Seguro Popular for emergencies?

Does S.G. do follow up as needed or is it best to get transported NOB?

I'm looking at S.G. mostly for my wife who has 1 one year visa by our marriage. She is from Panama.

I have no problem with a premium or co-pay, I just want the best care possible.

I understand Cruz Roja handles emergencies and looks to stabilize the injured party and if needed, takes them to a hospital in Guadalajara.

For me, if I needed any serious follow up, I would go NOB where I would be covered by Medicare.

For my wife, she would probably go to Panama where she is covered.

I am seeing how life is so uncertain and want to try to cover bases the best possible w/o being (too) paranoid. I know of several ppl wo have moved back NOB strictly to be near "better" medical facilities or like me, want to use Medicare.

I think the scenario you paint is way too complicated and will need a computer program to resolve...my suggestion is do not get sick

lakeside7 wrote:I think the scenario you paint is way too complicated and will need a computer program to resolve...my suggestion is do not get sick

Agree

Most people move back NOB to use their Medicare, but I can assure you, the medical care here is excellent. I have used it many times for serious situations.

Step one:  Get a local GP
Step two:  Sign up for SP

If you've got a serious medical issue you don't time to travel, it will have to be dealt with here.  Imagine; heart attack, broken leg, appendicitis, stroke, etc.

If it's not serious it can be dealt with here.  Medical care in Mexico is not expensive. BTW, there are no co-pays or deductibles with SP.

David wrote:Step one:  Get a local GP
Step two:  Sign up for SP

If you've got a serious medical issue you don't time to travel, it will have to be dealt with here.  Imagine; heart attack, broken leg, appendicitis, stroke, etc.

If it's not serious it can be dealt with here.  Medical care in Mexico is not expensive.  BTW, there are no co-pays or deductibles with SP.

Exactly right, totally agree! Just an an aside, though, your GP probably won't be involved in your care at SP should you be admitted but may be able to have input to the SP team as a visitor. Unofficially.

I love it when people tell me they would never get medical care here and when they have a problem they will go to the US . . . Ok, you wake up with chest pain at 4AM, who you gonna call? Cruz Roja or Aeromexico?

Also I love the people that say SP is dogshit and the only way to get good medical care here is to buy expensive health insurance and go to a top of the line expensive hospital in Guad. . .Ok, then how do you explain all the old Mexican people walking around?

LOL, Trailrunner. Maybe they aren't as old as they look, eh?

I wouldn't relish the idea of using our SP for a long hospitalization, but I'm glad to know it's there.  Friend of a friend who's 86 had some really serious troubles recently; was taken to the main SP hospital and reported getting excellent care.  He's home now.

The idea of having a serious medical problem and trying to use a medivac service to return to the U.S. for care has a few problems:
1)If you don't already have a U.S. doc, you'd have to find one who takes Medicare patients.
2)The first hour or so after a heart attack or stroke is very important.
3) The air transport services won't take anyone anywhere until they are "stabilized" here first
4)Unless you have relatives or very good friends in the U.S. who will provide lodging for whoever comes with you, and for you during recovery, this could get hella expensive.
....and a few other problems.

I'm planning to live and die right here.

Me too.

Yeah, people don't really think it through. All good points.

The story about the 86-year-old is a good one.  To start with, he's actually 87.  
He futzed around with local doctors for a week as he got to feeling worse and worse.  Finally one of them said "You need a hospital!".  His wife drove him to SP in Guad following directions given by the doctor in Ajijic.  By this time he was in really bad shape and they spent a week getting him stabilized enough to do surgery.  He had a hole in his stomach, a huge hiatal hernia, fluid on his lungs, and his kidneys were failing.  When they finally were able to do the surgery it took 4 surgeons working all day.  When he came out, he was on life support for 4 days and a week in ICU.  He stayed in the hospital a total of 28 days.  The total cost was $000.00.  Not once did anyone say "He's 87, he's led a long life, we'll just make him comfortable."

Yes, it wasn't a Marriot.  His wife slept on a yoga mat...when she could sleep.  They are from the UK and do not expect hospitals to be 5-star (her words).  The care is what counts and they feel he got the best care available.  He's home now.  Not out of the woods yet, but getting stronger every day.  

She said the most frustrating part of it is that Mexican doctors don't spend a lot of time explaining things.  Mexicans want to know "Am I going to live?  Die?"  Gringos want to know everything about the procedure and what to expect.  There were a few panic moments when things seemed to be going wrong.  Turns out that was to be expected....but nobody mentioned it.

This renewed my faith in SP and I'm very grateful to have it available.

