What Foreigners Should Know About the Mexican Healthcare System Jantra Jacobs - Pacific Prime Latin America
go to original April 5, 2022

Public Health Care Options in Mexico (Two Expats Mexico)

If you’re moving to Mexico for work, you can join the Instituto Mexicano de Seguro Social (IMSS), which is an employer-based health scheme. English speakers can benefit from the good level of English that most doctors have, thanks to their training in the US. What if you’re living in Mexico but not working? Fret not, as you can also sign up for IMSS on a voluntary basis. In this Pacific Prime Latin America article, we discuss what foreigners should know about the IMSS.

How Does IMSS Work in Mexico?

Often referred to simply as IMSS, the Instituto Mexicano de Seguro Social is Mexico’s social security system. At the point of delivery, the social security system is free to Mexicans and eligible foreign nationals. The latter includes expats with residency status who are employed full-time by an IMSS registered company. Foreigner residents in Mexico who are not working for an IMSS enrolled company, or who are not working at all, may choose to buy the IMSS health insurance separately for a small monthly fee.

Under the IMSS, employees of Mexican companies pay a percentage of their salary every month. Along with giving them access to healthcare in Mexico, IMSS also provides insurance cover for their salary in case they cannot work due to an illness or accident. The payroll tax that goes towards healthcare is payable even if you take out a private insurance plan. Individual contributions are required for those who take IMSS voluntarily.

How to Access IMSS

Application procedures, information, and healthcare services are provided solely in Spanish. Therefore, you’ll have to get a Spanish-speaking friend or interpreter to help you apply if you don’t speak Spanish. The same goes for whenever you go for treatment. The two ways to enroll in IMSS are through employment or voluntarily.

Employment: Any Mexican national or foreign resident who is officially employed in Mexico has to pay for their employee IMSS contribution to become enrolled in the program. This contribution is required regardless of whether they have any other private health insurance.

Voluntary Enrollment: Voluntary enrollment is available to those who are not formally employed and would like to enroll on an independent basis. For example, this could be a good option for foreign residents who have chosen to retire in Mexico. If you wish to enroll voluntarily, note that you can only qualify if you have legal residency status. The cost of annual enrollment depends on your age.

IMSS Limitations

The IMSS does not cover pre-existing conditions such as:

  • Congenital diseases
  • Chronic degenerative diseases
  • Malignant tumors
  • Addictions
  • Mental illness
  • HIV

A person with any of these conditions will not be able to enroll in the IMSS insurance program. Other specific pre-existing conditions may be covered on deferment, which means healthcare services will only be covered under the program once the waiting period is over.

How to Apply and Pay

You can apply in-person at your local IMSS office or online. Either way, you’ll have to present the required documents at your local IMSS office, including:

  • Your current passport(s)
  • Your current residency permit(s)
  • IMSS application form and health questionnaire
  • Proof of address (such as your latest electricity bill)
  • Birth certificate(s)
  • Marriage certificate (if applicable)
  • Two photographs (same rules and format as your residency permit)
  • Bank payment receipt of the first year’s premium

I’m Enrolled. Now What?

Once you’re enrolled, your coverage starts on the first calendar day of the next month. You’ll be assigned to a local clinic upon enrollment, which is where you’ll go to see your doctor, for check-ups, and to get prescription medications. Your assigned doctor is the only person who can make a referral to IMSS medical specialists if you require specialist services.

If your doctor prescribes any medications, you can get them for no additional cost at the pharmacy connected to the local IMSS office. It’s worth noting that this isn’t the case for all medicines. If the medication you need isn’t available at the pharmacy, the doctor will provide a prescription so you can buy it at a private pharmacy. In this case, you’ll have to pay for the medication separately.

Pacific Prime Latin America works alongside top insurers in the region to provide individuals and corporates with the best value insurance products and services. We are an award-winning broker, with a global presence for more than 20 years, and have recently brought our expertise to the Latin American region. Find out more about us here.

Read the rest at Pacific Prime Latin America

Related: 6 Things to Know About Healthcare in Mexico for Expat Retirees (Pacific Prime Latin America)

Related: IMSS Healthcare for the Expat Is a Viable and Affordable Option (MexicoNewsDaily.com)

Related: Don’t Have Mexico Social Security? IMSS Bienestar Offers Free Services (El Financiero)

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