Mexico needs new financing schemes to achieve universal healthcare

Mexico needs new financing schemes to achieve President Enrique Peña Nieto's promise of universal healthcare, social security agency IMSS said in its 2012-13 financial report. IMSS currently provides for 50% of health services in Mexico, including coverage for its 69.3mn beneficiaries and affiliates as well as first and second level care to Mexico's uninsured population. The high cost of treating degenerative diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, renal insufficiency, cervical and breast cancer and HIV/AIDS compound IMSS's financial burden. "The creation of an equal financing scheme to address this problem is essential for progressing towards a universal healthcare system," IMSS said. The report also emphasized the implementation of preventative medicine to reduce healthcare costs and the consolidation and streamlining of state services to reduce coverage redundancies and increase synergies.