Mexicans are embracing human rights more than ever before, and Mexico’s constitution has recognized that healthcare is a universal right for more than thirty years. And yet, as made obvious by conflicts over “Obamacare” in the United States, this most obvious of rights is rarely accepted without debate. Although Mexico has recognized that the government is indeed responsible for providing a dignified and high-quality health care system, is this just more human rights talk with no substance? And if not, what has the government actually done?
Mexico’s National Commission for Social Welfare in Healthcare (the “Seguro Popular”, or popular insurance), created in 2004, has been a key public policy. We can evaluate its progress along three factors: financing, equity and actual healthcare impacts.
Financing
Financing is critical if the healthcare system is to offer timely, high-quality services. One substantial change introduced by Seguro Popular was the creation of binding legal financial obligations. As a result, Mexico’s health budget no longer depends on political or economic circumstances; instead, the government must, by law, allocate, a minimum budget to each card-carrying member of the new Seguro Popular, or the older social security systems.
