Goid article on health care Mex vs US

http://wolfstreet.com/2016/11/14/my-experience-with-health-care-surgery-insurance-in-mexico/

shirley wrote:http://wolfstreet.com/2016/11/14/my-experience-with-health-care-surgery-insurance-in-mexico/

There are dozens of errors in the article. The author apparently wrote it based on his personal experience or other anecdotal information. That's the problem with articles written for blogs.

Clete wrote:

shirley wrote:http://wolfstreet.com/2016/11/14/my-experience-with-health-care-surgery-insurance-in-mexico/

There are dozens of errors in the article. The author apparently wrote it based on his personal experience or other anecdotal information. That's the problem with articles written for blogs.

How about giving us the benefit of your knowledge and pointing out the dozens (at least one dozen) of errors in the article?

gringal wrote:

Clete wrote:

shirley wrote:http://wolfstreet.com/2016/11/14/my-experience-with-health-care-surgery-insurance-in-mexico/

There are dozens of errors in the article. The author apparently wrote it based on his personal experience or other anecdotal information. That's the problem with articles written for blogs.

How about giving us the benefit of your knowledge and pointing out the dozens (at least one dozen) of errors in the article?

You have lived here how many years and can´t spot them on your own?

Clete wrote:

gringal wrote:

Clete wrote:

shirley wrote:http://wolfstreet.com/2016/11/14/my-experience-with-health-care-surgery-insurance-in-mexico/

There are dozens of errors in the article. The author apparently wrote it based on his personal experience or other anecdotal information. That's the problem with articles written for blogs.

How about giving us the benefit of your knowledge and pointing out the dozens (at least one dozen) of errors in the article?

You have lived here how many years and can´t spot them on your own?

12 years.  I was unable to fine "dozens" of errors, so I wondered how you managed to.  BTW, do you use Mexican medical care or do you return to the States or Canada for yours?

One glaring error:  "A large percentage of healthcare in Mexico is government run, either through IMSS or Seguro Popular. IMSS is for people under retirement age. Seguro Popular is for people over retirement age and the poor."  Same problem with the age reference re Seguro Popular. How accurate the rest of it may be is subject to question, but the point being made was that there was good medical care available in Mexico at an overall lower cost than NOB.

My own experience has been paying out of pocket with IMSS as "just in case" coverage. Fortunately, I'm relatively healthy and the savings made by cancelling part B of Medicare have more than covered my medical costs here. YMMV.

gringal wrote:

Clete wrote:

gringal wrote:

Clete wrote:

shirley wrote:http://wolfstreet.com/2016/11/14/my-experience-with-health-care-surgery-insurance-in-mexico/

There are dozens of errors in the article. The author apparently wrote it based on his personal experience or other anecdotal information. That's the problem with articles written for blogs.

How about giving us the benefit of your knowledge and pointing out the dozens (at least one dozen) of errors in the article?

You have lived here how many years and can´t spot them on your own?

12 years.  I was unable to fine "dozens" of errors, so I wondered how you managed to.  BTW, do you use Mexican medical care or do you return to the States or Canada for yours?

One glaring error:  "A large percentage of healthcare in Mexico is government run, either through IMSS or Seguro Popular. IMSS is for people under retirement age. Seguro Popular is for people over retirement age and the poor."  Same problem with the age reference re Seguro Popular. How accurate the rest of it may be is subject to question, but the point being made was that there was good medical care available in Mexico at an overall lower cost than NOB.

My own experience has been paying out of pocket with IMSS as "just in case" coverage.  Fortunately, I'm relatively healthy and the savings made by cancelling part B of Medicare have more than covered my medical costs here. YMMV.

People have been coming here for medical care far longer than the decade he claims. Of course there is good care here but medical care can be far worse here than in the States. Many general practitioners here are far less competent, IMO, than up north. Especially in small towns and rural areas. When med students graduate, the smart ones qualify for a residency and usually go into a specialty. That is where the money is. A lot of the ones who don´t do their residency set up shop in small towns and through personal experience, finding a good doctor in some of those places is a roll of the dice. Go in with a common cold and they'll stick a needle with antibiotics in your butt.

