dr. Esquer in Ensenada, B.C.?

Debido a los matices de idioma prefiero hablar Inglés para exámenes médicos asuntos.

I am assuming he has access to schedule 1 medications? I do carry a Scripps hospital MRI on CD ROM so medical staff can verify my diagnosis if necessary. Also copies of USA Rx, and dispensed medication bottles.

Red Tape..

EnsenadaDr - 6-16-2012 at 08:16 PM

It appears that way as well. They are trained in Mexico to believe the only medications that are needed for pain are non-narcotics. I don't understand it at all.
Quote:
Originally posted by Alm
What about private hospitals - same red tape there?

Dr. Raymundo

EnsenadaDr - 6-16-2012 at 08:22 PM

Dr. Raymundo Esquer Uriarte
(646)154-0018
Quote:
Originally posted by DavidE
EnsenadaDr.

First of all, thank you for all your excellent information and advice.

Would you happen to have a telephone number for Dr. Esquer in Ensenada, B.C.?

Debido a los matices de idioma prefiero hablar Inglés para exámenes médicos asuntos.

I am assuming he has access to schedule 1 medications? I do carry a Scripps hospital MRI on CD ROM so medical staff can verify my diagnosis if necessary. Also copies of USA Rx, and dispensed medication bottles.

No Comparison?

MitchMan - 6-17-2012 at 03:21 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by EnsenadaDr
IMHO, there is no comparison between the US and Mexican health care system.

No Comparison, you say? My son starts medical school this August in a top ten USA medical shcool and he will have to go to med school for 4 years in order to get his MD diploma and wil have to be in residency for another 4 years before he gets his license to practice. It is my understanding that Mexican doctors only have to go to med school and get their MD diploma and can then get a license to practice medicine publicly without having to go through a residency. If I am right about that, I cannot see that there is "no comparison"?

Also, just spoke to my Mexican public accountant last week and he said that you can practice public accounting as a licensed public accountant in Mexico with only the 4 year accountant's college degree without having to pass a CPA exam and without doing the obligatory 2 year apprenticeship under a licensed CPA with specific audit experience as is the case in the United States.


Also, to engage in real estate as a broker in the USA you have to have a 4 year college diploma , take about 8 college level classes in real estate, and then pass a broker's exam to get the Real Estate broker's license in the USA. Or, take those 8 classes and then some and have two years experience as a real estate salesman under a licensed real estate broker and pas s the Brokers exam. In Mexico, there are no requirements at all to practice as a real estate broker...or real estate salesman for that matter.

I hope that I am wrong about all this. But, if I am right, the comparison doesn't match up.

[Edited on 6-17-2012 by MitchMan]

TMW - 6-17-2012 at 03:43 PM

MitchMan you need to read the rest of the paragraph you quoted from.

EnsenadaDr - 6-17-2012 at 03:44 PM

I was saying, that the US preparation was better. I guess you didn't understand what I was saying. You graduate 4 years from medical school in Mexico and then you have to do 2 years, 1 year Internship, the same as the US, and 1 year Social Service which would be equivalent to the second year of residency in the United States. Then most Mexican Doctors go on to do 2 or 3 years of specialty, depending on what you want to do...family medicine is 2 years and surgery is 3 years in Mexico. I believe that the US system is preparing doctors better in the US...I had a girlfriend that took a 6 month course in the US and she got a real estate license.

Pescador - 6-18-2012 at 07:52 AM

The issue you originally raised is Seguros Popular in comparison to IMSS. I would agree that you will probably get the better hospital by going to the General Hospital but we do not need to go to far back to remember Ron Hoff's experiences and coverage when he and his wife were injured. They did a pretty good job of taking care of her, but he ended up in a private hospital for care. In Mexico, the private care system is where most of the better medicine is practiced and the doctors and facilities are good enough that they can command private payment. The exception to that rule are some of the hospitals and clinics in Cabo that have been fraught with medical malpractice for years.
The big challenge is that I see expats getting coverage with Seguros Popular and then watching them assume that they have coverage that is somehow comparable with coverage they might have had in the United States. It may be adequate for emergency, clinic, and some general treatments, but it must be remembered that it is offered to everyone who applies so the services and medications are going to be stretched thin.

