Binational Health Insurance
Binational Health Insurance is concept that arose due to the intense need for an insurance that would cover Mexican immigrants and their families. Over half of the 10 million Mexican immigrants in the U.S. lack health insurance. Among undocumented immigrants the number is higher: 70% of them do not have health insurance. Binational Health Insurance would build on existing health insurance infrastructures in Mexico and California. This new product would result from a working partnership between private insurers in the US and public providers in Mexico.
It is clear that a binational effort is required to expand health care access to Mexican immigrants and their families. 71% of Mexicans working in the US are the primary economic support of their families in Mexico. In California, where almost half of all Mexican immigrants reside (43%), a plan could be developed, tested, implemented, and then, once proven, replicated in other states. For complete details of the Binational Health Insurance Proposal, click here.
Binational Health Insurance Plan Components:
Component I: Preventive and ambulatory health care in the U.S. Private insurers will offer this coverage to Mexican immigrants living in the US and to their dependents living in the US. Two public providers, Popular Insurance (PI) and the Social Security Institute (IMSS) will offer this coverage in Mexico. (See Appendix II for definitions)
Component II: Services that require hospitalization will NOT be covered in the U.S. In order to control costs and create an affordable product, hospitalization services in the US would be excluded from the plan's coverage. They will continue to be provided through the existing safety net system in California. They will be provided in Mexico for dependents.
Component III: Catastrophic coverage for tertiary care services (e.g. transplants, chemotherapy)These services will be provided in Mexico through Seguro Popular (Popular Insurance) and/or the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS). This component will provide, with a deductible, transportation costs to Mexico for patients to receive these services.M
Binational Health Week
This year, the Ninth BHW will take place October 3-15, 2009 in 40 states in the U.S. and 3 provinces in Canada, with the participation of the consular networks of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Additionally, during BHW five national campaigns will be implemented to promote awareness among the underserved Latino community on H1N1 Influenza, Prevention of Addictions, Nutrition, Prevention of Strokes, and Living Green.
More information about BHW events