The IMSS, or Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, is the public health care system in Mexico. It offers a broad degree of coverage including items such as consultations, tests, hospitalization, surgery and medicines as well as basic dental and optical care if the doctors are within the IMSS structure. When joining the IMSS, one must go to a local IMSS clinic so they can assign him or her to a
. doctor and give him or her a time for an appointment. The IMSS is a government run health care program and therefore is subject to a degree of bureaucracy. Foreigners in Mexico that sign up for it mainly use it for emergencies and then sign up for the Maskaras Clinic Discount Program to cover day to day issues and annual checkups. The IMSS offers a low cost health care options for foreigners that are resettling in Mexico and is somewhat comparable to the national health systems of Canada or Great Britain. The system works on a three-tiered basis. The first level is Unidad Medicos Familiares or Family Care Clinics. People go for consultation with their "medicos familiars" or family doctors. These clinics vary significantly in quality and testing. The family doctors pass patients on to specialists at regional clinics, hospitals or medical centers. Each local IMSS clinic is associated with a particular regional hospital where patients get sent for either specialist treatment or hospitalization. People under the IMSS care can go to any clinic or hospital in case of an emergency. One advantage of the IMSS is the low cost. In 2011, the annual fee for someone over 60 was 3472.10 pesos per year and much less for young people. The insurance covers hospital, medical, surgical, eye, ear, dental care, prescriptions, lab tests, x-rays, reconstructive surgery and mental health needs. In addition, third level specialist care such as at the Centro Medico in Guadalajara is just as good as most private hospitals in Guadalajara according to local doctors. Disadvantages of the IMSS is that few of the nurses speak English and some of the doctors also do not speak English which is a problem for those in Mexico that cannot speak Spanish; these patients need an interpreter. In addition, the medications that doctors can prescribe are fairly basic and less effective than other drugs. Moreover, the system chooses the clinic for the patient rather than vice versa, long waits are common, referral to specialists can sometimes take two months and hospitals are crowded enough that 3-4 patients share a room. All private sector employees in Mexico are entitled to IMSS health care insurance; the employer pays a premium of approximately 9% of the worker's salary and the employee pays 3%. Self employed Mexican citizens and foreign residents may also enroll. Foreigners with any immigration status can enroll as long as they have a Mexican address. To join the IMSS, one needs a copy of his or her birth certificate, an original and copy of official identification such as an FM-2, FM-3 or passport, a printed copy of the applicant's personal identification number or CURP and two child size photos of the applicant. In addition, applicants must fill out an IMSS questionnaire in Spanish; chronic degenerative diseases such as cancer, HIV, diabetes or heart disease mentioned on the application or found in a prerequisite medical exam when applying would result in rejection of the application. http://www.focusonmexico.com/Mexico-Topics/Health-Care/IMSS-National-Health-Insurance.html or http://www.focusonmexico.com/Applying_for_IMSS.html#howimssworks