DavidE - 6-18-2012 at 08:26 AM

I would to have gone to Monterrey, Guadalajara, or México, to get as good a surgeon as what I had to have for my wrist. The surgeon in La Paz guessed the process would have cost three hundred thousand pesos, including rehab. Most expats IMHO with MediCare would be financially better off going back to the states for a "biggie".

durrelllrobert - 6-18-2012 at 10:16 AM

When I broke my arm 4 years ago I went to the Military Hospital here in Ensenada and the total cost including rehab was only around $600 US but I understand that they no longer treat gringos.

Alm - 6-18-2012 at 11:22 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DavidEMost expats IMHO with MediCare would be financially better off going back to the states for a "biggie".

Yes. The only advantage of programs like SP is the near proximity to a half-decent public hospital when you don't have much time (and don't have any insurance, otherwise private hospital is better). Not to everybody it's "near", though. Anything that can wait, is better be done North of the border.

Private Hospital

EnsenadaDr - 6-18-2012 at 11:22 AM

I was told by an inside source that Ron Hoff had insurance because he was employed by the Mexican government. I don't know if this is true or not true but the source was a very honest person and was there when all this was going on, and if you know anything about private hospitals in Mexico, unless payment is guaranteed they will not accept you in the first place. I am totally in agreement with you, Pescador. If I had any serious injury or illness I would go to the US for treatment if possible but Seguro Popular is an option if you don't want $20,000 American deducted from your credit card immediately at a Private Mexican Hospital for a serious illness.
Quote:
Originally posted by Pescador
The issue you originally raised is Seguros Popular in comparison to IMSS. I would agree that you will probably get the better hospital by going to the General Hospital but we do not need to go to far back to remember Ron Hoff's experiences and coverage when he and his wife were injured. They did a pretty good job of taking care of her, but he ended up in a private hospital for care. In Mexico, the private care system is where most of the better medicine is practiced and the doctors and facilities are good enough that they can command private payment. The exception to that rule are some of the hospitals and clinics in Cabo that have been fraught with medical malpractice for years.
The big challenge is that I see expats getting coverage with Seguros Popular and then watching them assume that they have coverage that is somehow comparable with coverage they might have had in the United States. It may be adequate for emergency, clinic, and some general treatments, but it must be remembered that it is offered to everyone who applies so the services and medications are going to be stretched thin.

Military Hospital

EnsenadaDr - 6-18-2012 at 11:25 AM

Bob as you know I did my internship there, they will set a broken arm but as far as admitting you for a serious illness they do their best to put you in another facility or if you are American, they encourage you to go to the States.
Quote:
Originally posted by durrelllrobert
When I broke my arm 4 years ago I went to the Military Hospital here in Ensenada and the total cost including rehab was only around $600 US but I understand that they no longer treat gringos.

Alm - 6-18-2012 at 12:38 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by EnsenadaDr
...as far as admitting you for a serious illness they {public hospital} do their best to put you in another facility or if you are American, they encourage you to go to the States.

... and they are right :)
They know their limitations. I would rather be charged $$$ deposit in private hospital (which will be reimbursed less deductible) and get a proper treatment without delay, than be transferred to another facility in Mx or US after several hours delay.

Getting reimbursed...a sure guarantee???

EnsenadaDr - 6-18-2012 at 12:52 PM

And so do you know for a fact that you will get your money reimbursed and from whom...and how long do you have to wait, or is this not an issue??
Quote:
Originally posted by Alm
Quote:
Originally posted by EnsenadaDr
...as far as admitting you for a serious illness they {public hospital} do their best to put you in another facility or if you are American, they encourage you to go to the States.

... and they are right :)
They know their limitations. I would rather be charged $$$ deposit in private hospital (which will be reimbursed less deductible) and get a proper treatment without delay, than be transferred to another facility in Mx or US after several hours delay.

DavidE - 6-18-2012 at 03:42 PM

Personal Experience Spring 2011

Taken by ambulance from Tijuana to the border crossing. Customs took less than 10 seconds to ask me if I was a citizen, then I was transported by another (US) ambulance from the border to Scripps, Chula Vista. There was absolutely no wait at the border. CBP had the gate open and I was on my way north, fast.

