title: Winter Texans and the re-creation of the American medical experience in Mexico.
abstract: Rising medical costs and decreasing health insurance coverage are fueling the health care crisis in the United States. Often, patients have to make tough decisions about whether to forgo care or risk bankruptcy. This conundrum has encouraged some patients to use Mexican health care as an alternative to the high costs in the United States. While medical travel enables some patients to access affordable care, others perceive it as risky and thus not a viable option. This article explores how those concerns are mitigated and Mexican health care usage is increased by (1) outlining how Mexican health care information is disseminated and used within a community of winter Texans living along the US/Mexico border; and (2) discussing how Mexican pharmacies and dental clinics have broadened their appeal through association with US health care standards and practices. Research for this article was conducted during 11 months of fieldwork in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
authors.affiliation: Anthropology and Sociology Department, Rockford College, Rockford, Illinois 61108, USA. mdalstrom@rockford.edu
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Dalstrom
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics*; D003752:Dental Health Services; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D057193:Medical Tourism; D008800:Mexico; D010594:Pharmacies; D013781:Texas