Latinos offered health care cross-border programs

Cross-Border Health Services offered to address Latino health care gap
By Adrian Perez, Latino Journal

In 2000, Blue Shield of California established "Access Baja HMO" to accommodate some of its 3.2 million members with cross-border health services. Almost 9 years later, the program continues to be strong and has been expanded to include dependents of Mexicans who work in California.

The plan allows its members, who are citizens of United States (U.S.) or Mexico that have U.S. employer-sponsored benefits, to receive their health benefit services in Tijuana, Mexico. It was created in response to employers in the San Diego, California area who expressed a need for a cross-border plan for their employees. Through this program, Blue Shield has demonstrated an ability to respond to the evolving healthcare needs in California.

According to a 2004 health care gap study by Dr. David Hayes Bautista, UCLA, 37 percent of Latinos in California are uninsured, which is nearly double the total percent of all Californians. With perhaps hundreds of thousands of uninsured Latinos in Southern California alone, the need for creative approaches to address this health care gap is evident. But, will small business owners purchase cross-border health care services? Or, can individuals purchase these plans as well? Are there other options?

Through its "Salud con Health Net," which was designed specifically to help address the Latino health care gap in California, Health Net HMO offers two plans (The Mexi-Plan Program and the Health Net Cross-Border Individual Family Plan) to individual subscribers as well. Both plans provide affordable health care for Latino families in Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura Counties, as well as in Mexican cities that share the border with California.

"Salud con Health Net is about 30 percent cheaper than the standard HMO offered in Southern California," said Ana Andrade, the company's vice president for Latino programs. "That's because the cost of care in Mexico, where many of the HMO's members seek treatment, is significantly lower than in the United States."

The plan covers doctor's office visits, prescription drugs, and emergency and preventive care on either side of the border.

But there are signs it may be an uphill climb. Health Net has been selling the plan since 2000 in Los Angeles, Ventura and San Diego counties and so far the HMO has about 15,000 members compared to the forty to fifty thousand workers that cross the border to work daily. The numbers don't fair that much better for Blue Shield.

"Access Baja continues to build as more companies seek healthcare solutions for their employees and families who reside in Mexico or prefer to receive medical care in Mexico," says Karla Gil, Program Manager for Blue Shield's Access Baja.

Internet Services
In 2008, Medical Advice Services (masadv.com) initiated its website, which unlike WebMD.com, offers the website users to communicate directly with physicians in Mexico for the initial doctor visit. The cost is only $6.99 for each discussion. Its intent is to provide an additional option for Latinos to seek medical advice at affordable rates.

"Our users talk directly to physicians in Spanish or English," says MAS founder Carlos Sardinas. "The service is consistent with what we are experiencing and that is a growing presence on the web."

For more information about "Blue Shield Access Baja" visit their website at https://www.blueshieldca.com

For more information about "Salud con Health Net" visit their website at www.saludconhealthnet.com.

For more information about M.A.S., visit their website at
www.masadv.com. - LJ