Mexico Offering Californians What U.S. Can’t: Cheap, Reliable Health Care
In Southern California, if people haven't gone to Mexico for health care, they probably know someone who has.
The Desert Sun:
The Allure Of Cheap Doctors, Drugs And Dentists In Mexico
More than 6 million private vehicles (a number that excludes buses) entered Mexico from the U.S. in 2015, but border authorities aren't counting how many people in all of those cars and trucks are making the trip for medical reasons. ... People overburdened by the price of getting what's supposed to be some of the best health care in the world are willing to seek out options that would have seemed overly risky not long ago. And while more Americans now have health insurance than ever before, the high price of seeing a doctor, dentist or filling a prescription have not slowed the annual growth in the amount of money Americans spend on health care in foreign countries. (Newkirk, 10/20)
The Desert Sun:
Mexico Fills Health Needs For Many Latino Americans
Latinos, who make up a majority of people living in the eastern valley, rely more heavily on Mexican health services. With generally lower incomes, they see a greater benefit in Mexico's lower prices. They also use Mexico as a workaround to the shortage of primacy care doctors and dentists in the east Coachella Valley, and their cultural familiarity means there's no hesitation with seeing a doctor or dentist outside the U.S. The health care providers that do operate in the east valley know they can't compete with Mexico's prices, so they focus on convenience and their ability to work with U.S. insurance companies. Meanwhile, they say the Affordable Care Act appears to have had minimal effect on people choosing Mexico over local providers. (Newkirk, 10/20)