The Expat Executive: The Bubonic Plague and My First Experience With Health Care in Mexico!

Day 3 of The Bubonic Plague

Okay ladies, unless you've given birth to triplets without an epidural, you just have no idea what I, and all other men are going through when we suffer with this paralyzing malady: The common cold.

Thank God Maria is here to feed me and hand me the remote when it's 2 feet out of reach!

Thus, I'm seeing my first Mexican M.D. today. If you can't read the sign in the pic below, it says "Doctor's consultation is no charge. Any money you pay is voluntary"

STRANGE!!! How can this be?? Where's the PROFIT???

It's a cultural thing. Like US teachers, most doctors here don't go into it, for the money. They go into the profession because they genuinely want to help people. So weird! I remember a friend of mine from Europe talking about Socialized Health Care with a Libertarian pal of mine. Larry Libertarian: Yeah but if they can't make the kind of money they make here, you're always going to lose the best doctors. Yelena European: That's what Americans seem to all be indoctrinated into believing. It's funny to us. Do you think the best veterinarian is the one who's in it for the money, or the one who's most passionate about the love of animals? The best teacher? The best ballerina? Larry: Yeah but those things are different. Yelena: How? Larry: Well you can't make the kind of money doing those things as you can being an American doctor. (Yelena laughs at this) Yelena: Yes you can. It's just that in most of the world, people who go into those professions, do it because they love animals, children or dancing. Only Americans assume that the highest paid is the best. Larry: Then why do you see so many doctors here from other countries! Yelena: Other than India, what countries are you referring to? I mean, if you're right, where are all the doctors from The UK, France and Switzerland? (Silence)

Don't get me wrong, there are lots of very high-end and rich doctors down here! They only take private insurance patients and only work at "Level 3" or private facilities. At 63 years old, I can easily get access to them because private insurance for a platinum plan would run me about $400. But I'll probably just go with the Government IMSS coverage for $40 monthly.

In any case, there's a reason so many US citizens come here for "medical vacations"! US Health care SUCKS! Why?

Let me give you an example. Today the doc spent about 30 minutes going over my history, habits, conditions and symptoms; checking everything from ears to blood pressure etc. All the normal stuff, just a LOT more interactive.

40 minutes and $40 later, I walked with 3 prescriptions and a sheet to get a COVID test if I don't feel better soon. In the US, I was lucky if I ever saw my doctor more than 6 minutes. Oftentimes, I didn't see him at all, and instead saw a nurse practitioner. And that was after waiting weeks to get my appointment - which is futile, if you have a cold or flu or something. There's certainly no such thing and just "walking in" and getting access to affordable, quality health care on the spot! The same three prescriptions would have easily cost me over $150 but by the time I got to see my doctor, my cold would be gone. Final example: A staunch Republican friend once described this dilemma to me. They thought their new toddler might have sustained a head injury but if they took him in to get it checked out, it would cost them thousands of dollars. Turns out he did have a severe head injury. He ended up being okay but that encapsulates American Health Care: You have to decide between a huge financial or risking the life of your child. Not here! Just one more thing I love about living in Mexico!