BajaNomad

OK, now I've done it, I have Seguro Popular///Follow up

Howard - 1-9-2015 at 05:11 PM

NOW WHAT? What does it all mean? I got the meaning of life but not what this covers. :biggrin:

I applied and apparently have been accepted because I now have a piece of paper with an expiration of April 30th of this year. The nurse was not there to take my weight, height and blood pressure so I could not get a 3 year policy until I go back in February to complete the paperwork but apparently have whatever it is now.

OK, what does this all mean? Anyone have first hand experience with this?

[Edited on 3-2-2015 by Howard]

Katiejay99 - 1-9-2015 at 06:10 PM

I have Seguro Popular as well. I actually got both knees replaced in 2015, was in the emergency room with kidney stones and had my mammogram. Cost = $0.00

If you are in La Paz then you just go to Hospital Salvatierra with your paperwork and they will see you there. Your meds are free as long as they have them in stock. I have not been charged for any doctors appointment, xray or anything. Because I live in Todos Santos, I had to go to the clinic here and see the doctor to get a referral to a specialist at Hosp. Salvatierra.

If you don't speak Spanish, bring someone with you who does.

If you are outside of La Paz, I am not sure where you go.
Here is a list of what they cover (in Spanish)

http://seguropopular.saludsonora.gob.mx/atencionmedica.shtml

Mula - 1-9-2015 at 07:09 PM

We love having Seguro Poplar - from here in Lopez Mateos.

BajaBlanca - 1-9-2015 at 07:10 PM

Looks like Howard lives in Loreto so he is good to go! Pretty populated so I imagine there are good services.

Congrats.

Katie -did you mean 2014 for the knee replacements?

Katiejay99 - 1-9-2015 at 09:29 PM

Yep - 2014 it is. I think I have been looking forward to 2015 for so long because I am SO ready to be pain-free. I would rather forget 2014.

ncampion - 1-10-2015 at 08:23 AM

Does anyone know if you are eligible for Seguro Popular if you are "Residente Temporal" or do you have to be Permanent? This sounds too good to pass up.

willyAirstream - 1-10-2015 at 08:56 AM

Yes, you can get it being a residente temporal. In Mulege, clinic visits are free, in stock meds are free. In SR, 14 hour bedside monitoring and morphine shots for kidney stones was 200 pesos.

Katiejay99 - 1-10-2015 at 11:55 AM

How did you get Morphine??? Man, I was BEGGING for anything to help with the pain of my kidney stones but they said they had given me all they could. Same with the 2 major surgeries. Nothing more potent than Keterolac.

CortezBlue - 1-10-2015 at 12:37 PM

How do you get this insurance?
How much for a Resid Perm ?

Mula - 1-11-2015 at 05:32 AM

We were all Residente Temporal 3 years ago when we signed up for Seguro Popular (5 of us) in Cd. Constitucion - from Lopez Mateos.

Did not cost us a dime.

Now this March (3 years later) we will go in to renew our policies.
We'll see what happens then.

BajaBlanca - 1-11-2015 at 10:49 AM

on a related but side note.

our friend who is a retired doc said that the other day afriend of theirs had a nasty fall and broke her leg in two places. the ambulance from santa rosalia to the border cost her $1500

US$1,000 for the ambulance which drove right to the special medical lane in san ysidro. handed her off to another ambulance in san diego (she was not allowed to get into her kids' car (they were there).

Our friend said the local santa rosalia doc went with her and he wasn't sure if they charded $300 or $500 for his services.

Good to know that this service exists.

and now back to seguro popular ..........

Terry28 - 1-11-2015 at 03:24 PM

Thats what, an 8-10 hour drive??........ Sounds like a bargain to me.

3/2/2015 follow up

Howard - 3-2-2015 at 01:03 PM

I went into the office where they gave me the temporary paperwork, the same office that needed to take my weight, height and blood pressure.
In my poor Spanish and his marginal English I was told that they no longer need to take the weight, height and BP. He looked me up in the system and within 1 minute he handed me a new "Poliza de Afiliacion" with an expiration date of 3 years from my application in January which brings me to January of 2018. He said there is no card, just this form which has some type of I.D. # that is associated with me. So far I have paid absolutely no $.

I still have no idea what this means. If I need to go to the Dr./hospital and they take Seguro Popular. is there a charge or is it completely free? If anybody know the rules, please pass them on.

Thank you,
Howard

Katiejay99 - 3-2-2015 at 03:45 PM

Here in Todos Santos, we have a clinic that takes Seguro Popular patients. You just go there and ask to see the doctor and show them your paper from Seguro Popular.

If you need to go to the ER just take your paper with you from Seguro Popular and if you need medications at the clinic or hospital you have to show your seguro popular paperwork.

