Surviving Mexico

August 13, 2018 · 12:00 pm

A Little about Healthcare in Mexico

Navigating the healthcare system in Mexico isn’t easy. The US embassy even has a page or two available for hospitalized citizens in Mexico and a list of Air Medical Evacuation Services if needed in the worse case scenario. Unfortunately, air ambulance service is not covered by most insurances and must be paid for upfront. In the event of emergency air evacuation, having an insurance policy that covers the cost, would be a good idea.

For none life-threatening medical scenarios, however, with a few bits of information and a little practice, you’ll be sailing through these high changeable medical seas in no time. The good news is that Mexico has universal health care which is divided into three categories. Seguro Popular is for residents without formal employment. IMSS (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social) is provided by employers. ISSTE (Instituto de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado) is only for government workers. Even as a foreigner, you may be eligible for coverage under one of these three setups.

This is where you apply for Seguro Popular in our town.

Here’s How to apply for Seguro Popular:The head of the household should take an official id (INE, passport, driver’s license) to the affiliation office which you can find by entering your state and municipal here. If you are not a Mexican citizen, you can use your temporary or permanent residency card. You will need to present a comprobante de domicilio reciente (proof of residency such as electric bill, phone bill or predial). If you live in an area with a population less than 250 residents, you can ask for a letter from the local authorities to verify your address. In our area, this letter can be requested from an office in the presidencia (town hall). You will also need the CURP (Clave Única de Registro de Población) for each member of the family. If including an unmarried son or daughter between the ages of 18 and 25, you will need to present a comprobante de estudios (proof that he or she is a student). If you are renewing your policy, you must present the expired policy. You’ll get a sheet with a barcode on it. Keep this, it’s your póliza (policy). You’ll need it for every transaction. I’ve seen some people laminate their policy but just slipping it into a plastic sleeve should do the job. The policy has the expiration date, family members covered and whether there is a co-pay or not. No contributiva (non-contributive) means there is no co-pay for most treatments. You might also get a little booklet that lists what Seguro Popular will cover. It’s helpful but there seem to be yearly changes so your booklet might not be up to date. When you go for appointments, take the policy, your CURP (which also has a barcode) and your official ID. If you do not qualify for coverage under these three groups, you can apply to a private insurance company. This is not a comprehensive list, just a place to start. Check each company’s requirements to see if it would meet your medical needs and if the private medical facilities accept that particular insurance.

If medical insurance still seems beyond your financial grasp, take heart. Medical procedures in Mexico are often a fraction of the cost when compared to the United States. In fact, the prices on some procedures are so good, a whole tourism industry sprouted up to take advantage of them. And that’s just with major health issues. Most farmacias (pharmacies) have a doctor available for consult for around $40 pesos for minor medical emergencies like colds, stitches, scorpion stings, or a bean up the nose. So where can you go for treatment? If you live near Mexico City you are in luck. CDMX (Mexico City) has several high-quality hospitals including the Hospital de la Mujer and Hospital Nacional Homeopatío. Several states also boast having a Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad. There are even three hospitales psiquiátricos in Mexico should you or someone you love need to avail yourself of their services. If you live in a rural area and you have Seguro Popular, your first stop will be at the hospital comunitario (community hospital). Don’t expect to be able to waltz right in and see a doctor. Head to the information desk and ask what the procedure is. You ought to do this before anyone needs a doctor. Go in for a family checkup. Everyone will get a routine physical and a little booklet to keep track of appointments. More importantly, you’ll be in the system so making an appointment gets just a bit easier.

Hospital Regional (General) in Uriangato, Guanajuato

If your condition is more than that hospital comunitario can handle, you’ll be given a referral to the closest hospital regional or general. You’ll need to head there and find out what the procedure is for making appointments as well. You can ask the security guard to send you in the right direction. Odds are you’ll need to head to Archivos (archives) first. Be aware that each department has its own process. There’s one process for seeing the doctor but a different process for getting lab work done. Keep asking until you understand what it is you need to do. Expect this procedure to change. The newest little hoop to jump through at the hospital I go to is to have the head chemist sign off on your prescription before you can pick it up at the pharmacy. Of course, she isn’t always there. In fact, she’s only there about 2 hours in the morning. So getting your prescription filled is just that much harder. Pharmacies outside of the hospital don’t typically ask for prescriptions. This makes it much easier to avoid the long and tedious process in order to get medication, especially for chronic illnesses. The best approach is to have an empty bottle of the medicine you need and hand it over to the pharmacist. Ask if there is a generic version and you can save even more money. If you aren’t sure, take a list of the generic varieties that you’ve downloaded from the internet with you.

