IMSS and SP

I have a couple of reports that might make you feel better about having these services. I have 2 Mexican neighbors that are alive and well thanks to them.

Pt 1 is a 55 year old male who while working in Ajijic suffered symptoms of heart attack. They took him to the Urgencia at the SP hospital in Chante. He was stabilized and transferred to Civil and to a Cath lab where a stent was placed. He is home and doing well and at last report he has paid nothing.

Pt 2 is a 65 year old female with a history of diabetes who became very sick and was diagnosed with acute renal failure and hospitalized at IMSS. She was put on dialysis and told to find a donor. Many many trips to Guad for appts and tests later her family began evaluations to see if any of them were a match, only her 30-something, newly wed and new parent son was a match. Tests, consults, counseling, and preparations were made to do the surgery. Upon final evaluation of the pt it was found that her very strict diet and medications were working, surgery was cancelled and she was discharged. She is now normal weight, adhering to the very strict (2 tortillas per week etc) diet and cruising around neighborhood with her grandson.

Thank you for sharing the good news! Happy for those families.

Definitely good to hear.

Important to know for Seguro Popular, cardio problems requiring stents, etc, are only covered if the patient is under 60 years old. After that, you would have to pay for a cath lab, but at a greatly reduced price. As per you post, I'm sure they have a cath lab at Civil. For example the general hospital (which takes Seguro Popular) wanted a CT scan. The cost was 2,500 pesos (compared to 4,500 as mentioned on TOB). This included the cost of an ambulance from the hospital to a private facility, and a bilingual doctor/intern/buddy for four hours.

That's right, and I'm glad you mentioned that. With SP, age matters! However, as you say, costs are greatly reduced. I also know they use basic stents but if you want a special blood thinner coated one you would have to pay for it. I'm ok with all that and am grateful they allow foreigners to enroll.

I don't think Civil has a cath lab, I thought they outsourced it. Cath labs are extremely expensive. . .