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EnsenadaDr
Banned
Posts: 5027
Registered: 9-12-2011
Location: Baja California
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Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
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I wonder why they are charging in Baja California Sur....and not here in Baja California Norte. No, you cannot go a another doctor and then come to
Seguro Popular to fill your prescriptions. Usually, within reason, the clinic will give the same meds. The problem is if they aren't available in
the system.
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EnsenadaDr
Banned
Posts: 5027
Registered: 9-12-2011
Location: Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
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Seguro Popular, Back by Popular Demand
| Quote: | I am getting inquiries folks again for eligibility for Seguro Popular. It is a great plan if you take chronic medications and also in a pinch for
trauma, accidents, and serious illnesses. Again, to get to the US if you decide to go after a serious incident you will have to pay for your
ambulances through Dianamed or another insurance plan might cover the expense. But no American should be without it. There is no upfront cost; I did
ask my boss in Maneadero about some charges in Baja Sur that some readers here have mentioned, and he said there should be no cost. Any legal
resident of Mexico is eligible. Don't leave home without it!!
[Edited on 9-28-2012 by EnsenadaDr] |
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MsTerieus
Nomad
Posts: 462
Registered: 6-8-2010
Location: Punta Banda, Ensenada, Baja California
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Can anyone tell me the difference, in Baja California (norte), between IMSS and Seguro Popular, in terms of availability, costs and coverage?
(Ensenada( Dr. has tried to explain it to me, but I am still fuzzy, especially about IMSS.) Thanks!
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9009
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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I dont know the differences, but in our area, you dont want to go to IMSS for anything more serious than a bee sting. 
I'm not sure that the chances of catching something in an IMSS hospital arent greater than getting decent treatment for what you came in for. The one
is Guaymas is pretty creepy. We have visited Mexican friends and have a hard time making a return visit.
Get some decent insurance, folks.
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EnsenadaDr
Banned
Posts: 5027
Registered: 9-12-2011
Location: Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
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IMSS is Instituto Mexicano Seguro Social..basically it is a health care system for workers in the public sectors of Mexico. From what I understand,
all employers must pay for health insurance for their employees. ISSTE is for state workers of Mexico and ISSTECALI is for Federal workers. The
Military Hospital is for Mexican Military personnel, active and retired. Seguro Popular is to fill in the cracks for all legal residents of Mexico
(and not so legal). In other words, I have seen people show up at clinics in Mexico for Seguro Popular and they had no paperwork, and I was told by
my boss to treat the people free of charge anyway. Anyone, including Americans can pay around $200 a year to join IMSS, and can be treated at any of
the other facilities for a fee. Seguro Popular is free in Ensenada and will cover your expenses at designated Hospitals for emergencies and serious
issues, and in Ensenada, it is Hospital General Ensenada.
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EnsenadaDr
Banned
Posts: 5027
Registered: 9-12-2011
Location: Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
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MsTerieus, I know you sing the praises of a doctor in Ensenada that works during the day in IMSS and has his private practice in Ensenada in a very
nice clinic. But Hook is completely on target, IMSS is a union based employee system so any fringe government funding goes in the employee's pocket;
IMSS is the best paying medical facility in Mexico, so guess what happens for the upkeep pf the facilities and equipment, you got it, CREEPY in
Ensenada and creepy it seems, in Sonora accordiing to Hook. Seguro Popular just bought a brand new mammogram scanner state of the art for Ensenada
General Hospital; Seguro Popular facilities are a heck of alot nicer and the equipment newer.
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MsTerieus
Nomad
Posts: 462
Registered: 6-8-2010
Location: Punta Banda, Ensenada, Baja California
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Thank you for the additional information, Doctora!
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MsTerieus
Nomad
Posts: 462
Registered: 6-8-2010
Location: Punta Banda, Ensenada, Baja California
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A couple more questions, now that I have done what I should have earlier - searched this forum for other posts on the same topic). 1) Doctora, you
say the facility/ies of S.P. are better than those of IMSS, and (I gather) that IMSS pays their staff better. Might that not translate to better
doctors and nurses at IMSS, even if the facilities are not as good? 2) I think I read that S.P. is intended to be a "catch-all" for everyone, even
the poorest, in MX. Is there anybody on this forum, in Baja California, who has IMSS and can comment on his/her actual experiences in obtaining
health care from that agency?
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DENNIS
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Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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IMSS is Social Security and I wasn't aware that it was available to foreigeners not legally in the work force.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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If it was an "Immediate Emergency Situation" and an individual went to the closest facility....IMSS; ISSTE; ISSTECALI; The Military Hospital or Seguro
Popular.......would that individual receive immediate life saving emergency care???
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DaliDali
Super Nomad
Posts: 1132
Registered: 4-21-2010
Location: BCS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
IMSS is Social Security and I wasn't aware that it was available to foreigeners not legally in the work force. |
It is available to any foreigner who wants to pony up the annual premiums, regardless of working or not.
