More info: https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/mexico-is-officially-launching-universal-healthcare-this-week/

Better put their own wall up before the Americans start pouring in.

Mexican here. They are saying everything is free now, but there are not enough medicines, doctors or hospitals so is just a shallow gesture.

It's a step. Vs. medicines too expensive to buy, and doctors that you can't see for months who run you through the mill to get their numbers up. I can't say which is worse when the result is about the same. At least you have more of a chance now.

"I told you Mexico would pay for it!"

not free; tax funded

Which is great! Taxes should be invested in citizens’ needs.

Healthcare in Mexico has been free and public for decades. There are still paid private practices and having social security limits the public providers you can use but Article 77 Bis-1 of the General Health Law states that anyone without social security can be treated for free. That article was first published in 2002 and last modified in 2023. This is just the administration claiming that they enacted (excellent) old laws.

Free as in "free at the point of service".
Of course it is paid for somehow.
But as far a a someone going into a hospital to get a cast, medicine, birth... It's free

How is it a shallow gesture when people can now get the care, instead of just dying or suffering?

I was literally just thinking retiring to Mexico doesn't sound terrible in the future.

That’s true. Unfortunately, calling it free is often used by people who want to paint it as infeasible, and is used as an excuse to cut funding—even when data shows it’s an investment with human and monetary rewards.

Well their original comment alluded to people not being able to get care because there aren't enough medicines, doctors, or hospitals.

I hope they answer you, because I know nothing about what's going on there, but I'm fairly certain that was their point.

Must be fuckin’ nice 🫠

Kaiser was excellent when they only provided service to kiaser members. When the government stepped in, the whole system went to shit. They still have the same amount of doctors so the only thing that happened in now everyone gets shitty service and long wait times.

Sometimes the government getting involved isn't a good thing.

Hey, are you saying we get free police

No country has enough medicine, doctors, or hospitals.

Conservative America is driven so hard by the fear of somebody poorer than you getting something you're not.

Hopefully they'll just use steel slats!

Impenetrable!

Because healthcare has been free in Mexico for decades. This seems like the usual political posturing. Saying "healthcare is free" is an empty statement if people are turned away at the point of service because of a lack of medicine or service providers. Give them three months and then check again. Then you'll know if it was a shallow gesture or not.

Paying for some supply through progressive taxes is better than everyone paying a flat rate, even if that supply is scarce.

Only in one place, don’t paint everyone like the USA.

But a cursory google search shows that it isn't currently free for everyone, and in particular tied to your employment status. This means that in your negotiations with your employer, your health is essentially a bargaining chip (and this is bad for you and your salary for obvious reasons). The new system abolishes this tie to employment. This is a huge step for workers and the unemployed alike. This is not a hollow gesture.

But what if they abuse it by being like...sick?

Was it free for everyone? Or just select people?

America does. They just suffer from capitalism.

As far as everyone except oligarchs are concerned, it means everyone can access it without getting financially fucked over into debt. And that's excellent news.

No we just don’t get medical care if there’s any way to avoid it. If it was free we’d have a doctor shortage instantly.

It is linked to employment but equal and mandatory for all employees, so not quite a bargaining chip in the way it is in the usa

Viva Mexico!

Why isn't it free?

better watch out for uncle sam

If you lose your job, you lose your coverage. That makes it a bargaining chip. The employer has one up on you in negotiations. When I negotiate my salary (my health insurance is not tied to my employment), I know that if I can't work it out with my (potential) employer, and I get sick, I'll be fine. Not so if my coverage was tied to employment. The pressure to accept an offer that's worse for me would be much higher.

Climate change is not boding well for Mexico unfortunately. You can expect severe water shortages in the coming decades.

It was free for workers and a few administrations ago they implemented a free for all program that was mostly cancelled. They system was also divided by private workers and government workers with different quality of services , this tries to implement all services into one, hopefully it works but this administration has not been very good at the implementation phase of any project

incorrect slightly- while most boomer and right wing assholes know it means free at point of service and tax funded they act like it means “free for welfare queens and illegals” because they think daddy capitalist is watching them lick boots.

We already have a doctor shortage in a lot of places in the US, even without single payer healthcare :/

Part of it is due to private equity destroying private practice and buying up healthcare providers

Got it

They already are. They work remote jobs in the US and call themselves Digital Nomads 🙄

And if you're unemployed?

How will this impact the medical tourism industry that Americans depend on for affordable healthcare?

I'm sure you need to be a Mexican citizen to qualify for the program, I imagine foreigners get a bill. But I'm an American that expects a crippling bill from medical care so I have a bias.

You're being deliberately obtuse. You smarmily answered your own question in your previous drivel comment.

You're not kidding. Some towns like Los Algodones built their entire economy around medical tourism.

Yay! Also Mexico got free healthcare before the U.S.A. and North Korea may get a female leader before the U.S.A. gets a female president. Truly 'murica

Free with crazy wait times is still surely better than expensive with crazy wait times?

If you'd told any American 40 years ago that Mexico's democracy in 2026 would make Americas look pathetic, they'd have called you crazy and then beaten you up. Not so much anymore.

You get free police beatings. And if you're stopped they will empty the money out of your wallet as "civil asset forfeiture". So not exactly a cost but not exactly free.

I'm sure it will persist, as it primarily services Americans. And their money is still good.

If anything, we'll see the Mexican health care system expand in order to absorb all the domestic residents who can now afford the same care