Pharmacy with adjoining doctor’s office.

If you aren’t exactly sure what you need, ask the pharmacist to recommend something for the symptoms you describe or go ahead and get a consultation from the doctor next door. Wait time is typically less than 30 minutes. If there’s a long line, it’s not much effort to find another consultorio adjoining a different pharmacy. Of course, you can always find a private doctor if you have the means. You’ll get more personalized service and I’ve heard some doctors even make house calls. You might even have round-the-clock service via the doctor’s personal cell phone. Some areas have a Red Cross facility. This might be your best bet if it is a real emergency. There is a paramedic on call at all times and usually an ambulance. Arriving at a hospital in an ambulance will cut through the red tape for admission. However, be aware that the Red Cross is not a charitable organization. There are fees involved for everything, including the ride to the hospital, and you’ll need to pay up front.

Another thing you might not expect is you’ll have to line up your own blood donors if you require surgery even if you aren’t going to get a blood transfusion. If you are in an accident, that requirement might be waived temporarily but know that you will be expected to get a certain amount of “replacement” blood before being released. If there’s anything I’ve learned in navigation the medical ocean in Mexico it’s that you need to be your own best advocate. That may include getting your own blood work done at private laboratories, doing some intensive research on the internet, translating it into Spanish and handing it to your doctor. Don’t meekly go along with diagnosis or treatments before checking out alternatives and in some cases, the facts. Don’t allow your level of Spanish mastery to interfere with your health. Bring someone to interpret if need be. Being your own advocate won’t make you the most popular patient in the waiting room, but it might just make you the healthiest.

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Banking in Mexico

Banking has been one of my least favorite activities. That hasn’t changed since moving to Mexico. In fact, I believe I enjoy it even less. All the banks in Moroleon are within a two-block area smack dab in the center of town. Seriously. There is a Bancomer now at the shopping center, but that’s technically in Uriangato, so it doesn’t count.

At many banks, you can open an account provided you are residing in Mexico legally (and can prove that with proper documentation) and have a proof of address like internet, electric, water, or cable bill called a comprobante de domicilio. If you rent or live in an area where are are no utilities, it’s much, much more difficult to open an account but not impossible. Since La Yacata has no such modernizations, my employer at the school opened an account for me to receive my paychecks using the school address and her own good name to vouch for me. However, since she is the daughter of the owner of Corona, she’s got a bit of clout at the bank that the average person might not have.

Opening an account isn’t easy. There’s a lot of waiting and signing and more waiting and signing. Then there’s going out to get copies because one set is just not enough. Of course, it’s just your luck that the printer has just run out of ink, so you’ll have to wait while someone heads to the store to get more ink. Or perhaps the person needed to verify your information is out sick today, so you’ll have to come back tomorrow. Read about Dos Tortas banking experience here. Make sure to read the fine print before opening your account. Some banks have minimal initial deposits or none at all. Others charge a hefty fee each month if you drop below the minimum amount required. Some banks only allow you 3 withdrawals per month before charging fees. Others charge for every withdrawal.

Banco Azteca requires you to have your fingerprint digitally read to withdraw money from your account. This was always a problem for my husband because he has calluses on his fingers from work and the digital reader could never read his fingerprint. So the whole taking out of money from the bank teller process was much longer than it needed to be.

You can find a list of all banks found in Mexico here.

Bank lines are out of this world on the 15th and 30th of every month, when the majority of Mexicans receive their pay. It may be tempting to use the ATM but there are some things to keep in mind before you do.

Always use ATMs that are part of a bank rather than stand-alone ATMs to reduce the chance of your card being cloned. Even then, there’s a possibility your information can be compromised.

