• DISORDER: The López Obrador Administration’s decision to shut down Seguro Popular -a national public health insurance covering 53.5 million via small co-pays linked to income- has turned into confusion at Mexican hospitals with patients claiming they no longer can afford services.
• FUTURE: Starting on January 1st, Seguro Popular was substituted by a new centralized system known as INSABI which has been originally promoted by the López Obrador Administration as free and universal. Yet, there are still questions about its actual coverage and costs.
• SHOCK: Among those affected by the cancellation of the Seguro Popular is Genoveva Bautista, who’s 19 year daughter was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome (a disorder in which the immune system attacks the nerves) but which the new system does not cover; she now owes USD 26,000.
• DESPERATION: “I am telling them (the hospital workers): Take care of the girl and I’ll figure out later what I’ll do (to pay back). I would later figure out if they themselves can give me a job as a janitor. I would work day and night. And I would pay them in 5, 10 years!”, said Bautista, in the northern city of Monterrey.