I know...I had IMSS health coverage for several years.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajaguy
If it was an "Immediate Emergency Situation" and an individual went to the closest facility....IMSS; ISSTE; ISSTECALI; The Military Hospital or Seguro
Popular.......would that individual receive immediate life saving emergency care??? |
Probably enough to stabilize a patient....at least.. I've been to ISSTECALI and the Military hospital. Both are open to the public.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DaliDali
It is available to any foreigner who wants to pony up the annual premiums, regardless of working or not.
I know...I had IMSS health coverage for several years. |
Thanks. I didn't know.
Mas o menos, how much was your premium?
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DaliDali
Super Nomad
Posts: 1132
Registered: 4-21-2010
Location: BCS
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Close to 3000 pesos a year and that was over 2 years ago.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DaliDali
Close to 3000 pesos a year and that was over 2 years ago. |
Not bad....especially that far south of the border. Some peace of mind anyway.
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EnsenadaDr
Banned
Posts: 5027
Registered: 9-12-2011
Location: Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
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Like I said, Seguro Popular is free, and in my opinion, at least in Ensenada, has less of a wait and the facilities and equipment are newer and kept
up better. I know from comments my patients made about when they had IMSS is that they needed to line up at 3 am for an appointment that morning.
[Edited on 10-6-2012 by EnsenadaDr]
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EnsenadaDr
Banned
Posts: 5027
Registered: 9-12-2011
Location: Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
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I remember a few emergencies that came into IMSS, and the patients were treated minimally, and I mean minimally. In ISSTECALI and ISSTE, I think
because of the lesser patient load, you would be given more attention. Hospital General Ensenada (Seguro Popular) is very busy and would treat you
but minimally as well. Militar sent a stroke victim on her way to the US, they don't do any workups in house, and refer all non Military to private,
local or the US, if you are American. Why play Mexican Roulette with the insurance? Next time you are in town go into a Seguro Popular office, in
Ensenada it's at 14 and Ruiz, and in Maneadero, at the clinic. I'm sure the next time someone has a heart attack or stroke they don't want to see if
they get good attention or not, of course there are always the private hospitals that will take a few thousand or more dollars off your credit card
immediately upon arrival. | Quote: | Originally posted by bajaguy
If it was an "Immediate Emergency Situation" and an individual went to the closest facility....IMSS; ISSTE; ISSTECALI; The Military Hospital or Seguro
Popular.......would that individual receive immediate life saving emergency care??? |
[Edited on 10-6-2012 by EnsenadaDr]
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
Member Is Offline
Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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"Minimally" is so much better than a group of people standing around trying to remember what they learned in first-aid class fifteen years ago.
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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MsTerieus
Nomad
Posts: 462
Registered: 6-8-2010
Location: Punta Banda, Ensenada, Baja California
Member Is Offline
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Ensenada Dra: Any thoughts/opinions on quality of staff at IMSS vs. S.P.? It seems to me that if IMSS pays better, that's where one would find the
better doctors. I have gleaned that most docs around Ensenada work part time for IMSS. I don't know who works for S.P.
Also, with regard to these facilities "sending [patients] on to the States," what happens if the patient does not want to go to the States, e.g.,
because he has no coverage there? Would the facility keep him, then, rather than sending him elsewhere?
[Edited on 10-7-2012 by MsTerieus]
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EnsenadaDr
Banned
Posts: 5027
Registered: 9-12-2011
Location: Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
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Quality of Physicians
I would say that the quality of physicians at IMSS are generally excellent, since most new graduates are lured there for the money and the competition
is high. Most doctors work two jobs in Mexico, one at their government run facility, which would ensure them a pension after 30 years, and the other
to lure in private pay patients which obviously pay them more per visit. Most docs do NOT work part time at IMSS, many work at ISSTE, ISSTECALI,
Military Hospital and Seguro Popular. Many of my patients at Seguro Popular by the way came there because they had lost their jobs and could not
continue to make the payments to keep their IMSS insurance. No one is ever forced to go to the US, though if you have a serious illness, and have
coverage there, you might want to consider it. There are no extended care facilities that are covered by the Mexican government, so if you are
disabled from a stroke and need rehab, you are on your own. Family takes care of you after the discharge. The hospitals, especially IMSS are so
overloaded that they encourage discharge from the hospital quickly, and many times before someone is ready to leave. | Quote: | Originally posted by MsTerieus
Ensenada Dra: Any thoughts/opinions on quality of staff at IMSS vs. S.P.? It seems to me that if IMSS pays better, that's where one would find the
better doctors. I have gleaned that most docs around Ensenada work part time for IMSS. I don't know who works for S.P.
Also, with regard to these facilities "sending [patients] on to the States," what happens if the patient does not want to go to the States, e.g.,
because he has no coverage there? Would the facility keep him, then, rather than sending him elsewhere?
[Edited on 10-7-2012 by MsTerieus] |
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