All banks charge fees when you use the ATM. If you request a receipt from the ATM, there’s another charge associated with that. Some banks charge even if you are just checking your balance and you don’t request a receipt. As of 2017, the highest ATM fees belonged to Santander, Banorte, Banamex, Banco Multiva and Scotiabank. To reduce fees, try to take out larger sums. However, each bank has its own withdrawal limit and some are quite low in order to force you to pay the withdrawal charge several times. As you muddle your way through the screens on the ATM, be careful to read each section before hitting accept. In order to withdraw money, you need to accept the charge but you are under no obligation to donate to the charity of the month to get access to the money in your account. We’ve had accounts at Banamex, Bancomer, and Banco Azteca and were not really happy with any of them. The next best thing for a foreigner to do is open a virtual account.

Charles Schwab Bank and Capital One 360 both have very good reviews. I opened an account with Capital One 360 and have been quite pleased. I was able to apply online from Mexico. Then I was able to go through the verification interview using Skype. I had my card sent to my friend’s house in the US who then shipped it via DHL to me here in Mexico. The only problem I had initially was the $20 deposit to activate my account. I could not deposit it via my computer from Mexico, so had my mom write me a check and deposit it via my sister’s computer in the US. It took about 2 weeks for the check to clear. So if you were in the mind to set up a Capital One 360 account, it might be easier to do it before you leave the US.

I was able to associate my Capital One 360 account with my Paypal via a phone call. I can send and receive money with no additional charges to accounts in the US via Zelle. I can have checks direct deposited to my account and withdraw it from any ATM here in Mexico. Right now I have been using the HSBC ATM because it only charges about $33 pesos per transaction. The last time I tried Bancomer, the fee was $80 pesos!

I can use my Capital One 360 account to make purchases at Amazon.com and Amazon.com.mx. Online shopping has never been so easy!

I only use my card at Amazon. I NEVER use my card to buy things in Mexico. We had very negative experiences with our Banco Azteca card. We used it to buy groceries at Soriana and there were several large unexplained purchases made before we caught it. We got a different card and used it to buy gas. Lots more charges were made and we again canceled the card. Even after we had no card, there were charges made to the account at Elektra which we refused to pay. As a result, all our local transactions are cash on the barrel as Charles Ingalls would say.

I’ve never written a check here in Mexico either. People here are suspicious of checks and with good reason. Once, I received a tax refund which was a check. Instead of going to the bank to cash it, I endorsed it over to my husband who took it to a liquor store that changed it for cash for a small fee. I think it was $50 pesos or so. He took the check, my passport, and his ID and voila! Trato hecho!If you happen to have some US currency, you can take it to the bank to exchange it for pesos or to a Casa de Cambio. You might just get a better exchange rate at the Casa de Cambio, so ask around first. It seems like banks are not required to give you up to the moment exchange rates. Neither the banks nor the Casas de Cambio accepts coins in our area, only bills. If you find you have a lot of change, you might want to find someone that is visiting relatives here in Mexico and ask if you can swap your change for some bills. If you are looking to remodel your house, start a small business, or need a small infusion of moolah, you might want to check out places like the Financiera Popular En Comunidad for microloans with affordable repayments. Each agency has its own list of requisitos (requirements) but often gives better rates than a bank.

So there you have it, my two cents on banking in Mexico.

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Filed under Economics, Small Business in Mexico

Tagged as bank experiences in mexico, banking in mexico, capital one 360, what are the requirements to open a banking account in mexico, which bank to use in mexico

August 2, 2018 · 12:00 pm

Playing Tourist–Dolores Hidalgo, Gto

I’m not a big fan of Mexican movies, but every now and then, one catches my fancy. Our latest tourist adventure was inspired by 2014 movie En El Último Trago. Three old geezers set out on a whirlwind adventure, well, as whirlwind as 3 old geezers can spin, to Dolores Hidalgo, specifically to the José Alfredo Jiménez museum. The movie is a hoot. There was nothing for it but to recreate their journey to Dolores Hidalgo ourselves.

It’s only about 3 hours from our home, so it was an easy day trip. Thank god, we had no vehicle problems or no random police stops. Nearly all of my proposed visit sites were clustered near the centro, so we parked and hoofed it.

After stopping for refreshment at a torta place, we began our tourist adventure with the Casa Museo José Alfredo Jiménez. I even got some pictures of the signature of José Alfredo Jiménez, which is a key feature of the movie. Entrance is $40 pesos with a discount for teachers and students with appropriate ID. We bought most of our souvenirs here, which meant lugging them around the rest of the day, but after seeing the other gift shops, we decided it was worth it.

