The healthcare system in Mexico

Healthcare in Mexico is generally of a very high standard, with clean clinics and hospitals equipped with the latest technology. Public access to healthcare is, however, remarkably complex, with three different national systems and further sub-systems operating in each individual state. For example, state workers receive their healthcare from a completely different body to workers in the private sector. However, one way or another, every Mexican citizen is entitled to some form of either free or subsidised treatment, resulting in a healthy population with a long life expectancy.

Private treatment also plays a significant part in Mexican Healthcare, with upwards of 3000 private clinics and hospitals across the country. Much of this is due to the huge demand for healthcare tourism from across the border in the United States, with many thousands of US citizens visiting each year to receive everything from basic dental care to major orthopedic surgery. With Mexican dental prices at around half those in the United States, and other treatments even cheaper still, some American health insurance companies actually insist that their clients cross the border for treatment.

One advantage of this for the UK healthcare tourist is that the vast majority of clinics and hospitals have English speaking staff, not only in the frontline doctors who meet and treat you, but also throughout the nursing and ancillary staff. Indeed, many Mexican doctors, cosmetic surgeons and dentists actually undertake their training and continued professional development in the United States or the UK, so they understand your culture and your expectations, as well as your language.

The typical price for a dental implant in Mexico is around £600, compared to up to £2000 in the UK, while rhinoplasty (a nose job) costs under £2000, compared to up to £6000 in the UK.

To meet the US demand, a large proportion of private hospitals and clinics are based near the American border in cities such as Tijuana. The capital, Mexico City also boasts a selection of world class hospitals, while many private clinics and treatment centres have sprung up around the main tourist resorts, such as Cancun and Acapulco, combining a top class beach holiday with low cost treatment.

Treatment providers in Mexico