Health insurance in Mexico for expats

Medicare and most US health plans don’t pay for care in Mexico. You need to arrange cover before you move, and your age and health history decide which options are open to you.

The three kinds of cover

• Private Mexican insurance. Policies from Mexican insurers cover treatment at private hospitals in Mexico. They are usually the cheapest private option and don’t cover care in the US.
• International insurance. These policies cover you in Mexico and other countries, sometimes including the US at a much higher premium. They suit people who travel or want the option of treatment at home.
• The public system (IMSS). Legal residents can apply to join voluntarily for an annual fee. Care is low-cost, mostly in Spanish, and there are exclusions for existing conditions and waiting periods for some treatments.

Many residents combine them: paying for routine care themselves, which often costs far less than in the US, and insuring against large hospital bills.

What changes the price

• Your age. Premiums rise steeply after 65, and some insurers stop accepting new customers at a set age.
• Existing conditions, which may be excluded, surcharged or subject to a waiting period.
• The deductible you choose.
• Whether cover includes the US.

When to arrange it

Get quotes before you commit to moving, especially if you are over 65 or have a health condition. Buy the policy a month or two before the move so it is active the day you arrive.

What to ask a broker

• Which hospitals near where I’ll live accept this policy directly, without me paying first?
• How are my existing conditions treated, in writing?
• Up to what age can I renew, and how have premiums risen for people my age?
• Is emergency evacuation included?

Common questions

Can I use Medicare in Mexico?

No. Medicare generally doesn't pay for care outside the United States, so you need other cover while you live in Mexico.

Can expats join Mexico's public health system?

Legal residents can apply to join IMSS voluntarily for an annual fee. It excludes some existing conditions and has waiting periods for certain treatments, so many people pair it with private cover.