Cheap health care services across the border attract many

When I was 12, I went with my mother on a trip to El Salvador, her home country. For me, it was nothing more than a sweet vacation – two weeks in tropical bliss. For my mother, it was an opportunity to get some dental work done for cheap.

Medical and dental tourism – it’s a thing, and especially convenient for people who travel to their native country regularly to visit family. It’s the classic “shooting two birds with one stone” deal.

While there, visitors may pick up over-the-counter drugs and vitamins – which seems to be the case of every trip my parents have ever made to Tijuana.

Katie Bass, a pharmacist at San Joaquin Drug in Planada, said it’s pretty common for customers to pick up medication from outside the country, especially from Mexico.

Drug regulations in other countries may not be as tight as in the U.S., Bass said. Injections, for example, are available over the counter in Mexico, and are very popular among visitors. While it’s not recommended, those who do purchase medication outside of the country are advised to be wary of what they’re taking.

“Be cautious and make sure it’s from a reputable pharmacy,” Bass said. She advises that customers do their research and check the purity of the medication’s ingredients.

But what’s the attraction? Medical services and over-the-counter drugs can be inexpensive in Mexico and other Latin American countries.

Julio Garcia, 70, of Merced said he once got his gall bladder removed in Mexico for $800. He said he traveled down south because he didn’t have health insurance then and couldn’t afford to cover full costs.

It’s a been a few years; he doesn’t know if the cost would be the same now. In the U.S., according to the Healthcare Bluebook, a cholecystectomy costs an average of $6,393.

But it’s not just about the money. According to Garcia, it’s quicker, there’s less paperwork and fewer doctor follow-ups.

“It’s a lot easier ... less headaches,” he said. “There’s always a risk, anywhere you go.”

“I know a lot of people that do it,” he added. “Friends, family.”

Sometime last year, I heard a piece on National Public Radio about the “dental capital of Mexico,” a border town near Yuma, Ariz., called Los Algodones.

It is estimated about 350 dentists work in Los Algodones, which probably helps bring prices down. Extensive dental work that can cost up to $50,000 in the U.S. was estimated to cost about $5,000 in Los Algodones, the article stated.

When I shared this with my mother, it didn’t come to her as a surprise. A basic teeth cleaning in El Salvador costs her $10. I don’t think I can remember ever getting a cleaning for less than $60.

It’d be interesting to see how this trend changes as more people gain health care coverage. As reported earlier this week, Latino people in California are signing up for coverage at the same rate as whites.

Will having medical coverage make services affordable enough for people that they will no longer have to seek services elsewhere?

Garcia doesn’t think so.

He said he has health coverage now, and a lot of medication has become more affordable.

But for him, it’s more of a cultural habit.

“It depends,” Garcia said. “This is just the way I’ve always done things.”

This story was originally published July 31, 2015 at 4:38 PM with the headline "Cheap health care services across the border attract many."