Notes to a Gringa Part 3: Health and Stuff
In today's installment, we're taking on two different topics: health and bringing the comforts of home to Mexico. Again, I hope this is helpful for anyone who'd like to move here, and possibly mildly interesting for anyone else who is curious.
Doctors/Health/Health Insurance:
Doctors/Health/Health Insurance:
I have a health condition for which I take medicine everyday, probably for the rest of my life, and for which I see a specialist. I hope you don't have any heath conditions, but do you know how hard it is to find a specialist there b/c I'd need to see one periodically to monitor me?
I would not worry, the ABC Hospital has everything.Other good hospitals include Ángeles and Médica Sur.
I would not worry, the ABC Hospital has everything.Other good hospitals include Ángeles and Médica Sur.
What's the deal with insurance? You have private insurance through work but also state insurance. I gather from your blog that there is sometimes an interplay,e.g., now during your pregnancy, but for the most part do you use your private insurance for check-ups and your OB-GYN annual appointments? How did you find doctors? The same way as here — figuring out which doctors are providers for your insurance company?
I almost never use my gov´t insurance (IMSS). Just for the pregnancy because it's required by law in order to get my maternity leave. Also if you ever break a leg or something and you need disability, you have to go. I find doctors through word of mouth. I have not gone to any I didn't like. The insurance ones are cheaper but even the regular ones aren't as expensive as you might expect. Maybe like $1000 pesos, out of pocket, for a visit to a fancy schmancy doctor. (Remember the peso is around 13 to the dollar.)
I almost never use my gov´t insurance (IMSS). Just for the pregnancy because it's required by law in order to get my maternity leave. Also if you ever break a leg or something and you need disability, you have to go. I find doctors through word of mouth. I have not gone to any I didn't like. The insurance ones are cheaper but even the regular ones aren't as expensive as you might expect. Maybe like $1000 pesos, out of pocket, for a visit to a fancy schmancy doctor. (Remember the peso is around 13 to the dollar.)
I know that you have to give Puffy prescription meds and that you can't get them there, right? Have you found that to be the case with many prescription meds? I'm most concerned about being able to get my daily meds there. Not sure if you take any, but do you know if you can generally get the same meds there as here, e.g., birth control pills (are they prescription or over-the-counter there?), Claritin?
You can get pretty much all prescription meds over the counter that are not opiates/narcotics or certain antibiotics (that part is new), for which you need a prescription. Hence, birth control, allergy stuff, etc. are all over the counter. I can get Puffy's meds (for her epilepsy she takes phenobarbitol, a barbituate), but it's complicated because the prescription has to be just so, and not all pharmacies carry it. They make me feel like a total delinquent whenever I ask for it even though I know I am legit! I would do some on-line research about your most crucial meds because a lot of times the names are different here.
KitchenAid mixer?
BRING IT. They cost like 6,000 pesos plus here.
You can get pretty much all prescription meds over the counter that are not opiates/narcotics or certain antibiotics (that part is new), for which you need a prescription. Hence, birth control, allergy stuff, etc. are all over the counter. I can get Puffy's meds (for her epilepsy she takes phenobarbitol, a barbituate), but it's complicated because the prescription has to be just so, and not all pharmacies carry it. They make me feel like a total delinquent whenever I ask for it even though I know I am legit! I would do some on-line research about your most crucial meds because a lot of times the names are different here.
Moving stuff:
I know that you said you got rid of almost everything you owned before you went to Mexico, so what exactly did you take with you? Just clothes and shoes or also linens? What about home and kitchen stuff? Have you acquired that over time in Mexico or brought stuff down with you over time? Or did people bring things to you when they have visited or at your wedding? I'm just trying to figure out what I could bring with me. So, specifically, is it possible/worth it to move items such as the following? These are the only things I don't want to part with:
KitchenAid mixer?
BRING IT. They cost like 6,000 pesos plus here.
Cuisinart food processor?
Probably like the KitchenAid
Probably like the KitchenAid
Specialty kitchen stuff like knives? Knickknacks, photos, framed items?
I think you can move all that stuff, just not in your carryon if they're knives or something! I came down with three suitcases and then later I went back and brought my car, about half full of stuff. And on subsequent trips I have brought more stuff. That seemed like an easyish way to go. You can also pay a Mexican dude with a van to drive it down for you. I have heard that works and is not as expensive as a real moving company. (I am not endorsing anything illegal!) Technically, if you get a visa, you have the right to do one household move. I have never taken advantage of that.
I think you can move all that stuff, just not in your carryon if they're knives or something! I came down with three suitcases and then later I went back and brought my car, about half full of stuff. And on subsequent trips I have brought more stuff. That seemed like an easyish way to go. You can also pay a Mexican dude with a van to drive it down for you. I have heard that works and is not as expensive as a real moving company. (I am not endorsing anything illegal!) Technically, if you get a visa, you have the right to do one household move. I have never taken advantage of that.
What I have heard is that Mexico has a lot of the best doctors in the world, the doctors in Mexico have to practice alot with real people and real conditions due to the lack of statistics. Doctors in most developed countries have less practice with real people and real conditions, they base their practice on statistics. That same people say that US is full of Pakistani doctors beacuse they speak English very well; if Mxicans knew English as well as Pakistani people, the US would be full of Mexican doctors. Again that's an opinion that I heard from some people.
Reply to this