Rising Medical Costs Widen Healthcare Gaps in Mexico

Medical costs in Mexico continued to rise in 2025, outpacing general inflation and widening barriers to healthcare access, according to official data and expert analysis. The price of private medical consultations rose by 6.1% in April, the highest monthly increase since January 2004, while general inflation stood at 3.93%, reported El Universal.

Experts attribute the increase to systemic failures in the public healthcare system. Luis Fernando Hernández, President, Soy Paciente, said that dismantling the Seguro Popular program, persistent medicine shortages, and post-pandemic demand have increased dependence on private services. “Everything has substantially changed the way more people go to the doctor,” Hernández said.

Medical inflation continues to rise above the general rate, noted Frida Romay Hidalgo, Representative, Cero Desabasto. Romay reported that prices for anti-inflammatory drugs rose 7.14%, diabetes treatments increased 6.77%, and cold medications went up 6.57% compared to 2024. Over half of all out-of-pocket health expenditures in the country (52.7%) are directed toward medications.

"The increase in healthcare costs can prompt patients to suspend treatments or resort to less effective alternatives, ultimately worsening their health and placing additional pressure on the healthcare system," said Romay.

Projections for 2025 indicate a worsening scenario. According to WTW, Mexico is expected to reach a medical inflation rate of 14.9%, significantly above the Latin American regional average of 10.1%. This would position the country among those with the highest forecasted rates in the region.

Key healthcare services such as prenatal consultations and hospitalizations have already experienced notable cost increases, with labor and postpartum care rising by more than 6%. These price hikes come amid persistent logistical challenges within public institutions, particularly in the distribution of essential medications like insulin and atorvastatin.

As medical costs continue to escalate, concerns over equitable access to essential treatments are intensifying. Since January 2025, beneficiaries of ISSEMyM have reported ongoing medication shortages, expressing growing frustration over the lack of consistent supply, reports MBN. 

In an effort to address these concerns, SSA has launched a new public platform aimed at enhancing transparency in the procurement and distribution of medicines and medical supplies. Introduced by Eduardo Clark, Deputy Minister for Sectoral Integration and Coordination, the tool enables users to track key data, including medication types, quantities, costs, and suppliers.

In March, the government placed an order for 381 million units of medications, reagents, tests, and medical devices, sufficient to cover approximately 1.8 months of national demand. To date, 61% of that order has been delivered, with the remaining supplies in transit. According to Clark, these deliveries have already begun to alleviate some of the shortages and are expected to continue in the coming weeks.

Yet, in the webinar, Access to Healthcare and Transparency, organized by Soy Paciente, health experts agreed that transparency should not be limited to publishing data, but must also involve providing clear, useful, and comprehensible information to all individuals, regardless of their education level, language, or socioeconomic status.

“Transparency means that every person can know, understand, and access the information needed to make informed decisions about their medical care,” stated Olmos.