Blurred Borders - International Community Foundation

Medical care in Mexico is attractive not only because of its lower costs,
but also it offers culturally competent services for the Latino
population. Healthcare in Mexico is more affordable than in San Diego
because it is offered through public agencies with heavy subsidies, and
other factors such as lower labor cost, less paperwork, and cheaper
medicine. For example, a woman paid for removal of a cancerous cyst –
surgery that would cost $7,000 in California, but only $2,800 in
Tijuana. 242
Costs are not the only consideration for some of the patients who
prefer care in Mexico. A study of Mexican farm workers found that
they preferred care in Mexico because they “expect a treatment
approach that involves the use of fast-acting, potent medicines, few (if
any) laboratory tests, and minimal paperwork.” 243 If they visit a U.S.
clinic, they, just like any American who visits a doctor, are likely to be
asked questions in English, required to fill out paperwork, endure long
waits to have their blood pressure and temperature measurement and
then to see the clinician, then go through some medical tests, and be
asked to come back in a few days or weeks. Although not all Mexican
hospitals and clinics operate like the farm workers described in their
interviews in the above-mentioned study, for those Mexican workers
who are used to quick visits and potent medication at home, and those
who do not speak English fluently, medical visits to US clinics and
hospitals may seem too demanding on their time and resources,
especially when they cannot effectively communicate with the medical
staff.
Cross-border health insurance takes advantage of the strengths of the
health systems on both sides of the border. On the Tijuana side, the
system is culturally competent, fast and low cost. On the U.S. side, it is
technically sound and provides excellent trauma and tertiary medical
242 Daily Policy Digest, April 29, 2002.
243 Mines, Mullenax, and Saca (2001), The Binational Farm Worker Health Survey, p.6.
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