Thought I'd post this as I haven't seen an account of what actually happens.

Had an afib episode and Cruz Roja ambulance team had me on a cardiac monitor, and then I started to feel worse, something showed on their monitor, and off we went. Absolute 5-star professionalism and expertise by Tijuana Cruz Roja!

Why Seguro Popular is better than IMSS for a expat

prorader - 6-19-2012 at 05:50 PM

Mexican private hospitals are like big vacumn cleaners, they are like flies on peanut butter and they want there money up front and now. In my experence the same doctor with his hand out in the private hospital is the same doctor at the public hospital the difference in the public hospital he doesn't have his hand out and more concerned about medicine then profits. Now a lot of doctors use expensive private labs that have very expensive operating rooms instead of hospitals to operate on people. The tactic with SP is the public hospital has most of the equipment that you need but hidden and they want to selective use them. They want you to go outside the public hospital to a private lab to have your tests done and of course you pay, so SP in not always free. The big public hospital in Guadalajara has, labs, mri, catscan, ultrasound all on a part of the hospital where patients can't go, the 6th floor Internal Medicine department, I got to go there and it is as professional as any private hospital, BUT it is a secret to be used?

I have had at least 4 high priced Mexican Doctors in the public SP system and they do there job as they should for free, and they do it very well, the problem with the new system is saturation, lack of medication, and I mean the real medication like codine, or any Psyco drugs. I was in so much pain I told my wife to go down to the corner from the hospital and buy the chit on the street. I kept everyone awake all night long, 10 shots of what ever they had, getting shot with an AK 47 was a cake walk comparied to the pain I had from the operation, but it was free

What is going to happen to the sergeo popular program when Calderon is gone? I still say IMSS is done

Alm - 6-19-2012 at 06:04 PM

Cruz Roja will work when it comes to it. But how long will it take to process you only to realize that they don't have resources? What if this is late evening or a holiday? Wouldn't you think that private hospital, even if they won't be able to help, at least will go through all the steps faster than under-stuffed and under-paid public hospital.

Would the insurer reimburse? Who knows... If this is something serious, then they will (using to their advantage all the deductions and limits and "reasonable cost" clauses, naturally). If it's not, then I'll go home next morning after paying for one day of services, can't be too much by Mexican prices.

Sorry for deviation - the subject was SG vs IMSS. Either one sucks, IMO. Private insurance sucks too.

Pescador - 6-19-2012 at 07:22 PM

It was a very honorable thing that the Mexican President and Congress tried to do in terms of providing some level of coverage for all residents, but the reality is that it is impossible to provide good coverage for every resident unless they pay a large percentage of the costs. Europe and Canada are going through the same problem with only slightly different results. The good news is that by talking about the coverage, perhaps more people will understand that they are going to have some real gaps in coverage and treatment.
One thing that has been misunderstood is the coverage by a US policy while in Mexico. Almost all policies that I ever wrote all had an "Emergency Care Provision" and it simply states that you are covered anywhere in the world on an emergency basis. This means that any life threatening situation will be covered by your insurance and will be reimbursed to you at "Reasonable and Customary" basis. Since Medical costs are lower in Mexico, it has been my experience that they are happy to reimburse you for any expenses that are covered by the emergency care provision but will not pay directly to the hospital and medical people because they have no means to even make that happen. All you need is good receipts and a detailed description of what was done.
I know it goes against everyone's grain, but you can find out all of these things by a simple reading of your policy.

prorader - 6-19-2012 at 07:24 PM

Cruz Roja is the primo medical emergency system, they do what needs to be done and at little or no cost to you. I would say that they are equal to any emergency system in the US. In fact most emergency systems in the US take you to the local emergency room. In most areas Cruz Rajo has there own emergency room or if critical to the nearest hospital

prorader - 6-19-2012 at 07:27 PM

It sounds like Pescador works for a medical Insurance company?

Pescador - 6-20-2012 at 06:49 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by prorader
It sounds like Pescador works for a medical Insurance company?


