Cheap Health Care, South of the Border

(CBS)  For American retirees the Pacific coast town of Manzanillo, Mexico is paradise. The weather is always warm. Every home has a view, without a million dollar price tag. And a doctor's visit doesn't cost a penny out of pocket.

CBS News correspondent Kelly Cobiella reports Billy and Sandi Hunter retired to their dream home in Manzanillo. Then they learned they hit the healthcare jackpot: full medical, dental and vision coverage for $600 a year.

"It was a great deal, and the care is good," Billy said.

The Hunters bought into the Mexican Social Security Institute, or IMSS - a government-run health care plan for Mexican employees but open to legal foreigners.

"When we leave our doctor's office, if we have a prescription we go pick it up," Sandi said. "No charge, so we like it."

There are no limits, no deductibles and no co-pays. Even pre-existing conditions are covered after the first one to two years.

Doctor Ivan Ocadiz is a doctor in Manzanillo's IMSS hospital. He said the number of patients from the U.S. increases month by month.

The hospital is new, but without the comforts of a U.S. facility: few private rooms, extras like blankets are brought from home, and families are expected to help feed and bathe patients. But when it comes to diagnosis and treatment, Americans here say it's just as good, sometimes better than the U.S.

Craig McDole was taking more than a dozen pills prescribed in the U.S. when he collapsed on a tennis court in Mexico. He went to an IMSS hospital.

"When my internist there saw what I was taking, he went nuts. 'What do they have you on all this medicine for?'" he said.

McDole's feeling well now. Dr. Ocadiz said, "he's perfect."

But the system isn't perfect: long lines, waiting lists, not enough doctors or in some cases, not enough medications.

IMSS is designed for Mexican workers who've been paying into the system for decades and it's already financially strained. Some worry a flood of American retirees could bankrupt it. The Hunters would like to see their own government come up with an alternative.

"I wish they could stop arguing and find a way to help as many people as are helped here," Sandi said. "This is simple. It's not perfect, but a lot of people get good care."

Without it, the Hunters would struggle to afford paradise in their golden years.

[williwillimartin]

[url=http://used.gov-auctions.org]used cars for sale[/url]

[williwillimartin]

I like to find this wonderful article.
<a href=http://used.gov-auctions.org>used cars for sale</a>

[mikemilan10]

<a href="http://thecheapcruise.com" rel="dofollow">Cheap Cruise</a>

[mikemilan10]

<a href="http://thecheapcruise.com" rel="dofollow">Cheap Cruise</a>

[kenhamlett]

I have not experienced their health care system at all so my comments are just hearsay. What I have heard is only good. The quality is supposed to be better than many areas in the USA and as good a most. The costs of care and medications are fare lower than the USA cares to offer.
So once again we are among the worst providers of health care in the modern world. This is yet another nation who is ahead of us.
I am not surprised at all.

[luadda22]

"few private rooms, extras like blankets are brought from home, and families are expected to help feed and bathe patients", how many americans would be willing to do this here? "But the system isn't perfect: long lines, waiting lists, not enough doctors or in some cases, not enough medications", don't know about you but doesn't sound too great to me. "IMSS is designed for Mexican workers who've been paying into the system for decades and it's already financially strained", well duh!!, at $600 a year what would you expect. Just goes to show you, people will go almost anywhere that they think they can get anything for "free or almost free" and don't care that someone else has to make up the difference as long as it's not them. And you call CEO's greedy.

[ianlou]

Want to do something about this sorry state of affairs?

Elect more Democrats into the Senate and the House next election so we can strip Joe (The Putz) Lieberman of all power. and start fixing this cluster-#!%^

[lovegetspeace]

Folks,

Embarrassing how Americans have to abandon their country for better health care.

SHAME on WE THE PEOPLE!

[lovegetspeace]

Folks,

In the history of this world and in all Movies and story books, the Bad guys always lose in the end.

President Obama is not stupid. He is counting on common-sense Americans to see who are the real bad guys in the Health Care matter.

Incidentally, President Bill Clinton lost Health Care in 1993 but won Re-Election in 1995. So, if Conservatives think the end of Obama is near, then they better read how Bill Clinton did it to undo it.

[antoniof123]

Thanks Republicans want to bet you see more blood letting in 2010?