(by Bruno Joachim)

If I live in Mexico but am not a citizen, can I get medical coverage?  Yes.

If you have been reading Vidalgo.com and The Life Style Refugee you are probably aware that affordable healthcare was an important consideration for us when we made the move to Lake Chapala. I’ve had IDDM (Insulin Dependent Diabetes)  since 1988 and the cost of managing and actually being able to find insurance coverage at all for myself had become an increasingly unmanageble undertaking in the US. In 2005 my Cobra premiums were over two-thousand dollars per month, and I was denied coverage by the major insurers because of pre-existing conditions. Does that sound familiar to any self-employed individuals?

After three years of coverage with IMSS (Instituto Mexicano Seguro Social) all pre-existing conditions are 100% covered.

Any foreigner with a valid passport and Mexican FM-3 or FM-2 immigration Visa is eligible for immediate application to the IMSS. The process takes about a month, costs 2133 Pesos (around two-hundred dollars US) for annual coverage and is renewable every twelve months. In my case, the amount to obtain coverage for a year came to about ten percent of one month’s coverage for insurance with copays in the US.

Fully qualified after three years, I now have monthly appointments at the IMSS clinic in downtown Chapala.  The facility is fully staffed with doctors, nurses, dental office and an Emergency Room. Although it might appear somewhat “Third World” in appearance, the Chapala IMSS is highly professional, friendly and competent. It is crowded, and it would seem the waiting room time drags on – until I recall how long I would be left waiting in doctors offices in the US, not to mention the times spent in HMO’s as well.  The IMSS has several large facilities including hospitals and clinics in Guadalajara where patients are referred to handle more major illnesses than routine care and in-clinic procedures.  All of my experiences at IMSS have been very professional and the care is excellent. In fact, my IMSS doctor is the first one to have correctly advised me on Insulin dosages and timing, despite the best efforts of specialists for the past twenty years. Once per month she renews my prescriptions, which are filled at the IMSS pharmacy upstairs without copay charges. Sometimes the pharmacy may not have a full supply in stock, but receiving most of my Insulins and meds for free is a far cry better than what this all would be costing me personally in the US, with thousands of dollars per month in premiums and copay expenses.

What did you do for medical care and prescriptions during the three year waiting period?

Private medical care and prescriptions cost $432.00 (US per month)

I was able to implement a two part system to cover my medical needs during the waiting period. While having IMSS coverage in place for emergency or catastrophic illness for my wife and myself, my routine Diabetes management was handled by a private clinic in Ajijic for an annual cost of 2700 Pesos including monthly office visits. During this period I paid for all Insulins and other daily medications out of pocket:

Monthly costs in Pesos medications at local pharmacies and Walmart

Insulin U-100 Lantus and Humolog        650 Pesos X 4 per month….  2600

Insulin Syringes                                                                     ….     120

Levothroid, Simvastatin, Hydrochlorotiazamine, Lisinopril      ………..  1700

Total Monthly Prescriptions (approx)                       …………………………  4420 Pesos

Monthly private clinic including office visits and lab tests          ………….        545 Pesos

Almost every day we see more and more exciting developments in our part of the world in beautiful Lake Chapala. Enjoy this news!

Expat Haven to be Mexico’s New Hollywood

“Lake Chapala lies in a scenic part of central Mexico and has several small towns clustered around its shores. Its year-round temperate climate allows filming 95% of the year, say Jalisco state commerce officials. The lake is less than an hour from Guadalajara, Mexico’s second-largest city and home to an international airport with direct fights to the U.S.”

Last year, my friends and I had decided to try a new Latin dance-flavored variety of exercise class called Zumba, and discovered it was great fun to follow the energetic young Mexicana through the moves to some very high-energy salsa music.  Disappointed one evening when the leader didn’t show up for class, the other girls coaxed and flattered me into taking her place. They knew I had enjoyed a career in ballroom dancing in the distant, misty past. I took the class and experienced such satisfaction and joy from the experience that I’ve been doing it ever since…

(Elliott wrote an article for a well known local magazine this month about fitness options in Lakeside,  and it’s publishers have provided Vidalago readers with a log-on to “read all about it.” Mexico Insights is always full of interesting local information, so enjoy, and Happy Easter!)

Click on Mexico Insights to continue reading more of the article Elliott wrote for the local Ezine.

Goto the red login box on the upper right hand corner.

username apr2010

password artist

As if there wasn’t enough to do in Ajijic every day, February features the Mexican National Chili Cookoff, a local Tradition.

