2026
California Health Report | "What’s it like to travel for medical care?”
The California Health Report interviewed Dr. Arturo Vargas Bustamante, professor in the Department of Health Policy Management, about U.S. healthcare.
The California Health Report interviewed Dr. Arturo Vargas Bustamante, professor in the Department of Health Policy Management, about why U.S. citizens travel to Mexico for healthcare, including an estimated one million Californians annually.
"Cost is the main reason to make the trip for 60 to 70 percent of patients, said Arturo Vargas Bustamante, a professor in the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
'They cross the border mostly because cost is lower or they cannot access health care in the U.S. They have no insurance or are minimally insured,' he said. 'They are saving their U.S. coverage for emergencies … they simply cannot afford high deductibles or high copays.' "
