Social protection in health is granted to all Mexicans as a right by the fourth article of the Constitution. However, different issues make access unequal and undermine the achievement of universal coverage that the Mexican government strives for. Among these issues is the absence of a universal national health system, access to health service (and social security) based on employment and insurance status, as well as unequal social and economic development throughout the states that results in differences in the development of the infrastructure and human resources available. Thus, unequal access and quality of care between urban and rural areas, northern and southern states, and between those covered by social security, public and private sector insurance schemes are observed (OECD, 2017a).

Program-based health care also has meant that health care provision focuses on some illnesses, age groups or conditions (pregnancy and birth, diabetes, hypertension, reproductive health), leaving some age groups, such as older adults, and conditions such as AD and other dementias, underserved. As such, those who access the private sector could get a consultation with a geriatrician or dementia specialist any time, while referrals to these specialists in the public sector are practically inexistent given the low number of public posts of these within the public sector.

References:

OECD. (2017a). Estudios Económicos de la OCDE México (OCDE Publishing, Ed.). OCDE Publishing. https://www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/mexico-2017-OECD-Estudios-economicos-de-la-ocde-vision-general.pdf