At Salvatierra Hospital in La Paz, if you need an xray or lab work or such as that, you have to take your Seguro Popular paperwork to the "Caja" where you show it to them so they mark it as covered by insurance. If you do not have an insurance code assigned to your illness they may tell you to go across the hall to see the Seguro Popular assistant where she will look up your condition and write the code on your order for whatever it is that you need done and then you go back to the Caja to get it stamped and then go to the Lab or the xray place to get an appointment.

Howard - 3-2-2015 at 04:26 PM

Katiejay99;

So all that you mentioned is at no charge?

Katiejay99 - 3-3-2015 at 07:54 AM

That's right - no charge at all.

If the hospital or clinic doesn't have the medication prescribed then I buy it at a pharmacia.

Howard - 3-3-2015 at 08:01 AM

Thank you for the information.

EnsenadaDr - 3-3-2015 at 08:53 AM

Howard make sure you carry that policy with you at all times or have it readily available in case of an emergency. This means you will be admitted free of charge to the hospitals that are affiliated with Seguro Popular instead of being charged thousands of dollars in cash or on a credit card at a private Mexican hospital. Make sure you know which hospital is Seguro Popular affiliated in your area as well as areas you will be visiting. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of having Seguro Popular for all legal residents of Mexico, especially those on a fixed/limited budget.

[Edited on 3-3-2015 by EnsenadaDr]

Howard - 3-3-2015 at 09:15 AM

Thank you for the feedback.

I will put one copy in the glove compartments of each car I drive as well as one with my passport. I will try and shrink one down to fit in my wallet but that might not work. I will carry at least my # that is one the official paper so at least I have that on me at all times.

bajaguy - 3-3-2015 at 09:37 AM

One would think it would be a simple matter to issue a credit card sized/type card with your data on either a mag strip or a bar code......

Katiejay99 - 3-3-2015 at 10:04 AM

A friend of mine shrunk hers down and then had it covered in plastic but they would not accept it. It had to be the regular size (copies of it work).

I'm sure there are lots of other options of how it could work better but this is Mexico and government money is limited and what is available for medical is used on the affiliated hospitals needs (which are vast).

Hook - 3-3-2015 at 10:15 AM

Quote: Originally posted by EnsenadaDr  
Howard make sure you carry that policy with you at all times or have it readily available in case of an emergency. This means you will be admitted free of charge to the hospitals that are affiliated with Seguro Popular instead of being charged thousands of dollars in cash or on a credit card at a private Mexican hospital. Make sure you know which hospital is Seguro Popular affiliated in your area as well as areas you will be visiting. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of having Seguro Popular for all legal residents of Mexico, especially those on a fixed/limited budget.

[Edited on 3-3-2015 by EnsenadaDr]


And I cant stress the importance of touring the facilities that take Seguro Popular in your area, asking people who have used those facilities about their experiences, and making sure you get a good cross-section of the services offered. Know the limitations of Seguro Popular in your area and look beyond the low cost.

Unfortunately, like so many services provided by the Mexican government, it varies greatly from office to office, hospital to hospital. Some charge, some dont. Some have identity cards/papers, some dont.

It's not an end-all insurance plan, IMO, and shouldn't be treated as such. I know plenty of gringos over here who enrolled in it but wouldnt dare go back, after the experiences they have had. Dirty conditions, long waits for services, incomplete drug coverage. As with most things, you get what you pay for.

I just got back from having a colonoscopy on Monday, in one of the better facilities in Sonora. In attendance were my doc, an anesthesiologist, a doc's asst. and a nurse. I made the appt on the Friday before. Total cost: 8800 pesos, all inclusive. How much are colonoscopies in the US, these days? I found this more than affordable for choosing the doc, the time and the facility I liked.

SP can work for very minor ailments, no doubt about it. But research insurance plans that cover you in Mexico and give you medical choices, for the major medical stuff. They might be cheaper than you think.

But if you're trying to scrape by in Mexico on less than 2000US/month, then maybe your choices are few. I can understand that.

SFandH - 3-3-2015 at 12:34 PM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho  


I don't understand Seguro Popular; based on the premiums people have quoted, doesn't seem like the system can finance itself; who actually ended up paying for that? :?:



Perhaps the companies that bought oil from PEMEX? Just a guess.

mtgoat666 - 3-3-2015 at 12:38 PM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by Katiejay99  
I have Seguro Popular as well. I actually got both knees replaced in 2015, was in the emergency room with kidney stones and had my mammogram. Cost = $0.00


What a life changer; joint replacements just amaze me...

I don't understand Seguro Popular; based on the premiums people have quoted, doesn't seem like the system can finance itself; who actually ended up paying for that? :?:



most progressive countries have similar forms of public health insurance, govt subsidized. it's better than the alternative of bankrupting the old and the unhealthy, eh?

durrelllrobert - 3-3-2015 at 12:51 PM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by Katiejay99  
I have Seguro Popular as well. I actually got both knees replaced in 2015, was in the emergency room with kidney stones and had my mammogram. Cost = $0.00


What a life changer; joint replacements just amaze me...

