Health care

When Dick and I began our discovery trek about retirement, insurance and health care popped near the top of our concerns list.

 I’ve had many email asking for info on the health care and facilities in and around Lake Chapala, so here’s this week’s article for your perusal:

We retirees seem to fall into two main categories when considering the direction we will go when moving to Mexico – Service persons and Civilians.  And then, there are subcategories such as those interested in private insurance plans, strictly using cash, veterans, civilians, Mexico’s national health care, etc.  Here, we’ll touch on the Lake Chapala area, and more specifically, veterans and civilians. 

For service men and women, you may qualify for free health care in Mexico.  The way I understand it, in order to qualify for benefits under the FMP you must have at least a 10% service-connected disability rating from the VA. The program is designed to pay 100% of all charges for medical care associated with VA rated service-connected disabilities or for care for anyone who is participating in a 38 USC Chapter 31 rehabilitation program while living or traveling outside the U.S. – check with your VA’s Foreign Medical Program.

A fun, friendly place.

For us others – the Lake Chapala area has many English speaking general practitioners and specialists.  Many work out of clinics that offer emergency, short-term hospital care, and out-patient facilities, and the everyday care we may need.  These clinics are almost always associated with Guadalajara hospitals.  Both the Red Cross and the major hospitals have emergency ambulance service to Guadalajara.

Usually, the hospitals offer private insurance, and of course, there is IMSS that is available to almost anyone.

In my book, Retire In Luxury, I tell of how Dick and I explored health care in Mazatlan.