No, actually I had an agency that focused on Health Insurance but never chose to ally with only one company because the needs of my clients came first. So I was an independent agent with a large, satisfied clientele. If you had an experience that was different than that, I am sorry that you were unable to find an agent that put your needs first.

prorader - 6-20-2012 at 10:52 AM

Pescador, wasn't to come out negative, sorry. Think about a few things. The Doctors in the US Army, train on a regualr basis at public Hospital emergency rooms. Why? That is where all the action is, guns, knives, beatings, traffic accidents and a lot of them, that being said a lot of private Hospitals in Mexico arn't giant hospitals most are small and basic service is for the people that have money. The people that have money don't always get in gun fights, knife attacks, beatings, they are more inclined to have a heart attack or kidney stones. The same goes with ER nurses and medics, intense training real word stuff every day. As far as Cruz Roja, I consider them to be one of the best in the world, they saved my son's life when he was run down by a Chapala bus and left in the middle of the highway to die. The took fantastic care of me in 2 different traffic accidents, and 3 other times with other medical issues. I have never been asked to pay 1 peso, but I do support them. There Paramedics and EMT's are professional and well trained. When these folks get the call they go balls to the wall to get to you no matter what. Thanks Cruz Roja. So the public Hospital Emergence Room may be the best place to go. They are saturated yes but poor people have no other place to go the same as in the US, if you have a cold and no money you go to the Emergency Room. The public Hospital uses the Triage system and if you show up in bad shape you go to the front of the line as in any other. Mexico is working towards a middle class country that will mean better medical care. I think La Paz just opened a brand new state of the art Public Hospital.

Pescador - 6-20-2012 at 01:12 PM

Okay, some posted here that they received Seguro Popular for no cost and the thread started with Ensenada Dra. indicating it was a free coverage. So I spent the morning and met with the local director of Seguro Popular in Santa Rosalia. He is a delightful gentlemen and I raised the question about the discrepancy with rates that I was told on this thread. Well, to say the least, that got him going at about 100 Kilometers Per Hora and he had a great time telling me that there is a sliding scale, (which was what I understood from the year before) and he reiterated how the breakdown happens. Those Norteamericanos who are getting it for free either gave the wrong information at application or found a lazy intake specialist who did not bother to try to ask the questions. When you are signed up as a Contributiva it means you have a car,or a house, and/or lights. If you said you had none of those things then conceivably you could qualify for free. He indicated that as soon as someone gives an address of El Rancho, they are immediately non-contributiva. He had his facts together and knew what Medicare part A and B cost and knew a little about supplements, so he thought it really Codo (means cheap in Spanish) and un Mentira that someone needed to come in under the wire and end up taking money from those it was intended to help. This years fee for a Contributiva is $1037.40 MN. for the annual fee.

[Edited on 6-20-2012 by Pescador]

prorader - 6-20-2012 at 01:55 PM

I must have forgot to tell you that my wife is Mexican and when we registered we lived on the Rancho, and I am 65 and do not own a house.

prorader - 6-20-2012 at 02:13 PM

Please tell me that there isn't any Mexicans abusing the program. That is saying cops don't take bribes. Calderon says it is for anyone living in Mexico, anyone. Codo (means cheap in Spanish) and un Mentira that someone needed to come in under the wire and end up taking money from those it was intended to help. "This years fee for a Contributiva is $1037.40 MN. for the annual fee." What he isn't saying is the rules change from office to office and state to state, you are making a blanket statement based on the guy that lives here not where I live, come on this is Mexico. They are signing anyone and everone up for this program and they don't care. So you are now the poster child for a Mexican program, this is politics so, I forgot to mention the law about messing in Mexican affairs. It isn't your business
Of course you took his word and didn't see it in writing? That makes your statments as rumor, quote the facts not your hearing what someone said. and again this is a Federal Mexican program not your business.

DavidE - 6-20-2012 at 02:17 PM

First a question for EnsenadaDr, if I may...
The IMSS primer grado hospitals like the one in Mexicali, or Hermosillo are impressive as all get out. Cat Scans, MRI's, tropical disease specialists, rheumatologists, neuro surgeons. The whole ball of wax. But there's a catch. The catch is to access a level of care like that, one has to be passed through the systems and be upgraded to the "next level of care" which may start at a periferico, graduate to a 2nd class hospital, then on to services from migrating primer specialist, and then finally to the top of the heap. Is the process as lengthy and complicated as I would think it to be?