What a fantastic story, thank you so much for sharing it. Good for you.

May I ask, what is the age of the wife who slept on the yoga mat?

She's a kid. I think around 15 years younger.

A friend of mine In Jocotepec has had good success with the hospital there which takes Seguro Popular. If you need treatment they cannot provide, they ambulance, or even helicopter you into the big SP hospitals in Guadalajara. The Joctepepec hospital has an operating room and a lot of new equipment - it was built about two years ago, and officially at least, was to serve Chapala/Ajijic as well as Jocotepec. Anyways, a friend of hers is/was employed by the U.N., he has private insurance but says they take forever to process claims. He had a medical emergency and went to the Jocotepec Hospital and he was very impressed with both the facility and quality of care.

If you show up on the emergency doorstep of one of the big Hospitals in Guadalajara, you are entered into the Triage system and therefore Lady Luck might come into play. If you go to Chapala S.P clinic, they will give you a letter and a special account number - it may, or may not direct you to Jocotepec Hospital.

The shortcoming of Seguro Popular is that they are very time sensitive, and you should bring a translator with you, to save them time. At the upper levels, many speak English, in the lower levels not so much. What they really don't like is dragging an English speaker off their job to jibber jabber with a non-Spanish speaker. Good excuse to learn Spanish - it might save your life and will save you a lot of money. Also if you learn Spanish, you can return the "love" by participating in their various fundraisers and events. None of these fundraisers, events and bequeathments occur under I.M.S.S. - they are the cold, hard face of socialized medicine. Seguro Popular, in Guadalajara at least were faith based hospitals (religious), but now they have evolved into what I would call community based hospitals.

I googled: "Origin of Seguro Popular Mexico" and got this:

"http://www.worldbank.org/en/results/2015/02/26/health-coverage-for-all-in-mexico"

Nothing is said about faith based hospitals.  IMSS is about coverage for workers, primarily.  SP is the face of "socialized medicine" since it is a government sponsored program for all. (I have no bias against "socialized medicine" since I believe all people, regardless of financial status, should have medical care when needed.  No one chooses to get sick.)

Well the Civil Hospital ( one of four hospitals) was run by monks and nuns for 250 years. Even 100 years ago, a prayer for a miracle would be the most they could offer for medical treatment. You have to look on their websites to read the interesting history - from their own point of view. The government sponsorship came later, as they dedicated to a teaching hospital for University of Guadalajara. A doctor I know, who graduated from University of Guadalajara, says there many strange tales, such as sightings of spirits etc. It was originally built over a graveyard for the poor. The bones were not relocated. They also have a lot of outreach programmes, which to my mind them more in the community sphere.
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospital_Civil_de_Guadalajara

It's been a long time since one hospital in the SP system was "faith based".  Interesting history, though. I sort of think it would be a good thing to relocate those bones.

If AMLO does nothing else but this while he is in office it will be a great day for Mexicans.

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/amlo-promises-health-care-system-like-those-in-canada-europe/?utm_source=Mexico+News+Today&utm_campaign=f866f5a82f-MNT+oct15-18&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f1536a3787-f866f5a82f-349534941

I’ll say but I still wonder if he’ll cut it off for permanents as the rumor mill is saying. I have private insurance but I imagine the time will come when that will be too pricey.

If he wants to be like Canada and the others it will include all "legal" residents.

Well AMLO has his work cut out.. I look at it like lots of talk right now. Only the future will tell but I would not hold my breath.

IMSS and SP are inefficiently run and can't operate well with the little funding they get. With taxes not being collected the chances of this happening without raising taxes significantly is improbable.

The taxes are high enough. Collection and corruption are the issues IMO.

Exactly, CB.

Cruz Roja I have had to use them 2 times. the first is when I hadan attack of cardiac arimea sp, at 6 am there were 6 people working. they called a cardiologist who gave me an ekg, and said I needed to go Guad for more meds. St Margarita. When the cab dropped me off I gave them the write up from Cruz Roja, and was taken directly to emergency, no questions asked, and was in a hospital gown and had 2 IVS in me in 20 mins. at least 5 docs and nurses the whole time best care I have had anywhere/ stayed overnight, and had at least 5 ekgs. when I checked out the total cost including 2 cab rides was 750 American dollars the 2nd time was 2 weeks ago and our home was broken into, and I got beat up pretty badly. Off to Cruz Roja, and taken in and sewed up, 20 total stiches, best care ever again. 650 pesos

Thanks for this post, good news. I would also go to the muni clinic in Chapala for care like that. BTW, the muni clinic will take your SP membership for some things.

How are you doing?