Los Cabos Hospital Preys On Americans And US Consulate In Tijuana Issues Warning To Prevent Tourists

THE BAJA POST
NEWSROOM

There have been many complaints against a Hospital in Los Cabos, it preys on American tourists and it has been accused of shady practices, top say the least, American diplomatic authorities in Mexico have issued an alert for Americans travelling to Los Cabos (San Lucas and San José).

The name is Saint Luke’s Hospital, and Multiple complaints have been filed by U.S. citizens saying the hospital demanded tens of thousands of dollars in advance payments, threatened patients’ relatives and refused to release clinical reports on what care they had actually provided. That led the U.S. consulate in Tijuana to issue the unusual “health alert” Wednesday about St. Luke’s business practices.

The U.S. Consulate General Tijuana has received numerous complaints from U.S. citizens regarding St. Luke’s Hospital in Cabo San Lucas., U.S. citizens have reported instances of withholding care for payment, failing to provide itemized lists of charges, ordering unnecessary procedures, withholding U.S. passports, obstructing medical evacuations, and refusing to discharge patients without payment.

Please be advised that hotels and resorts in the Los Cabos area may have existing contracts or informal relationships with St. Luke’s. In the event you require medical assistance, you may ask your hotel/resort to arrange treatment at a facility on the Consulate’s publicly-available list of hospitals.

A list of other medical facilities in Baja California Sur is available on the Consulate’s website.

Actions To Take:

Be aware of your rights under Mexican law.
Obtain as much information as possible about local facilities and their medical personnel when considering medical procedures.
Insist upon written estimates in advance of any procedures and request itemized bills.
Speak with your health insurance company prior to traveling to determine coverage in Mexico and consider purchasing travel health insurance and a medical evacuation policy prior to departure.

Make a plan to cover medical expenses upfront. Most Mexican facilities require payment by cash, credit card, or bank transfer before performing procedures and do not accept U.S. health insurance or Medicare/Medicaid.
When possible while seeking medical care, ask a family member or another responsible party to accompany you.
Review the health information on the Department of State’s Country Information Page for Mexico.

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