As health costs continue to soar in the U.S., some people have found an efficient way to lower their medical bills while also enjoying some quality time in Mexico: medical tourism. The savings can be so significant, in fact, that a treatment can effectively subsidize an entire trip.
Medical tourism in Mexico is hot, according to Patients Beyond Borders, a medical tourism association that reports that Mexico is the world’s second-most popular destination for medical tourism, following Thailand. The organization estimates that patients can save 40 to 60% on medical services compared to the U.S., noting that nine hospitals in Mexico are certified by Joint Commission International, a U.S.-based nonprofit that accredits healthcare providers.
The Obesity Control center in Baja California, Mexico, specializes in bariatric surgery.
Credit: 2023 Baja Health Cluster
Top Medical Tourism Destinations in Mexico: Baja California
At the recent Tianguis Turistico, the nation’s annual tourism conference, Baja California officials reported double-digit growth in travelers who visit the country for medical and dental work. In 2022, about 4.2 million visitors traveled to Baja California for health reasons, according to official figures, and they spent some $1.6 million on services.
Baja California is an ideal example of Mexico’s appeal for medical tourism. The region is convenient for travelers from the western U.S. and is easily accessible for those flying into nearby San Diego International Airport.
Tijuana, the region’s largest city, is an especially big hub for medical procedures. Top facilities include Obesity Control Center, which specializes in bariatric surgery; Hospital BCN, which offers bariatric and plastic surgery; and NewCity Medical Plaza, where the team of specialists include cardiologists, oncologists, dermatologists and plastic surgeons, to name a few.
Medical facilities that focus on international travelers sometimes help with travel plans, as well. Hospital BCN and NewCity Medical Plaza, for example, offer free private transportation from the San Diego airport. Obesity Control Center offers free shuttle service between a client’s hotel and the hospital. NewCity Medical Plaza even has its own affiliated hotel, Quartz Hotel & Spa, which is located within the same business complex.
Meanwhile, in the city of Rosarito, Sanoviv Medical Institute specializes in chronic and degenerative diseases. Set on a verdant campus with a swimming pool, the facility resembles a resort hotel but offers treatments for cancer, Lyme disease, long COVID-19 and other medical issues. Sanoviv also offers pickup from various locations in San Diego, including the airport.
Those looking for hair and skin treatments, meanwhile, may want to consider Timeless Hair and Skin Medcenter, a facility in Mexicali that offers hair transplants, brow lifts and eyelid lifting, among other services.
San Javier Hospital in Guadalajara has a gastro and obesity center, a neuro-radiology center, spine and orthopedics clinics and a variety of other units.
Credit: 2023 Paul HudsonOptions in Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara and Mexico City
While the northern part of the Baja California peninsula may attract a large number of medical tourists, several other destinations in Mexico offer options, too. In Los Cabos, for example, facilities include Hospital H+ Los Cabos, which is a member of the Canadian Healthcare Council and has units for endoscopy, surgery and intensive care. Nearby, BlueNet Hospitals offers a staff of medical tourism executives that serves as a contact point for trip and treatment planning.
Among the hotels in Los Cabos that target medical tourism travelers is Alegranza Resort, which touts its proximity to multiple medical facilities in the San Jose del Cabo area.
Farther south along the Pacific coast, Puerto Vallarta is home to Hospiten, which has a team of specialists focused on cardiology, nephrology, dermatology, neurology and other specialties.
Mexico’s larger cities also offer myriad healthcare options.
“To the people looking to have a procedure done in Mexico, I would recommend going to a major metropolitan area that has good medical schools and good hospitals,” said Paul Hudson, a San Diego native who operates a travel blog called Playas y Plazas and who has lived in Guadalajara since 2009.
In Mexico City, one of the largest facilities specializing in medical tourism is MedicaSur, which is part of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. The hospital has an agency that takes care of ground transfers to and from the airport, and it’s also affiliated with Holiday Inn & Suites Mexico Medica Sur, which is conveniently located adjacent to the medical center.
As a Guadalajara resident, Hudson is well-versed in the offerings in that city; his son was also born there.
“Guadalajara is famous for its excellent doctors,” he said. “We have some of the best medical schools in Mexico, and students move here from all over Latin America to study medicine.”
Hudson recommends San Javier Hospital, a 91-room facility that has a gastro and obesity center, a neuro-radiology center, spine and orthopedics clinics and a variety of other units.