Secondly, if you are hospitalized in Seguro Popular sans insurance coverage, and whatever treatment or operation is being delayed by reason of no fault of your own, you should immediately contact the administrative billing department in the hospital and explain that your continued hospitalization is costing a lot of money and the bill is rising through no fault of your own. Examples, waiting day after day to see a specialist, or have an operation. The difference in the final bill may add up to be hundreds of dollars. However if you are being kept for observation, or recuperation your stay is legitimate and must be honored with payment.

Seguro Popular does indeed bill by the merit system as noted so clearly above. Thank god for that.

EnsenadaDr - 6-20-2012 at 02:19 PM

Seguro Popular is FREE...I will check again with the main government office in Ensenada tomorrow as I have a meeting there...and if they say it is I will tell them something is rotten in Santa Rosalia.

DavidE - 6-20-2012 at 02:28 PM

Yo no tenía seguro el Seguro Popular, mientras estaba hospitalizado en La Paz. He pagado un total de quince mil pesos.

prorader - 6-20-2012 at 02:43 PM

You are talking about going to a public Hospital 2 or 3 years ago, which was run by the social workers, they came to your bed and ask all of these questions then you and they negoitated what the fee was going to be. I did that. When segero popular came into effect they took over all of the free clinics, and the public hospital system. I wish to say your care is free and covered, but what in fact happens if you need and mri, catscan, blood tests they will try to get you to go outside of the hospital to a private lab, which you will pay. The rule that I am under is my wife is Mexican, I have SS, do not work, do not own a house, do not own a car. The person made a statement about not having LIGHTS, come on you don't know squat. You are passing hearsay information, not facts.

You met someone someplace so you say, you are discussing facts without quotes, without identifing who you are talking about and not naming this person you are "Quoting", again you are involving yourself into Mexican policy and you are not giving facts under any rule. It is call Rumor, or Hearsay, or BS

Your Quote "So I spent the morning and met with the local director of Seguro Popular in Santa Rosalia". Santa Rosalia is a small town with about 12000 people so you met with the Director, if you have ever been to any clinic under this program there is no such thing as a Director, I would say from my experence in 3 different towns of that size, there is 1 Doctor and 2 Nurses, NO Director, so what you are quoting is probably a public service Doctor, who has an opinion, your a big member of this board and you went to a little town in Mexico to get the true facts, shame on you.

[Edited on 6-20-2012 by prorader]

[Edited on 6-20-2012 by prorader]

Pescador - 6-20-2012 at 09:03 PM

Quote:


You met someone someplace so you say, you are discussing facts without quotes, without identifing who you are talking about and not naming this person you are "Quoting", again you are involving yourself into Mexican policy and you are not giving facts under any rule. It is call Rumor, or Hearsay, or BS

Your Quote "So I spent the morning and met with the local director of Seguro Popular in Santa Rosalia". Santa Rosalia is a small town with about 12000 people so you met with the Director, if you have ever been to any clinic under this program there is no such thing as a Director, I would say from my experence in 3 different towns of that size, there is 1 Doctor and 2 Nurses, NO Director, so what you are quoting is probably a public service Doctor, who has an opinion, your a big member of this board and you went to a little town in Mexico to get the true facts, shame on you.

[Edited on 6-20-2012 by prorader]

[Edited on 6-20-2012 by prorader]


First of all, we have an office which is recognized for the area of the municipality of Mulege, which is a much larger area than you are admitting and I did meet with the local director of Seguro Popular. Now things may be different in other areas, but I doubt it since I am now going to quote the website. Hope that works for you.













Cuotas familiares




Miércoles, 08 de Julio de 2009 16:33





El Sistema de Protección Social en Salud busca que las familias paguen una cuota de afiliación de acuerdo a su condición socio-económica. Los Módulos de Afiliación y Orientación (MAO) realizan la evaluación de cada familia que solicita su registro y determinan la cuota familiar que debe cubrirse o si por su condición socioeconómica ingresan al régimen no contributivo.

