Seguro Popular not renewing or accepting foreigners

When we enrolled in Seguro popular three months ago, we were requested to pay $500 pesos every three months. This morning, my husband went to pay at the Jocotepec office and was told orders had come down not to renew or enroll foreigners unless they were in process to become Mexican citizens. Anyone else heard this?

Ask them what changed law they are citing please.

Spencer - couldn't it just be a change in company policy rather than something mandated by law?

Isn't Seguro Popular a government entity rather than a company?

Recently, foreigners were getting a hard time enrolling; getting needed services, etc., from IMSS and started heading to Seguro Popular, the system for taking care of poor Mexicans. I'm not surprised at a change in policy. All the government sponsored medical care systems are heavily burdened.

From what I've heard.........if you would have liked getting care from a large County Hospital in the states, you'd be okay with Seguro Popular. It's been described by one humorist as "MASH, without the incoming artillery".
On the other hand the doctors are what counts, not the amenities.

My personal opinion is that people who move here without the means to take care of their own medical insurance or pay out of pocket are expecting a bit too much from a host country of which they are not citizens.

gringal quote - My personal opinion is that people who move here without the means to take care of their own medical insurance or pay out of pocket are expecting a bit too much from a host country of which they are not citizens.

And I agree as I'm surprised that IMSS or Seguro Popular would let foreigners join these plans, especially since IMSS is nearly bankrupt. Maybe there should be two sets of Premiums, one for all Mexicans and one for Gringos, so these plans can survive for everyone.

Okay - my bad. I assumed that since IMSS is a government agency that Seguro Popular was privately held.

Odd to have two government entities essentially 'competing' - but what do I know?

IMSS and Seguro Popular are not competing. They serve two different groups. Seguro Popular is for families who are not covered by IMSS through their jibs or who cannot afford it as private subscribers. There is a means test for free admission to Seguro Popular. It's a pretty odd test. For those who do not meet the means test, there is a small change. Read more here: http://rollybrook.com/health.htm#General

essentially 'competing' - in that they are fulfilling basically the same function, albeit for different segments of the public. Would seem to me to be more efficient to combine them into one agency with separate administration but the point is moot - it is what it is.

Anything they need to do needs to be supported by a law and discrimination against foreigners legally here is not proper and if they try to do it in Chapala, I will have to have a talk with them and explain the legal consequences.

Thanks for straightening that one out, Rolly. I was a little vague on who could sign up for which.

I've said this before, but anyone contemplating a move to a foreign country when they are getting older but will not be legitimately eligible for Medicare unless they return to the states and jump through a number of hoops finding a doctor, etc., really needs to think that through as part of the decision making process. General health, unlike some liquors, does not usually improve with age.

When I hear a plea go out for helping pay the medical expenses for a foreigner who didn't provide for him/her self, I wonder what that person was thinking when they moved here. Our family doctor suggested we sign up for IMSS "just in case", so we did, and have paid, but haven't used it in eight years. Hope we won't need to. The last thing I'd ever want is a fund raiser among my friends and neighbors to pay my bills.

In our part of the world they are combining Seguro Popular with Centro de Salud. Separate entities but same buildings. Centro de Salud is free to everyone

Intercasa wrote:Ask them what changed law they are citing please.

Hi Spencer, The guy at the Joco office advised we need to contact their main office as he received the order from them. last time we spoke to their office when we enrolled to find out how the cost was determined...they simply stated "the computer calculates based on the answers to questions". However, we'd have no idea what he actually entered for us. We signed up for SP as a just in case coverage for emergencies.

Dawg posted on another thread "Healthcare Law in the US" that he heard on Mexican TV this AM, that they are discontinuing insuring Foreigners.

gringal wrote:Isn't Seguro Popular a government entity rather than a company?

Recently, foreigners were getting a hard time enrolling; getting needed services, etc., from IMSS and started heading to Seguro Popular, the system for taking care of poor Mexicans. I'm not surprised at a change in policy. All the government sponsored medical care systems are heavily burdened.

From what I've heard.........if you would have liked getting care from a large County Hospital in the states, you'd be okay with Seguro Popular. It's been described by one humorist as "MASH, without the incoming artillery".
On the other hand the doctors are what counts, not the amenities.

My personal opinion is that people who move here without the means to take care of their own medical insurance or pay out of pocket are expecting a bit too much from a host country of which they are not citizens.

We agree one needs to research moving to a foreign country including medical coverage while contemplating a move to a foreign country. We did our research and chose Mexico for many reasons. Our other choice was Brazil as my husband lived there for over twenty fives years. Brazil was too far from our kids and family and the dollar is weak.

You can always buy Private Insurace with any deductible you choose. The younger you are the cheaper the premium. Check with Seguros Monterrey, AXA, GNP, BUPA and others.

