Medical tourism in Mexico has become very popular due to the quality of medical care and comparatively low cost of procedures. How does that relate to me? I’ll tell you a little later.
Living in Puerto Vallarta has its advantages when it comes to medical care. We have some of the best in Mexico. Btw, you can learn more about all your PV options in the Puerto Vallarta/Healthcare section of this website. If you’re interested in another city, look under Cities in the navigation bar, click on the city you’re interested in and then click on Healthcare.
Elective surgeries like plastic surgery and bariatric surgery are very popular in Mexico, as are hip and knee replacements. Dental work involving root canals (not as bad as they sound), implants and veneers are a fraction of the cost north of the border, and who would not like to recuperate in a paradise like Puerto Vallarta? Even regular visits for check-ups and specialty care, like dermatology and ophthalmology, are financially within reach for everyone.
Health insurance is also quite readily available, either through international policies, IMSS (Mexico’s Social Security program) or via private insurers. If you want to learn all about your options, read the article “Health Insurance Options for Expats in Mexico.”
I have a private major medical policy for myself that covers a wide range of procedures, includes every hospital in town (with a private room I might add) and costs me about US$1,000 per year. It does not include regular doctor visits, but doctor or dentist visits in Puerto Vallarta generally run anywhere from $300-$700 pesos or around US$15-$30. Sometimes higher, depending upon whom you select as your doctor.
I’ve had a couple of medical procedures since I’ve lived in PV and am about to embark on a third. My experiences have been very positive, so my next adventure in the hospital will be bariatric surgery, in this case a gastric bypass. The doctor who will be performing the surgery is well known in his field and has extensive experience in this type of procedure. This doctor also offers packages for such surgeries, with the total costs ranging from $60,000 to $90,000 pesos, which is US$3,100 – $4,700. It includes pre- and post-operative visits as well as the surgery itself and the hospital stay. The same surgery in the U.S. would cost around US$24,000.
That cost difference is very typical of what you will find across a broad spectrum of medical and dental procedures in Mexico.
I’m excited about my decision and looking forward to the “new” me! November 14 is the big day so in my next blog, I will let you all know how it went and what to expect, if this is something that is interesting to you.