I don't understand Seguro Popular; based on the premiums people have quoted, doesn't seem like the system can finance itself; who actually ended up paying for that? :?:

Same as the FREE medical in Canada. Hospitals, clinics and Drs. paid by the Provincial Government that then gets funds from the Fedeal Government who get it from all the citizens via taxes. Also same as Obama Care is supposed to work someday.

MitchMan - 3-3-2015 at 01:20 PM

Quote:
Posted by Hook
"But if you're trying to scrape by in Mexico on less than 2000US/month, then maybe your choices are few. I can understand that."

Wow! On $2,000 USD/month in Mexico, one should be able to live like a king!

If you own your own casita, one person can live on $550 USD/month for all costs for basic living, $850 USD for two people. Expenditures for Medical, entertainment, and travel would be over and above the $550 or $850 USD; these three costs are beyond comparability as these costs vary significantly from person to person. The $550 USD includes food, Yrly fido fee, auto ins, food, phone, internet, Dish TV, clothing, Seguro Popular, property tax, normal auto maintenance, gasoline, normal household maintenance and repair, water, propane, electricity (with A/C), and incidentals.

IMHO, I think that two people could live almost lavishly on $2,000 USD a month in the Baja.

SFandH - 3-3-2015 at 01:44 PM

Quote: Originally posted by durrelllrobert  
Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by Katiejay99  
I have Seguro Popular as well. I actually got both knees replaced in 2015, was in the emergency room with kidney stones and had my mammogram. Cost = $0.00


What a life changer; joint replacements just amaze me...

I don't understand Seguro Popular; based on the premiums people have quoted, doesn't seem like the system can finance itself; who actually ended up paying for that? :?:

Same as the FREE medical in Canada. Hospitals, clinics and Drs. paid by the Provincial Government that then gets funds from the Fedeal Government who get it from all the citizens via taxes. Also same as Obama Care is supposed to work someday.


I don't know, but I doubt the Mexican government collects enough taxes to cover costs. I'm thinking the revenues generated by PEMEX pay for a lot of the bills.

Katiejay99 - 3-3-2015 at 02:09 PM

There is no individual income tax regulations in Mexico. Only businesses and self employed persons pay taxes.

monoloco - 3-3-2015 at 02:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by durrelllrobert  
Same as the FREE medical in Canada. Hospitals, clinics and Drs. paid by the Provincial Government that then gets funds from the Fedeal Government who get it from all the citizens via taxes.


Seems to me that such a system's accepting foreigners-- most of whom have not historically paid forward via income tax in Mexico and probably are currently only paying income tax to their country of origin instead of Mexico-- is a design loophole.
Foreigners pay plenty of taxes here, IVA alone is 16% on almost everything we buy. I think that they can afford to cover a few foreigners.

monoloco - 3-3-2015 at 03:47 PM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by monoloco  
Foreigners pay plenty of taxes here, IVA alone is 16% on almost everything we buy. I think that they can afford to cover a few foreigners.

Guess that's a matter of individual comfort level. I think there are always ethical questions if we're pulling more out of the system then we personally put in.

Well, in my case, I'd don't think I could ever be sick enough to pull more out of the system than I've put in over the last 22 years of living in Mexico.

Hook - 3-3-2015 at 07:01 PM

Quote: Originally posted by MitchMan  
Quote:
Posted by Hook
"But if you're trying to scrape by in Mexico on less than 2000US/month, then maybe your choices are few. I can understand that."

Wow! On $2,000 USD/month in Mexico, one should be able to live like a king!

If you own your own casita, one person can live on $550 USD/month for all costs for basic living, $850 USD for two people. Expenditures for Medical, entertainment, and travel would be over and above the $550 or $850 USD; these three costs are beyond comparability as these costs vary significantly from person to person. The $550 USD includes food, Yrly fido fee, auto ins, food, phone, internet, Dish TV, clothing, Seguro Popular, property tax, normal auto maintenance, gasoline, normal household maintenance and repair, water, propane, electricity (with A/C), and incidentals.

IMHO, I think that two people could live almost lavishly on $2,000 USD a month in the Baja.


Yeah, that may have not been the best figure to use.

We do travel a bit in Mexico, so we dont stay put. Gas/diesel in Mexico is expensive. So is elec. In the cusp months before the subsidy kicks in, we can have 200.00 elec bills at times.

And then there's the restaurants. Whoo boy! And the alcohol. All the charitable organizations we support; dogs, old men's home, kid schooling support, etc.

Then there's the boat. The softball league, the pickleball league, Club Deportivo. Some golf fees.

I dont think we can do it on 550/month and we own our home. Lots of discretionary expenses in there, I guess. I like discretionary items. :lol: