I have a friend who has some issues with her pregnacy and asked if I knew a doctor in that regard. I have another friend who had a problem pregnacy and used IMMS. I put them together with permission of both of them. Friend #2 told me that IMMS was not great, service wise, with regular stuff, but with serious things, they are excellent. That's my two pesos worth. I guess I should get registered with this program. If it's good enough for V, it's good enough for me.
For you guys up there, the same docs working the private clinics work IMSS. I know this is the case in Merida also. I'm signing us up mostly to give back to the system that took us in when we had no insurance and took such good care of my boy. Not sure we'd use it, but I'm putting money in (if I can get through their red tape).
Medical Care in Mexico As a frequent traveler in Mexico and now temporarily in Cancun, it has been my experience that the existence or non existence of private insurance coverage for foreigners is non relevant for most medical providers. The only issue is whether you have enough cash on hand to pay upfront for the services or a credit card with enough credit, (or cash in the bank if a debit card), to cover the provided services. In other words, even in serious relatively costly emergency care, a foreigner can forget about them direct billing, even if the insurer confirms coverage in advance. The question then becomes what good is having medical coverage insurance, either as a traveler or resident, if the medical provider will not direct bill? If I had $10,000 USD in my wallet I would hardly need the insurance in most cases. Since I do not, I need the insurance, (not all of us living or traveling in Mexico are staying in 5 star resorts or living in luxury ocean front condos), but a lot of good that will do me if the provider will not direct bill. I am seriously thinking about dropping the (at my age) expensive private coverage and doing what most Mexicans do who are not covered by IMSS (and most by the way are not covered, contrary to government propaganda) and relying on the local General Hospital. If they leave me to die in the waiting room....so be it. We all have to go sometime.
Assuming you are retirement age, full first dollar coverage at IMSS would cost you less than 4,000 pesos per year in annual premiums, as a self-sponsored person (not insured through an employer). You have to be a resident (FM3, for example), but you do not have to be in Mexico all the time, or even most of the time, to be eligible. Whether this is of any value to you would mostly depend on how much of any given year you are down here. General Hospital tries to do a good job, but budget constraints make that very hard to do. IMSS, although it has its own problems, is not a charity hospital.
Recent Hospiten experience Although I've praised Hospiten Hospital on this thread (see page two of this thread for some images, and comments) I recently had an experience which caused me some doubts and concerns. I wanted a consult and work up with a cardiologist. Knowing Hospiten may have the most sophisticated cardiac center in town, I went there. At the front desk I advised them that I was a resident and that I had always been given a 30% discount on everything. (The discount has, in the past, made the charges at Hospiten, which tend to be higher, in line with other providers in the city. Without it, they'd be the most expensive.) They punched up the charges for the consult, with a discount, and it came to 800 pesos. This struck me as a little odd because I thought that was the price of a consult without the discount. I then noticed that the amount by which the charge for the consult exceeded 800 was exactly the amount by which the charge was discounted, making it appear they had manipulated the charges so as to eliminate the discount. When I questioned this, and called attention to this amazing coincidence, the clerk just replied, "The discounts vary, and besides, I'm not very good at math." They said I could speak to someone about it if I could wait twenty minutes. I told them I'd check on services elsewhere.... When I have time, I'll take this bill they prepared for me back to Hospiten and see if someone else can explain why a resident foreigner was not given the resident discount, as had been the custom in the past, just on the chance they have changed their practices regarding discounts.
V, Very interesting. I will say that our mutual friend, V, not you though, suffered a recent heart attack and went to Galenia. I visited him every day and was there to support his family, identifying myself as his ("faux") cuñado. I will say that he received excellent care in both the ER and later in ICU. They did transport him to Amerimed and did what they called a "heart scan" which led to two stints. They returned him to Galenia after he had stabilized. I remember you telling me once that Galenia only had 7 hospital rooms, that it was mainly a boutique medical office building. I agree that they have 4 beds in the ICU section but only V's was occupied. His last night was spent in one of those 7 rooms and he was the only patient in that section. It was like walking in an office building after everyone had left for the day. There actually may be more than 7 rooms there now. On another note, when I saw a new post on this thread, page 1 popped up and I noticed the following: Your comprehensive list in the 2nd post in this thread, where you refer to the new (at the time) IMSS Hospital in Region 17, that is referred to as the "District 510 Hospital". So as not to confuse anyone, let's correct that to Region 510, hence the referral to 510 in the commonly referred to name. There is no Region 17. Regions are pretty much the same thing as Supermanzanas, but are typically a bit remote from the immediate downtown area. There is though, a SM 17 which, generally speaking, as I don't have my map in front of me, south of Costco on the other side of Yaxchilan.
I can understand why that would puzzle you, T.J. "Hospital Distrito 510" is the name the locals apply to what is the IMSS Regional General Hospital Number 17; this, in spite of the fact that it's actually in region 509! The reference to region 17 in the official name of the hospital is not to a reference to any region within Cancun, it's IMSS' designation of regions for their purposes, and bears no relation to what anybody else is calling regions. A footnote, the "V" referred to by T.J., as having been in the hospital, was not the same V. as the one posting on this thread. I'm glad not to need a hospital, at this point, other than for a checkup!
so where would you guys recommend a non-spanish speaking retiree go if he thinks he is having a heart attack.
Without a second thought: Hospiten! I spent 11 days there back in 2009, 4 in their ICU, with what turned out to be CHF. My husband toured their Cath Lab and found it to be state of the art... As to V's comment that the price of a visit has gone up... what hasn't gone up in price? Be thankful that you're there and not having to pay US prices for medical care. Actually, there has been a change in Hospiten's charges in the last couple of years. I used to be able to get my 5 allergy shots (bringing my own serums) for about 100 pesos and now they're charging for each of the 5 syringes @ 100 pesos each. Still worth to me since I get to be in Cancun. I still get a resident discount though.