He was completely wrong on IMSS funding and how employers contribute. He was wrong that all employees qualify under law for coverage. Then there is the age thing you pointed out. Then he was wrong on how the employer's obligation is calculated according to age. It is based on the employees salary. And some employees if their wage is above a certain amount, must also contribute.

He claims that SP patients are sent to IMSS facilities if SP lacks them. I know that many times they are sent to hospitals known as ahospital civil which is run independently of IMSS. He also claims SP is free and entirely funded by the feds. That isn´t the case. It is funded by both the feds and user premiums.

He says no matter who or what you are you can get healthcare. Unfortunately that is also untrue.

He goes on to say that most private hospitals are totally or largely owned by the doctors that work there. Wrong again. Fiercely competitive on price, quality, and service? Yeah, right. Prices posted? I beg your pardon. Gladly give you a tour of the facilities? Some might, others won't.

$3000 to $6000 a year for private insurance? I pay around the equivalent of $2000usd for an unlimited policy for my wife, one older child (he isn't covered by IMSS through his employment) and myself. And then everything else he says in that paragraph is wrong. There are copays, deductibles and everything else you'll find in the US. Our policy is major medical. Doctors visits come out of our pockets and it doesn´t cover medication until it passes the deductible. We also have a dental plan which is something new with our carrier.

His comments on good or bad doctors is typical gringo hyperbole as is his "most people" use SP or IMSS as a backup plan.

Is that enough?

I don't agree with all of the "wrongs" you pointed out, but I'll give you credit for up to a dozen, but after that, it's also hyperbole. I'd very much like to know what that $2000usd unlimited insurance is, as well.

gringal wrote:I don't agree with all of the "wrongs" you pointed out, but I'll give you credit for up to a dozen, but after that, it's also hyperbole.  I'd very much like to know what that $2000usd unlimited insurance is, as well.

There are more. Got tired of typing. Which wrongs are right, in your opinion?

Plan Seguro is the name of the carrier. My sis in law recently shattered her elbow. She was operated on in Puerta de Hierro Sur. Total cost was 270,000 pesos. Had a beautiful private room. Didn't cost a peso out of pocket.

My wife had a procedure done recently. Neither doctor nor hospital were on the insurance companies of facilities and doctors. My wife preferred her regular gyn and he preferred operating at the hospital he normally uses for surgery. We paid the bill upon leaving the hospital. Were reimbursed by the company less deductible and copay.

One error in the article is the insurance rep does not show up with his check book, write a check and you pay the rest if you have insurance.
I have MetLife of Mexico, used it many times. Once you meet your deductible for an illness, MetLife pays the rest of the hospital bill for that illness for life. You can choose what deductible you want. There is a one time life deductible for each illness. If you have 3 illnesses, you have 3 deductibles, but you are covered for life 100% for those 3 illnesses with no more deductibles. You do not meet a yearly deductible here, you meet a deductible for each illness and then that illness is covered for life.

Anyway you slice it this is an incorrect article and therefore useless.

Lady Otter Latté wrote:Anyway you slice it this is an incorrect article and therefore useless.

Useless? I agree. Same caliber as those travel magazines. However, there's plenty of real information out there if people bother to look for it.
Most rely on fluff pieces like the one referred to. Doing that is as useful as relying on legal advice found on a web board.

Clete wrote:
...$3000 to $6000 a year for private insurance? I pay around the equivalent of $2000usd for an unlimited policy for my wife, one older child (he isn't covered by IMSS through his employment) and myself....

That sounds like an incredible bargain. I just recently qualified for Medicare and my Part B by itself is $162.40/month or $1948.80/year. That amount covers only me and does not include medigap insurance. Most current users are not paying that amount but it is the new full rate for the majority of new Medicare users.

We have private medical insurance thru AXA and Allianz.  Our total cost is about $5,000 US.  We looked at other less costly plans and found that they all had limitations in coverage (e.g. broken leg ok but joint replacement not), total payout (upper limit of payment), or higher deductibles (Thousands of $ US vs. thousands of Peso per event).  We opted to spend more for better coverage because the one year deductible would totally consume the amount we saved only to end up will less coverage.  Medical insurance is totally different here and so is medical care.  IMHO both are far superior to the US model. Here we have many more options both in care and insurance. YMMV