It is that time of the year where the weather is warming up and vacation time is just around the corner. Traveling to Mexico may be next on the list of destinations – you’ll be lying on the beaches after visiting the ancient Mayan ruins. In preparation for your trip, you will want to consider the health facilities and care before packing your bags and boarding the plane.

The US State Department strongly recommends that you purchase a travel insurance plan if you do not already have international coverage. In the United States, some plans offer health insurance coverage abroad. In order to find out these details, you will need to contact your insurance company to find out if your benefits extend into Mexico. If you are on the Medicare system, this plan will not cover you in Mexico.

If, on the other hand, you are a member of the European Union or Australia you will need to purchase a travel insurance plan as Mexico does not have any reciprocal agreements with other nations. Although Mexico has its own national health care system called the Instituto Mexicano de Seguro Social, this is only available to Mexican nationals and legalized immigrants who pay into the system. If you do not have coverage with a private policy – you would not be covered while vacationing in Mexico.

In terms of the facilities, Mexico City has excellent health facilities; however more remote locations may have few resources. Because of this, it is recommended that your plan includes emergency medical evacuation in the event that you’d need to be transported to a facility equipped to provide treatment. If Spanish is not your first language, you’ll also want to find out whether your plan offers translation services.

A well-suited option for your trip to Mexico is the Atlas Travel plan. This plan will allow you to customize your dates of coverage for as little as 5 days and you can add sports coverage should you be participating in adventurous activities. The plan also provides coverage outside your home country for inpatient and outpatient services, prescription drugs, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation, doctor office visits, etc.

Be sure to keep your proof of insurance with you at all times as this is generally required before being treated. Que disfrute su viaje – hasta luego!