Innovation, Collaboration to Ease Mexico’s Healthcare Burden

Mexico’s healthcare system stands at a critical juncture. With high out-of-pocket expenses and uneven access across the country, innovation and collaboration are increasingly seen as key to bridging gaps in coverage and quality of care. 

Healthcare in Mexico continues to carry a heavy financial burden for households. Out-of-pocket costs in Mexico are more than double the OECD average. Between 2018 and 2024, out-of-pocket health spending rose 41.4%, with average quarterly household expenses increasing from MX$1,135 (US$60.79) to MX$1,605 (US$85.99), reports INEGI. 

According to the Mexican Association of Insurance Institutions (AMIS), many families are now spending what represents to many, more than one month of their income on medical care, averaging over MX$9,500 (US$507). This financial pressure is compounded by low government spending, as Mexico invests only 5.4% of its GDP in healthcare, well below the OECD average of 9.2%. These challenges highlight the urgent need for public-private collaboration that expands access and strengthens healthcare delivery nationwide.

Expanding Access to Healthcare

Inequality, insufficient resources, and persistent public health issues continue to restrict coverage, explains Martín Cruz, CEO and Co-Founder, Keirón. The private sector can play a crucial role in expanding access, and its level of engagement will determine whether health systems remain reactive or evolve into resilient ones, according to the World Economic Forum. Its contributions can take many forms, acting as a funder, implementer, or innovator. Funding is particularly relevant in contexts with limited public budgets, such as Mexico. 

Patrick Devlyn, President of the Health Commission, CCE, says that bridging access gaps requires stronger investment in the public sector alongside greater collaboration with private companies.

Responding to this need, the Mexican government has recently signaled greater openness to private sector collaboration. For example, in early August, the Ministry of Economy announced about MX$12 billion (US$641.9 million) in new investments from the pharmaceutical sector, involving multinational firms such as Boehringer Ingelheim and AstraZeneca, as well as Mexican company Carnot Laboratorios. According to the Ministry of Health, these projects are designed to strengthen the country’s pharmaceutical and healthcare ecosystem.

“This project represents much more than an industrial expansion: it is the result of years of planning, commitment, and collaborative work,” writes Augusto Muench, CEO, Boehringer Ingelheim Mexico, on LinkedIn.

In Mexico, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) have become an important tool for driving innovation in healthcare worldwide. These collaborations not only enable the development of new products and services but also promote innovative approaches to organizational management and processes.

“For medical innovation to reach patients, collaboration among all stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem is essential: government, industry, academia, civil organizations, and society,” says AMIIF.

Innovation as the Access Equation

The discussion on Mexico’s healthcare future centers on a key question: how to balance cost, investment, and innovation to ensure equitable access. The panel The Access Equation: Innovation Driving Healthcare Reach at the Mexico Health Summit 2025 will bring together leaders from across the sector to explore a path forward, one where policy reform, public-private collaboration, and innovative models converge to expand healthcare access for all.