Every year amateur and professional chefs compete for the much coveted People’s Choice  Award, given in both the Chili and Salsa categories in a festival filled with fun, prizes, music and lots of good food.  Sponsored by local and international vendors for the benefit of local charities,  The Cookoff is located in the Tobolandia Water Park.  Locals and visitors from all over can spend the three days sampling chilis,browsing at the myriad of booths where everything from Golf Carts to Silver Mexican Jewelry is on offer.  From Friday through Sunday you can admire the work of local artisans and dance to a variety of bands while having a Corona or three with your friends. And of course there’s chili, chili, and more chili to sample and judge. Chili not your thing? Don’t worry…a wide variety of restaurants have booths there, too.

VIEW THE VIDEO HERE!

Need more activities where you can bring your visitors and make new friends in February? Here are just a few of the special events you can find in Lakeside.

*  The School for the Deaf Tour of Homes
* Presbyterian Church — Bazaar
* Villa Infantil Orphanage — Tour of “Green” homes
* Love in Action Center — Garden Party
* Music Appreciation Society — Play reading
* Niños Incapacitados — Dinner Dance
* Lake Chapala Shriners — Ribfest Party
* American Legion Ladies Auxiliary — Valentine’s Dinner
* ACA Eco — Bus trips to Abastos, weekly Eco Talks
* Red Cross Bus Trips — Shopping at Gallerias and Tlaquepaque
* 32nd Annual Chili Cookoff — Proceeds divided by eight local charities

Dixie - Elliott - Linda Absolut Fenix Dixie Chics

This year  Saucy Fossi Picaddily Chili won Third Place!

Be sure to visit the official

Chili Cookoff Homepage

Enjoy and buen provecho!

Talk to me about Real Estate in Ajijic!

Be sure to browse all of the properties available in the Lakeside area here, using the Free MLS Listings search…a copy of each listing you select will be sent to your email inbox for further review. JUST ADD “CONTACT ELLIOTT” IN THE MESSAGE BOX!

Last Minute Christmas Shopping?

Feeling Holiday Hectic and having to run over to the Costco and the Mall for those hard to find items just before Christmas? But wait! I’m living in Mexico…how can I get back to Tyson’s or the Mall of America? No need to panic, the Costco’s and Malls such as Liverpool and Galleria in Guadalajara have everything you would expect, ant it’s all within an hour’s drive or bus ride from Lakeside.

,,,,,,Is Mexico limited to simple shops and outdoor  …...markets?

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The year-round markets and local specialty shops feature the best of everything in Lakeside. Finding the freshest meats, poultry, vegetables and fruits is always fun at the market or inside the local Walmart or Super Lakes.……………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………You will also find all of the handmade pottery, leatherwork, crafts and artwork Mexico is famous for right here in Lakeside.  Bargaining for items goes with the territory but it is all very friendly.

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The Mega in Guadalajara located across the parking lot from the new Costco also features a stunning array of food, beverage, delicatessen itmes along with general house and garden merchandise.

…………………………The Gualajara Costco Stores carry name brand electronics, computers, furniture, home and garden, and of course all the usual bulk items including foods, pharmacy, optical, photo, snacks and beverages that you can fit into your trunk.

Numerous  clinics and private doctors’ offices in the Ajijic  Lake Chapala area  offer excellent medical services at approximately $25 US  per visit.  Typical lab and blood work runs from $25 – $75 and is also available at several convenient local labs.

The Clinica Maskeras conveniently located in Riberas on the Carattera is a full service medical facility with full MD and nursing staff. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, includes on-site emergency care with transport access to major Guadalajara Hospitals.

These out of pocket costs are typical for routine care and check-ups, much less than co-pays for many US providers, and you do not need insurance in order to have complete care.

Lakeside has the added advantage of close proximity to Guadalajara, which boasts some of the best Medical facilities and hospitals in Mexico.

Contrary to popular belief, most doctors are bi-lingual and extensively experienced in their fields of specialty.  In addition,  the major hospitals in Guadalajara utilize the latest high-tech treatments and  equipment.

It’s interesting to note that many US trained and certified MD’s actually decided to return or move to Lakeside and the Guadalajara area, rather than continuing to practice in the US. Can you blame them?

There are also many alternative medicine practitioners who offer services locally. You can choose from licensed holistic practioners, massage therapists and chiropractic specialists as well.

There are a number of medical insurance options to choose from. IMSS is the Mexican government’s universal health care program. It costs about $300 USD per year and gives you a lot in return. It provides excellent catastrophic coverage and is available to foreign residents.

