Health insurance in Mexico.
No visa asks for it, so many expats skip it. Then a private hospital asks for payment first. Here is how cover really works in Mexico.
The rules
What Mexico asks of you.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Rules change, so the broker confirms them again before you apply.
- Residency: no insurance required
The consulate checklist for temporary residency asks for savings or income, not health insurance. Tourists don’t need it either.
Source: consulmex.sre.gob.mx - IMSS: residents can buy in
Foreigners with a temporary or permanent resident card can join the public IMSS plan on their own. In 2026 it costs from MXN 9,300 a year (age 0 to 19) to about MXN 22,150 (80+), paid in advance.
Source: imss.gob.mx - IMSS refuses some conditions
Conditions like cancer, chronic kidney or liver disease, heart failure and HIV are not covered under the voluntary plan. You fill in a health questionnaire to join.
Source: expansion.mx - IMSS waiting periods
10 months for childbirth, 1 year for surgeries like hernia, and 2 years for orthopaedic surgery.
Source: expansion.mx - Medicare does not work in Mexico
Medicare almost never pays for care outside the US. American retirees need a separate plan.
Source: medicare.gov - Private hospitals want payment first
Most private hospitals do not bill insurers directly. They expect payment up front by card or transfer.
Source: travel.gc.ca
By law, people in Mexico with no social security can get free public care through IMSS-Bienestar, in the states that joined it. Waits can be long and services vary, so most expats also carry private cover.
Source: mexico.justia.comLocal or international
We compare both. You keep the one that fits.
Mexican plans are cheaper but usually cover nothing in the US. International plans can include the US, at a higher price.
- Local plans
Plans sold in Mexico. Often cheaper, sometimes required for your visa. Filed by a broker licensed in Mexico.
- International plans
Plans that cover you in Mexico and beyond, and stay with you if you move again. Filed by our international broker partner.
What it costs
Published prices in Mexico.
List prices from insurers and official schemes. Your quote depends on your age, health and the cover you pick.
- IMSS voluntary plan, age 0 to 19
MXN 9,300 a year in 2026, per person, paid in advance.
Source: imss.gob.mx - IMSS voluntary plan, age 80+
About MXN 22,150 a year in 2026, the top age band.
Source: imss.gob.mx
What to look for
Choosing a plan in Mexico.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- Cover in the US
If you visit the US, check if the plan covers it, and if only for emergencies, for how many days a year. US cover costs a lot more.
- Age limit to join
Mexican private plans stop taking new members at a set age, often around 64 to 74. Renewal after that usually has no age cap.
- Direct billing
Ask which hospitals in your city the insurer pays directly. Otherwise you pay first and claim back.
- A plan for the IMSS gaps
If you join IMSS, look for a private plan that covers what IMSS refuses or makes you wait for, like childbirth in the first 10 months.
Step by step
Getting covered in Mexico.
- 01Get your resident card. Apply for temporary or permanent residency at a Mexican consulate. It checks your savings or income, not your insurance.
- 02Gather your IMSS papers. IMSS asks for official ID, birth certificate, CURP and proof of address, for you and each family member you add.
- 03Sign up at your IMSS subdelegación. Go to the office for your address, Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 15:30, or apply online with your CURP and social security number (NSS).
- 04Fill in the medical questionnaire. Each person answers it. Cancer, chronic kidney or liver disease, heart failure and HIV can keep you out.
- 05Pay the year up front. The fee is per person and set by age. Cover starts on the first day of the next month.
- 06Renew before the year ends. Pay the renewal in the 30 days before your year runs out. Keep a private plan for the 1 to 2 year waits on surgery.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Thinking Medicare will pay for care in Mexico. It almost never does.
- 02Relying only on IMSS. It refuses many existing conditions, has long waits, and works in Spanish.
- 03Buying a cheap Mexico-only plan, then finding it covers nothing in the US.
Real published prices, and the 6 things that move yours.
Just visiting?For a holiday or a short trip, travel insurance is enough. See what Mexico asks of visitors, and what care costs.
Questions
People also ask.
Do I need health insurance to get Mexican residency?+
No. The consulate checks your savings or income, not insurance. Without it, you pay private care yourself.
Can foreigners join IMSS?+
Yes, with a temporary or permanent resident card. In 2026 it costs about MXN 9,300 to 22,150 a year depending on age.
Does Medicare cover me in Mexico?+
Almost never. Most US retirees in Mexico need a separate plan.
Is healthcare free in Mexico for expats?+
Public care through IMSS-Bienestar is free for people with no social security, but waits can be long. Most expats also have private cover.
Other countries
Going somewhere else?
Most UK visas don’t ask for private insurance. You pay a yearly surcharge instead, and it opens the NHS. Here is what the surcharge buys, and what you still pay for.
02AustraliaMost visitors can’t use Medicare, and many visas carry condition 8501. Here is what each visa asks for, who gets Medicare, and what to check.
03Dubai and the UAEIn Dubai, no insurance means no visa. Your employer covers you, but not always your family. Here are the rules, and what the basic plan leaves out.
