"Are you worried about rising health-care costs in the United States? Do you know you can potentially save a fortune by crossing the border to Mexico," the cost for health care in Mexico costs 50 to 75 percent lower than what you pay in the States. These are across the board savings – it does include doctors' and dentists' visits, lab tests, surgeries, even some medical devices and prosthetics.

"To get these savings you don't have to cut back on quality, either. Health care in Mexico is excellent if nor remarkable. Medical Universities in Guadalajara are just as good as any others in the world -- in fact, many foreigners come to Guadalajara to study. In addition, many Mexican doctors do post-graduate work in the United States or in Europe.

"Medical and dental costs in Mexico are low enough that many expats choose to pay out-of-pocket, even when they have health insurance”--it's less bother than submitting claims.

Here are the kinds of savings we're talking about:

"Doctors' visits, even to specialists, tend to run 350 to 500 pesos a visit. At the current exchange rate, that's about US$27 to US$38. A visit to a nurse practitioner costs even less--less than US$10.

"Lab tests--for example, a blood assay for cholesterol levels--can run about US$19. An electrocardiogram runs more--perhaps US$90 to US$100--or as little as US$5 if you have it done at the Red Cross.

"Women pay about US$30 for a gynecologist's visit and about US$38 to US$54 for their annual pap smear.

"For dental work, expect to pay US$50 to US$75 for a cleaning, about US$50 for a filling, anywhere from US$225 to about US$350 for a porcelain crown, and US$150 and up for periodontal surgery.

"An overnight hospital stay in a private or semi-private room tends to run US$50 to US$100.

"With these prices, it's no surprise that medical tourism is booming in Mexico. Rosarito in the State of Baja California is no exception. Rosarito is near the U.S./Mexico border merely a twenty minute drive and do actively promote medical and dental tourism on websites, they have plenty of English-speaking staff. Tijuana, just south of San Diego, is another city specializing in Medical tourism. Other border cities promoting Medical tourism includes Los Algodones, near Yuma, Arizona; Nogales, due south of Tucson; and Reynosa and Matamoros along the Texas/Mexico border.

"You don't have to stick near the border to get excellent, inexpensive medical care. You can find it throughout the country. Most medium-sized and large cities in Mexico have modern hospital facilities (often several hospitals), clinics, high-tech lab facilities, and well-trained medical staff. Even small towns have medical clinics with nurse practitioners and visiting doctors.

"If you need an English-speaking doctor, you're more likely to find one in private practice or on staff at a large private hospital. (Mexico, like many countries, has a national health system with its own medical staff, hospitals, and clinics. Doctors on staff at these nationalized hospitals are less likely to speak English well.)

"The smaller the town, the harder it will be to find English-speaking doctors--unless it's a beach town that attracts tourists, in which case no place is too small. You may have to rely on Spanish, however, with nurses, lab technicians, and other hospital staff.

"But you'll likely find that their caring attitude makes up for any lack of English. Again and again, expats comment that, in Mexico, they receive a level of warm, personalized medical care that they no longer find at home.

"Personalized care and lower prices? Now that's really a bargain."

Victor Loza is a Real Estate Agent working with Re/Max Baja - MY Baja Coast.

My Baja Coast provides real estate and relocation services for buyers in Mexico. If you decide to visit Rosarito you must tour the "Ruta del Vino" (Wine Route). After you fall in love with the scenery, and are interested in purchasing a home, condo, lot & land or renting a property, contact us….

My Baja Cost is here to assist you find your link to paradise in Rosarito or Ensenada or any other Baja California city.