Las cuotas familiares del Sistema de Protección Social en Salud publicadas el 15 de febrero de 2011 en el Diario Oficial de la Federación (DOF), que se mantienen vigentes para el ejercicio fiscal de 2011 son las siguientes:



CUOTAS VIGENTES



Decil de Ingreso

Cuota anual familiar (en pesos)



I

0.00



II

0.00



III

0.00



IV

0.00



V

2,074.97



VI

2,833.56



VII

3,647.93



VIII

5,650.38



IX

7,518.97



X

11,378.86


Dentro del régimen no contributivo se consideran las siguientes familias:
•Familias que se ubiquen en los niveles más bajos de ingresos, deciles I y II, y aquellas hasta los deciles III y IV de la distribución de ingresos
•Familias beneficiarias de algunos de los programas de combate a la pobreza extrema del Gobierno Federal (por ejemplo, Programa Oportunidades).

Las personas mayores de 18 años que se afilien de manera individual aportarán el equivalente al 50% del monto de la cuota familiar que corresponda al decil de ingresos en que se ubique.

Now, if we look under section 5, which was my level of contribituva, the fee for a family is 2074.97 MN according to the official Government Website, Being single, I get coverage for half price which is $1037.40 MN.

So this is not a political manuevering as you suggest, but I am a consumer and had a logical question about why the difference in rates. If you happened to qualify for a section 4 or less, great, for you. I am happy to pay the $1037.40 MN and think it is a bargain.

[Edited on 6-21-2012 by Pescador]

Pescador - 6-20-2012 at 09:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by EnsenadaDr
Seguro Popular is FREE...I will check again with the main government office in Ensenada tomorrow as I have a meeting there...and if they say it is I will tell them something is rotten in Santa Rosalia.


I think if you check the website, you will see a different story.

http://www.seguro-popular.gob.mx/

Alm - 6-21-2012 at 12:48 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Pescador
we have an office which is recognized for the area of the municipality of Mulege, which is a much larger area

Pardon me deviating... Is there a real hospital at all in this joint area of St Rosa / Mulege?

prorader - 6-21-2012 at 06:08 AM

I see what you are saying but for the most people in Mexico 1 through 4 it is free. In my case My wife is Mexican that makes her the head of the family, we do not own property nor a car
1 of the big false hood is that you are an American, you are rich. The truth, is a lot of Americans just meet the requirement to have an FM3, that is why they live in Mexico that can't afford to live in the US and that is me

[Edited on 6-21-2012 by prorader]

Pescador - 6-21-2012 at 12:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Alm
Quote:
Originally posted by Pescador
we have an office which is recognized for the area of the municipality of Mulege, which is a much larger area

Pardon me deviating... Is there a real hospital at all in this joint area of St Rosa / Mulege?


Well, it depends on how you classify a "real Hospital" . Actually the Santa Rosalia hospital is a real hospital and probably has the most services of anything from G. Negro to Consititucion. Last year there was a person hired to try to get some of the things straightened out in the operation and function of the hospital. I was one of the members of the outside group charged with trying to bring some improvement. We did manage some great equipment from Doctors Without Borders, and got a lot of private donations for things like sheets, bedding, etc., and some much needed medical equipment. We had to come up with some creative methods for tracking equipment as things had a way of ending up in La Paz for the new hospital, but by setting up an annual audit, we think it is going pretty smoothly.
What they lack in equipment, they more than make up for with human services and caring and the whole staff is nothing short of amazing in terms of what they can accomplish with so little.

prorader - 6-21-2012 at 05:28 PM

I would think that would be a political issue? How is the public hospital in Ensenada? 6 person wards are okay, clean but not modern is okay, professional staff is good, supported by local professional Doctors is great. food what? we all need to lose weight, the last time for me I lost 13 kilos. The bad is my wife slept on the floor for 20 days, UGLY.
I do not understand your part in fixing or improving a public hospital in Mexico, that would be a public issue? see or no? You not being Mexican by law can't be involved in any political issue, and I would think public health care would be a Mexican issue? It is good if I am wrong but?

[Edited on 6-22-2012 by prorader]