Private domestic insurance

Do you know if your domestic health insurance will cover your doctor visits or other medical care when you are traveling or living in Mexico?

If the answer is “no” or “I don’t know for sure” – you should contact the customer service department of your health insurance company and ask them questions, such as:

1. Will my policy cover me if I get sick or injured while in Mexico?

2. Will my policy cover my pre-existing conditions during my time in Mexico?

3. Will I be reimbursed for any out of pocket expenses that I pay for health care in Mexico? How do I file for that reimbursement?

4. Will my coinsurance, deductibles and other plan requirements remain the same while I am out of the country?

Each health insurance company defines terms and conditions for each individual policy differently so there is not one standard for all. It will be up to you to investigate your particular policy. For example, a medical emergency is defined many ways so you will want to be crystal clear about what your own policy says.

Most private insurance companies have some provisions for international travel or you can get a rider for them. Every insurance company, and within each company, there are different and varied benefits, definitions and policies, so it is up to you to ask them and find out.

Once you have this information, you can pursue the additional coverage that will keep you safe.

Canadian residents

Canadian residents are covered in Canada by their provincial health plan. But when you are in in Mexico you cannot rely on that coverage. A Canadian travel insurance plan may cover you for up to six or eight months and might only cover emergencies but not serious and chronic illnesses such as diabetes or cancer. Also, your provincial medical coverage, including OHIP, MSP and other provincial medical plans, will likely not cover you after a set number of months. More information is available online (https://www.sbis.ca/canadas-provincial-health-plans.html).

United States residents

With one possible exception, U.S. Medicare coverage will not cover you when you are outside of the United States. If you qualify for Medicare you would have to return to the United States for treatment. The exception to this is if you are on a ship within the territorial waters of the United States, some coverage may then be available to you. However, it is possible to get some limited international coverage with either a Medigap plan or Medicare Advantage plan. You will need to get current information on this from the Medicare website (https://www.medicare.gov/).

Emergency evacuation insurance

If you suffer a serious health emergency or need surgery and your insurance does not cover it, it is wise to investigate an emergency evacuation insurance policy. Evacuations to your home country or to another hospital within Mexico can get expensive. Some estimates say $100,000!

Your own policy may have this available. Additionally, some credit cards will cover evacuation to the nearest hospital and other accident benefits. Contact them to find out more about their specific benefits.

Travel insurance

Some travel insurance policies can help to fill in gaps in your current plans; and they can also act as primary or secondary coverage. Your credit card may have travel insurance and other travel related benefits. You may not need a separate policy so check your credit card benefits first and then investigate travel policies.

You will want to be sure your travel insurance offers Emergency Medical Coverage and Evacuation as well as 24/7 Emergency Assistance (doctor or hospital recommendations and translation services).

Finally…

1. Keep your insurance cards, or a copy of them, with you. You will need to present them to the medical facility. In Mexico the term used in the medical facilities for “insurance card” is “ASSIS.”

2. We are providing a list of some local medical facilities and English-speaking doctors for your convenience. This is not an exhaustive list. There are many hospitals, clinics, laboratories and good doctors along our beautiful coast between Puerto Escondido and Salina Cruz. Our modern medical services are expanding all the time. This will give you a start… asking other expats will also provide you with good information.

PUERTO ESCONDIDO

Hospitals:

Hospital Angel del Mar

https://hospitalangeldelmar.com.mx/

954-104-2270 or 954-582-1026

Note: Insurance companies that have a relationship with Hospital Ángel del Mar are: Banorte, Sinergia, AXA Bancos (Banco HSBC / Banco Santander), GNP Autos and GNP Major medical expenses, Seguros Monterrey, Allianz.