04PhilippinesThe retiree visa asks for a medical certificate, not a policy. The new nomad visa does ask for cover. Here is what each visa needs, and how PhilHealth works for foreigners.
05NetherlandsIf you live or work in the Netherlands, Dutch basic insurance is the law. A few people are exempt. Here is who must sign up, by when, and what it costs in 2026.
06CanadaEach province runs its own health plan, and some make you wait. The super visa has strict insurance rules. Here is how Ontario and BC differ, and what the super visa needs.
07Saudi ArabiaIn Saudi Arabia, no insurance means no iqama. Your employer pays for you and your family, and visitors need a policy too. Here is who pays, and what each policy covers.
08JapanIf you live in Japan, joining public insurance is the law. A private plan can only sit on top. Digital nomads are the exception.
09GermanyEveryone in Germany must be insured, and a residence permit needs cover equal to the public system. Here is how to choose, and what gets rejected.
10SingaporeThe national plan is for citizens and PRs. Hospital bills for foreigners are high, and families are often left out. Here is what to check.
11ThailandRetirement visas have hard minimums, the DTV has none, and public care is not free for foreigners. Here are the rules, and what to check.
12SpainSpain has the strictest visa insurance rules in Europe: a Spanish-authorised insurer, no co-pays, no waiting periods. Here is what passes.
13MalaysiaPublic hospitals charge foreigners full price, and work schemes only cover injuries at work. Here is what each pass asks for, and what to check.
14QatarMost visitors need a QAR 50 a month policy before Qatar issues a visa. The law covers expats too, but that part is still rolling out. Here are the rules.
15FranceThe public system is open to residents, but not on day 1 if you don’t work, and it only pays part of each bill. Here is how to cover the gaps.
16PortugalThe visa asks for travel medical cover. The public system opens once you are a resident. In between, and after, here is what to check.
18ItalyWorkers join the public system for free. Retirees and nomads need private cover for the visa, then pay at least €2,000 a year to join. Here are the rules.
19South KoreaStay more than 6 months and you must join the national plan. Before that, and for your share of each bill, you need your own cover.
20VietnamOnly long local contracts come with public cover, and most expats use private hospitals anyway. Here is what the rules say, and what to check.
21Bali and IndonesiaMost Indonesian visas don’t ask for insurance. But hospitals ask for payment first, and serious cases fly to Singapore. Here is what to check.
22GreeceThe consulate takes travel cover for the visa. The residence permit then asks for full health cover. If you don’t work for a Greek employer, that means a private plan.
23ColombiaNomads and retirees need a private policy with exact wording. Residents who work must join the public EPS system. Here are the rules.
24Costa RicaResidents must pay into the Caja, whatever private plan they have. Nomads need their own cover for the visa. Here is how it fits together.
25USAThe US has no public plan you can simply join. Some visas set minimum cover. Others leave it to you. Here is what a J-1 needs, who can use the Marketplace, and what plans cost.
26SwitzerlandBasic health insurance is compulsory for everyone who lives in Switzerland. You have 3 months to sign up. Here is how it works, and what to check.
27IrelandNon-EEA students must hold private medical insurance. Everyone else gets public care once they count as living in Ireland for 1 year. Here is what to check.
28Dominican RepublicThe residence visas for retirees and rentistas ask for a medical certificate, not an insurance policy. Public care is limited. Private care is good but costly.
29New ZealandStudent visas require insurance. A work visa of 2 years or more may open public health care. ACC covers accident injuries. Here is what to check.
30IsraelIn Israel, the public system is for residents. If your life is centred there, you join a health fund (kupat holim). If not, you need private cover.
31Hong KongPublic hospitals in Hong Kong are cheap for eligible persons. Many foreigners are not on that list. Here is who is, what the rest pay, and what to check in a plan.
32ChinaIf you work in China on an employment permit, your employer must enrol you in social insurance. That includes basic medical cover. Here is how it works, and what to check on top.
33ArgentinaEmergency care is open to everyone. For other care at national hospitals, foreigners without permanent residence must show insurance or pay first. The rules are new, so check them.
34IndiaWe found no official rule that ties health insurance to an Indian work visa. We also could not confirm a public scheme for foreign residents. So the plan is yours to choose. Here is what to check.
35TurkeyA residence permit application needs valid health insurance for the whole permit. Most new expats buy a private policy. The public SGK system opens later, after 1 year of residence.
36BrazilThe digital nomad visa needs health insurance valid in Brazil. The public system is open to migrants by law. Many expats add a private plan for speed.
37PanamaThe Pensionado visa asks for a health certificate, not an insurance policy. The public system is tied to the Caja. Private care is the main option for most expats.
38South AfricaStudy and exchange visas ask for proof of cover from a registered medical scheme. Public clinics offer free primary care. Here is what to check.
39KenyaKenya’s public fund is run by the Social Health Authority (SHA). A foreigner who lives in Kenya for more than 12 months pays into it. Shorter stays need travel health insurance instead.
40TaiwanTaiwan has one national health insurance. Foreigners with a residence certificate can join. If you have a job, you join through your employer. If not, there is a wait.