We passed the Parroquia de Nuestro Señora de Los Dolores and saw some class trips reenacting the Grito de Dolores.

We went to El Museo del Bicentenario which was disappointing. I wasn’t able to exactly understand how the displays came together. The nearest I could figure each room represented an oppressed society. One had posters about censorship in Russia, another Vietnam, 2 full rooms were devoted to China and the last room was all about Israel. There were some exceptional stained glass windows in one room and a few spectacular Catrinas in another, but that was about it as regards to Mexico. Oh, and the two full wall surrealist murals were something to see. Admission was $20 pesos, half price for students and teachers.

Our next stop was La Casa de Los Descendientes de Hidalgo (the House of the descendants of Miguel Hidalgo), which was also an upscale restaurant. The entrance was $30 pesos per person and $10 for camera use. As the name implies, this was the home of the 5^th generation descendants of Miguel Hidalgo, the last remaining descendant having just celebrated her 106^th birthday. Apparently, after the 5 generations, the blood is no longer pure and the generation count begins again. So the children of the 5^th generation, are no longer descendants of Miguel Hidalgo, or so our tour guide told us. This was my favorite museum. There were dioramas depicting some of the most relevant aspects of the fight for Independence. I have to admit, I always wanted to have my own handmade wooden dollhouse and these little scenes made my heart go pitter patter with longing.

We then took a turn around the centro, which was very pleasant, and had some ice cream (another reference to the movie). There were a few nice statues, lots of benches to sit on, and a whole lotta shoe polishing carts. We admired La Casa de Visitas from our park bench.

We hiked a few blocks to the Museo del Vino and the Casa de Hidalgo. Both had a $45 peso admission fee, which seemed a little steep now that we’d been to a few of the other museums. We opted not to tour either. I did peek in Hidalgo’s house and was reminded of another movie Hidalgo la Historia Jamás Contada which as far as historical movies go, wasn’t bad.

Of course, it could be that Hidalgo, who fathered children with two different women and spearheaded the national fight for Independence, was not quite what you would expect from a Catholic priest. Hidalgo had his own vineyards which were burnt in punishment for his treason against the crown, so the Museo de Vino wasn’t a far stretch of the imagination right there next to his house in what used to be a hospital. We did hit the gift shop and bought a locally produced bottle of wine called Lloro de Tierra. It was a nice, sweet, fruity rose and we enjoyed it immensely when we got home.

We did not get to the Museo de la Independencia, nor did we stop to see la Tumba de José Alfredo Jiménez en the Panteon. When we asked for directions to the cemetery, hoping it was close enough to walk to, we were told we’d have to walk “un chingo” to get there. My son’s flat feet were starting to ache and we were getting tired, so walking un chingo didn’t seem like something we were interested in doing. On the way out of the town, we stopped in another nice park with statues, a playground, some nice fountains (without any water) and benches that resembled sofas.As far as Pueblos Mágicos go, Dolores Hidalgo should be on your must-see list, not for the quality of the museums because they were rather ho-hum, but for the historical significance of the area, and the wine. I would recommend staying more than one day since there are so many things to see.

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9 Comments

Filed under Mexican Cultural Stories, Tourist Sites in Mexico

Tagged as cuna de la independencia, dolores hidalgo, Miguel Hidalgo, Pueblo Magico, pueblos magicos in guanajuato, what to see in dolores hidalgo

July 30, 2018 · 12:00 pm

Becoming an Herbalist Free Course

Herbal Academy has done it again! Another incredible course and an incredible price (honestly, you can’t get a better price than free) focusing on the question “What does an herbalist DO? “

Lesson 1 looks closely at certification and regulation for herbalists and explores some of the educational options that are available to those interested in herbal careers. L

In Lesson 2, we will take a look at the language that herbalists use – words you can and cannot use legally, regardless of education, due to the current state of herbalism as an unlicensed practice.

Lesson 3 dives deep into the ethical considerations of becoming an herbalist.

In Lesson 4, we will outline key aspects of starting your own herbal business and the many details that go along with each.

Lesson 5 discusses the importance of keeping your finger on the pulse of herbalism.

Class begins on August 6, so don’t wait too long!

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Surviving Mexico

A Little about Healthcare in Mexico

Banking in Mexico

Playing Tourist–Dolores Hidalgo, Gto

Becoming an Herbalist Free Course

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