Dental costs also are a fraction of what you would expect to pay  in the US and Canada. Nursing care, assisted living and nursing home care is excellent as well, and much less expensive.

Retirees with US plans such as Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Champus, Metropolitan, Golden Rule, Cigna and others, can use their coverage in Mexico. In addition, a number of organizations such as the American Legion and the Lake Chapala Society have local health insurance plans.

US citizens with Medicaid and Medicare often carry a medical evacuation provision in the case of life-threatening illness. These policies provide coverage that allows them to be transported by air ambulance to the US for treatment.

“Ive heard that I can get any type of drugs in Mexico without a prescription. Is that true?”

Most Prescription Medicines are available over the counter at Guad Farmacia branches. There are also several high quality discount Farmacias in the Lakeside area.

No, you still need a prescription from a licensed MD in Mexico to purchase narcotic prescriptions.  However, without the rigors and stress of US based insurance regulations and associated high costs, you can walk into any local Farmacia and purchase most name brand and generic drugs for a fraction of the cost in the US, without a prescription.

Note: As an insulin-dependant diabetic, I find that a bottle of insulin (Lantus and Humalog) costs out of pocket the same as the copay alone was in the US (about $45 US).  Having qualified now for the IMSS drug coverage,  I actually receive insulin and other meds free of cost.

Be sure to browse all of the properties available in the Lakeside area here, using the Free MLS Listings search…a copy of each listing you select will be sent to your email inbox for further review. JUST ADD “CONTACT ELLIOTT” IN THE MESSAGE BOX!

An Important Question from a Vidalago.com Reader:

“One question I have is that we are not totally retired yet but our business is mostly done by phone and internet – is the service there reliable enough to run a business? Will it cost us a fortune to get the type of phone service/internet service we need to have people able to call in and us call out on a regular basis (Maybe an 800 #)?”

Answer: If you are reading this right now, you are looking at our Vidalago.com website that I set up on my home-office PC here in the Lakeside Village of San Antonio Tlayacapan with local Mexico Prodigy internet service, and the site server is somewhere in California furnished by a US web hosting service. When not working feverishly at real estate, marketing and writing we watch our favorite evening shows on the 42″ flat screen TV I purchased here at Home Depot Guadalajara (tip of the hat to Stu Browne for finding that great deal!). We have a TV satellite on the roof with a PVR dual channel receiver furnished by a provider in Ajijic, and get all the same channel packages here that are available in the US along with the local New York and national news. I set up a Vonage account before we moved, which retained our local phone (703) 349-5021 and then added a toll free number after the move (866) 306-9353.  That way Elliott can keep in touch with her clients 24/7 -while I make local calls to friends who are jealous that I am playing golf every morning.

Click on the picture for more info.

The service providers pictured are all located on or near the main road in Ajijic – Riberas.  They provide reliable installation, and usually accept credit cards for online billing.

Here are a few examples of communications services in Mexico, based on my personal experience and information…

Desktop PC’s and laptops

Fulltime residents usually bring their computers with them when moving to Lakeside.  All systems and peripherals are compatible with the DSL and cable internet services.  Mexico does not run on European electrical home service, so you can just plug in your electronics and boot them up right away.  Part-time residents can bring a laptop with them for the time they spend in Lakeside, getting wireless access at various points in the area. There are also several cyber cafes located in the town plaza’s, where you can get online for a few pesos an hour.

Computers and laptops are sold at retail outlets like the local Ajijic Walmart, and at electronics and department stores in Guadalajara. Telmex in Ajijic also sells PC and laptop systems. The only caveat being that hardware in Mexico uses Spanish language operating systems and keyboards; but if you need a new printer and supplies, for example, it is not a problem to add on to your existing system.

Internet Service Providers

Telmex – Provides high speed DSL on the local phone line utilizing Prodigy Infinitum. The service is very reliable, and does not interefere with your phone service. DSL modem and software is provided when you sign up for service at the Telmex office in Ajijic, where the customer service folks speak English and are happy to explain everything in detail. The monthly charge for unlimited DSL – which is on 24/7 – and local phone service is approx. 650 pesos ($42 US). For peso to dollar conversion, at current rate divide pesos by 14 per dollar.

Telecable

With this service you can opt for 9 different TV channel packages with the initial 72 channel package at 235 pesos per month ($16.78 US). The monthly subrsciber line charge is 99 pesos with automatic debit, or 199 if you go to the office and pay cash pesos. Adding internet to your cable package ranges from 149 pesos for 512kbps to 449 pesos for 6mbps.  In summary, basic 72 channel cable TV plus 3mbps broadband bills at 633 pesos ($45.21 US).