Intercasa wrote:Anything they need to do needs to be supported by a law and discrimination against foreigners legally here is not proper and if they try to do it in Chapala, I will have to have a talk with them and explain the legal consequences.

Are you serious Spencer, there's a law about discrimination against foreigners. Is this true everywhere, such as a fracc. for example, or just by the government?

If it's the law everywhere, I'd sure like to have a copy of it.

Well kind of the opposite, there is the constitution and the new version that says all authorities must guarantee human rights which means all people are equal and the same as well as under international treaties Mexico has signed.

Artículo 1o. En los Estados Unidos Mexicanos todas las personas gozarán de los derechos humanos
reconocidos en esta Constitución y en los tratados internacionales de los que el Estado Mexicano sea
parte, así como de las garantías para su protección, cuyo ejercicio no podrá restringirse ni suspenderse,
salvo en los casos y bajo las condiciones que esta Constitución establece.
Las normas relativas a los derechos humanos se interpretarán de conformidad con esta Constitución y
con los tratados internacionales de la materia favoreciendo en todo tiempo a las personas la protección
más amplia.
Todas las autoridades, en el ámbito de sus competencias, tienen la obligación de promover, respetar,
proteger y garantizar los derechos humanos de conformidad con los principios de universalidad,
interdependencia, indivisibilidad y progresividad. En consecuencia, el Estado deberá prevenir, investigar,
sancionar y reparar las violaciones a los derechos humanos, en los términos que establezca la ley.


Article 4, right to healthcare for ALL

Toda persona tiene derecho a la protección de la salud. La Ley definirá las bases y modalidades para
el acceso a los servicios de salud y establecerá la concurrencia de la Federación y las entidades

Hmmmm,


Todas las autoridades, en el ámbito de sus competencias, tienen la obligación de promover, respetar,
proteger y garantizar los derechos humanos de conformidad con los principios de universalidad,
interdependencia, indivisibilidad y progresividad. En consecuencia, el Estado deberá prevenir, investigar,
sancionar y reparar las violaciones a los derechos humanos, en los términos que establezca la ley.


So what's the penalty???

Also there can be complaints to the Human Rights Commission and they can take action and sanction people, the constitution sets out rights but not sanctions although a clear violation could lose somebody their job.

Intercasa wrote:Also there can be complaints to the Human Rights Commission and they can take action and sanction people, the constitution sets out rights but not sanctions although a clear violation could lose somebody their job.

Why thank you Spencer, I think you just made my day.

Just to advise the status of my original post:We did supply all the documents when we enrolled and still were told every 3 months we needed to pay and our issued policy showed 3 months coverage. Yesterday morning we stopped to speak with the local SP office and he called his regional manager in La Barca for help. We then requested a letter as to why we could not pay our premium and be part of SP. The regional manager while we were there remotely controlled the computer and we were able to see the screens with the local rep. He was unable to find where it stated foreigners could not be covered unless they were applying to become citizens and kept referring to the section on you must be a resident. As we are residents of Mexico, we again requested why we would have to be applying for citizenship when we have our FM3. The regional manager was to come to the Joco office yesterday afternoon and we are to pick up a letter today about noon. Once, we do this, we will post the results. We just returned from the Joco office and were told the Regional Manager has advised the letter needs to come from Guadalajara. The Regional Manager whose office is in LaBarca has 13 SP locations he is in charge of including Chapala, Ocotlan, LaBarca, Jocotepec and several others. We are going back to pick up the letter next Friday and shall advise results once again.

On Monday July 2nd, we went to the Chapala office with Spencer's staff to see if we could enroll, however, we were not able to do so. The reason given was Seguro Popular had our current policy locked in their system pending reply from Guadalajara. Today, my husband went to the Joco office to pick up the letter we were promised as to why we could not pay our 3 month premium. The guy in the office advised according to the Guadalajara office because our policy was issued for 3 years (payable every 3 months) we COULD pay our quarterly premiums until the end of the 3 years. At that time, they will not renew. He also stated foreigners wanting to obtain a new Seguro Popular policy will not be able to do so. Also, Luis from Spencer's office was able to enroll 2 ladies that had accompanied us on Monday, but was told they will NOT enroll any foreigners from that point forward. We have called Spencer's office to advise what occurred today and await Spencer's call back on Monday.

Shades of IMSS, which I dropped six months ago in favor of Seguro Popular. Please keep us informed. chico

Chico wrote:Shades of IMSS, which I dropped six months ago in favor of Seguro Popular. Please keep us informed. chico

Spencer went to the SP office in Guad today and he advised he will be contacting the main office on Monday. I am sure he will post the results as to this issue. Thanks Spencer!

Looking forward to hearing from you tomorrow or Tuesday. Thanks so much, chico