


Bike Shops in Playa Del Carmen
There's a lot of shops now in Playa where you can rent our buy a bike as the urban bike scene continues to grow. the best shops for buying are on 30th Ave. between Constituyentes and 34 Calle. There's 4 different shops now so the prices are…

Fixed Gear Bikes in Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is a great city to ride fixed gear bikes because it's flat but the roads are a little rough for real skinny road tires. I just got my first fixed gear bike, or fixie, a few months ago and loved it right away but I've…

Avoiding Bike Theft
Everyone I talk to who has lived here for any length of time has had one or more bikes stolen. The red bike pictured above was stolen from me. It was 1 of 2 I had stolen at once that were locked together inside a locked courtyard. I saw…

Bikes For Sale In Playa Del Carmen
There's a huge variety of cheap bikes for sale in Playa Del Carmen now. If you are staying in Playa for more than 2 or 3 weeks it may make more sense to just buy a bike. You can find pretty decent bikes for sale for…

How Much Does Healthcare Cost In Mexico?
One of the questions that people from the United States ask me a lot is “How much does healthcare cost In Mexico?” or “How does it work?”
The answer is that basic health services and medications are much less expensive and accessible to people without health insurance or with the universal health insurance program called Seguro Popular. However, if you are looking to have access to the private hospitals and receive the best care in the case of an accident, serious medical problem or condition, you will still want to have private medical insurance.
The good news is that private medical insurance in Mexico can be as much as 50% less than what you might pay for the same coverage in the United States. The biggest and most popular insurer for private medical insurance in Mexico is GNP Seguros.
You only need to show proof of residence to qualify and get a policy for private Mexican Medical Insurance.
This would give you access to the best high quality modern hospitals and doctors available. There are many different policy options available with or without deductibles. You can expect to pay around $1000-3000. a year depending on the policy for mexican private medical insurance.
Mexico has made it very affordable and easy for people to access medications and doctors without insurance because so many people here don’t have it. In addition, since 2004 Mexico also has a universal health insurance program called Seguro Popular. This has allowed 50 million previously uninsured people to have access to health care at “general hospitals”. Foreigners who become permanent residents can also access this very low cost option and many of the same doctors work in both the “private” and “general” hospitals.
The way hospitals work in Mexico is there are 3 different types:
For most foreigners, expats and full or part time foreign residents private insurance and hospitals will be the best fit but it’s nice to have options.
One cost saving strategy is to have a lower cost policy with a high deductible and just pay for basic healthcare and medications out of pocket. I visit private doctors and specialists (like my dermatologist) and just pay out of pocket. Then save the private insurance if a serious health problem or accident happens.
Some people who choose to live in Mexico part time prefer to keep their insurance from their home country and purchase Medical Evacuation Insurance in case they get sick and need to return home for medical care that they are more comfortable with. This is a good fit for people who live in Mexico part time but live primarily in their home country.
What I really like is that for less serious medical problems, and let’s face it we all have to deal with health and medical issues as we get older, it’s very affordable in Mexico. In fact, all the major pharmacies in Mexico have a consultation office where you can visit a doctor for 2 or 3 dollars or even for free in Farmacias del Ahorra.
One of the things I used to hate about the healthcare system in the United States is that even just for a basic diagnosis and prescription for medication you need to use your health insurance or pay a very high price out of pocket. This system of inexpensive “Consult Doctors” at the pharmacies works very well in Mexico. The price of most pharmaceutical drugs and medications is also a fraction of the price you would pay in the U.S. because most people are paying out of pocket.
Affordable and accessible Healthcare in Mexico is another great reason to live your life in the Riviera Maya or anywhere else in this great country.