- Mexico is one of the OECD countries with one of the highest out-of-pocket expenses at 43%.
- Profeco created the Hospital Price Transparency portal to show the average price of medical care in the private sphere.
- There is a disease that requires the most expensive medical treatment in the country with an average cost of 875 thousand pesos per year, do you know what it is?
Health is the most precious thing a person has, but even with a correct lifestyle, all are exposed. In the same way, to cure diseases, different amounts of investment are required. The figures vary with respect to the type of pathology, But do you know what is the most expensive medical treatment in Mexico?
Although it is often said that “health is priceless” in reality it is not entirely true. Despite being a universal right, not all countries have full coverage. Therefore, people must pay to receive the service.
In the same way, everything that a doctor invests in his training and preparation should be considered. They are years of study in which they must buy uniforms, books and rotate through the different areas of the hospitals. From the above, the prices of private services are obtained.
What is out-of-pocket?
They are those carried out by patients to attend with their own money. If an average family had to pay in full for the treatment of a chronic illness, it is most likely that they would have to go into debt and/or sell their assets, potentially falling into poverty. The main expense goes to the purchase of prescription drugs, consultations and fees for professional services related to hospitalization.
Unlike the public sector, in the private sector it is necessary to have more and better information for people. Patients do not know in advance the price list for consultations, medicines, treatments or surgical interventions. This prevents them from making informed decisions about their health.
Especially since the pandemic, there were cases in which hospitals increased patient costs by more than 100%. The health emergency has further evidenced the importance of disclosure and transparency in the prices of health services.
With this in mind, the Federal Consumer Attorney’s Office (Profeco) created the portal Hospital price transparency. Its main objective is to show the prices of supplies and medical care in Mexico. To do this, health service providers must provide information to:
- Know the services available, as well as the prices for medical care.
- Being able to decide where to perform the treatment.
- Maintain an active role in our health care.
What is the most expensive medical treatment in Mexico?
From the analysis it was obtained that there is a disease that requires the most expensive medical treatment in the country and that is leukemia. What is indicated is that in the private sphere the payment of 875 thousand pesos per year. In addition, it should be considered that most of the times the attention lasts from childhood to adulthood.
The same research mentions other conditions that also require large amounts of money for care.
- Hepatitis – 468 thousand pesos
- Other heart conditions – 347 thousand pesos
- Breast cancer – 245 thousand pesos
- Ischemic heart disease – 194 thousand pesos
- Diabetes – 131 thousand pesos
- Hypertension – 76 thousand pesos
Other data of interest
- In the countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Mexico has one of the highest out-of-pocket expenses at 43%.
- The private health subsystem is made up of 228,137 economic units that provide personal services and produce goods for health.
- Almost half of the country’s total health spending comes out of the family pocket
- Private medicine is practiced in 60,000 offices.
- Half of the contribution of the health sector, 2.3% of the national GDP, shows an economic growth similar to the average of the national economy.
- Of the private hospitals in Mexico, 89% provide general care, which includes the four basic specialties: obstetrics, gynecology, pediatrics, internal medicine, and surgery.
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