Abstract
Mexico's health system underwent a major reform in 2003 to address the fragmented health-care landscape, lack of financial protection, and inequalities in health outcomes and access to services. The reform aimed to achieve universal health coverage through the implementation of Seguro Popular, a voluntary public insurance program. Seguro Popular successfully provided coverage to more than 50 million previously uninsured individuals, particularly benefiting rural areas and low-income populations. However, the program faced challenges and limitations in achieving its full potential to improve health outcomes and equity. This chapter summarizes evidence on the dynamics and effects of health insurance coverage in Mexico, focusing on the population aged 50 and older from 2001 to 2018. Using data from the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS), we investigated patterns of enrollment and dropout from different health insurance schemes, especially Seguro Popular, and the impact of health insurance expansion on forgoing medical care due to financial barriers among middle-aged and older adults in Mexico. We found the percentage of MHAS participants enrolled in Seguro Popular declined from 2012 and 2018, with important differences according to demographic and health characteristics. Additionally, we found that the relative risk of not seeing a doctor because of not having enough money was lower in 2012, 2015, and 2018 than 2003. The chapter concludes by discussing the challenges and opportunities for achieving universal health coverage in Mexico and the implications that ongoing political events have on the future of health insurance coverage in Mexico.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Title of host publication | Older Mexicans and Latinos in the United States |
Subtitle of host publication | Where Worlds Meet |
Publisher | Springer International Publishing |
Pages | 265-281 |
Number of pages | 17 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9783031488092 |
ISBN (Print) | 9783031488085 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 19 2024 |
Keywords
- Access
- Coverage
- Health insurance
- Mexico
- Seguro Popular
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Social Sciences