Cellphones at Telcel

The modern Telcel offices with glittering arrays of the latest cell phones and accessories can be found in several locations in Lakeside as well as in the Guadalajara shopping centers. Prices for cell phones and minutes are comparable to those in the US. You can subscribe monthly or pay as you go with phone cards as well. We like the Amigo free phone to phone feature, since we use them as “intercoms” around Lakeside or if we travel. The service is excellent just about anywhere in the country, and you can make international calls on your cell too. This really comes in handy if you are meeting someone at the airport, and they can’t figure out where the Starbucks is to meet you outside the international arrivals area.

Be sure to leave a comment or more questions about Internet in Mexico or anything else you can think of….

Be sure to browse all of the properties available in the Lakeside area here, using the Free MLS Listings search…a copy of each listing you select will be sent to your email inbox for further review. JUST ADD “CONTACT ELLIOTT” IN THE MESSAGE BOX!

Question: “I’ve heard that golfing in Mexico is very expensive. Is that how it is in the Lake Chapala and Guadalajara area?”

Answer: “Yes, and No. But like most things Mexican, there is a work-around…”

For expert and casual golfers alike, the Guadalajara Mexico area offers a number of outstanding championship golf courses. The beautiful weather provides for a year-round golfing season in Lakeside and Guadalajara. Many  of the the championship 18-hole courses in Guadalajara – Guadalajara Country Club, El Palomar, Atlas, Santa Anita, Las Canadas – are either Members Only or Resort Courses. Read on to find out about the work-around if you don’t want to stay in a resort hotel in order to play the golf courses…

In Lakeside, we have Chula Vista Country Club,  a charming 9-hole Executive course, which is short on yardage but long on challenges for golfers of all skill levels. Nestled in a hillside overlooking Lake Chapala

Chula Vista Golf

(“Chula Vista” means “Beautiful View”), you will find some exceptionally long par 3′s and short par 4′s that gobble up golf balls belonging to many seasoned golf afficianados. Chula Vista features extremely affordable year-round membership rates, or a daily greens fee of 400 pesos (less than $40 US). There are no carts, but lots of friendly and skilled caddies if you don’t want to lug your own bag up and down the hills. I recently signed up for annual greens fee membership with another golfer, for a cost of 10,300 pesos (around $1000. US) which covers unlimited play 7 days a week.  Finish off your round with a drink or lunch with friends at the terrace restaurant and you have a nearly clublike experience for very few dollars.

Chula Vista Golf Club Rates updated January, 2009

# of months                1 person (Pesos/DollarsUS)            2 person (Pesos/DollarsUS)

1                                    4000 / 308                                       8000 / 616

3                                  10500 / 808                                    18000 / 1385

6                                  13000 / 1000                                  23000 / 1769

12                                18000 / 1385                                   27000 / 2077

Monthly memberships include unlimited play, caddies required weekends and holidays. This is a hilly walking course with lots of trees and hazards. Pullcarts permitted, no riding carts.

Single play 18 holes       350 / 26.93

Caddy fee                       150 / 11.54

“OK, OK, but what if I want to play a regular 18-hole championship course?”  Oh yes, now for the work-around: You don’t have to be a member or resort guest in Guadalajara to play those great courses. Instead, say hello to the friendly pro at Chula Vista, tell him you would like to play at one of the courses in nearby Guadalajara, and he will call their pro shop to give you an introduction.  You will find 18-hole greens fees with carts and caddy there to be anywhere between $80 – $150 US.

Another local course is Chapala Country Club a full-sized 9-hole course, also with breathtaking views and private homes surrounding the golf course. Contact the club directly for membership information and rates.

The Atlas Country Club, with a championship 18-hole layout, also features a state of the art clubhouse with banguet and convention facilities, tennis, swimming and many other amenities. Atlas is located just past Guadaljara Airport, about a thirty minute drive from Lakeside.

Currently Atlas is offering full memberships starting as low as $5,500. US.

For serious club golfers, Atlas offers the best value in the Guadalajara area. The course and clubhouse facilities rival any top-shelf golf club anywhere in the world. For more information about golf in Lake Chapala and Guadalajara, be sure to contact us.

Bruno is an avid golfer and would enjoy playing a five-peso (fifty-cent) skins game with you when you come to visit Lakeside, or if you just need a break from house hunting with Elliott!