Voluntary IMSS in 2026: cost for foreigners and who can't enroll

November 9, 2026. The Seguro de Salud para la Familia (Family Health Insurance), known as voluntary IMSS, is one of the first options foreigners look into when they move to Mexico. Since March 1, 2026, the annual fee ranges from 9,300 pesos for people under 20 to 22,150 pesos for people 80 and older, according to the official table from the IMSS, the Mexican Social Security Institute. It is paid in advance, and each enrolled person pays the fee for their age group, as article 242 of Mexico's Social Security Law provides.

For a 65-year-old, the 2026 fee is 20,600 pesos, about 1,106 dollars at the Bank of Mexico's FIX exchange rate for November 6 (18.6297), the latest one published when this note was written. Just as a reference, in the United States the standard Medicare Part B premium is $202.90 a month in 2026, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), or $2,434.80 a year, before the deductible and coinsurance. The two are not equivalent coverages, but there is a key difference for anyone who lives here: Medicare.gov explains that Medicare usually doesn't cover health care outside the U.S., with some exceptions.

Who can enroll and what it covers

Article 240 of the Social Security Law says: "Todas las familias en México tienen derecho a un seguro de salud para sus miembros" (all families in Mexico have the right to health insurance for their members). Neither that article nor article 95 of the IMSS enrollment regulation sets nationality as a requirement. Article 95 allows the enrollment of anyone who is not covered by a mandatory social security scheme, together with at least one family member listed in the law or one additional family member. A single person can also enroll by declaring, under oath, that they have no family (article 97). Check with the IMSS which documents you need as a foreigner before you start the process.

What you get are the in-kind benefits of the sickness and maternity insurance, meaning medical care at IMSS facilities. These are services, not cash payments: this insurance is not a pension plan.

The illnesses that can block enrollment

Before coverage begins, each family member fills out and signs a medical questionnaire, and the IMSS may request tests to check their health, according to article 98 of the enrollment regulation. Article 99 applies article 82 to this insurance, and article 82 says that an applicant with certain conditions will not be insured: "No será sujeto de aseguramiento el solicitante que presente".

That list includes, among others, malignant tumors, late complications of diabetes, chronic liver disease, chronic kidney failure, heart valve disease, heart failure, after-effects of ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with respiratory failure, congenital diseases, HIV/AIDS, mental disorders such as psychosis and dementia, and addictions such as alcoholism. If you already have one of these diagnoses, the IMSS can turn down your enrollment: it decides based on your questionnaire and your tests.

The waiting periods

Article 83 of the same regulation sets waiting periods, counted from enrollment, before some treatments are covered:

• Six months: benign breast tumor.
• Ten months: childbirth.
• One year: lithotripsy; gynecological surgery (except for malignant tumors of the uterus, ovaries and perineal floor); surgery for venous insufficiency and varicose veins; nose and sinus surgery; varicocele surgery; surgery for hemorrhoids, rectal fistulas and rectal prolapse; tonsil and adenoid removal; hernia surgery (except herniated discs); hallux valgus (bunion) surgery; and strabismus surgery.
• Two years: orthopedic surgery.

According to the same article, the waiting period does not stop you from getting care for a different condition.

Voluntary IMSS and private health insurance

Private health insurance also reviews your health. According to Expansión, which cites recommendations from Condusef, Mexico's financial consumer protection agency, an illness that began before you bought the policy may be excluded, depending on the product and the insurer, and waiting periods count from the start of the policy. That's why at 1SEGUROS we recommend getting insured while you are healthy, whether with the IMSS or with an insurer.

The big difference is where you get care. With major medical insurance, depending on the policy, the insurer can pay the hospital directly or otherwise reimburse what you paid, according to Condusef as cited by Uno TV. You can get care at the hospitals in your insurer's network. If you often travel back home, international health insurance can also cover you outside Mexico. And you can have both: voluntary IMSS as a base and a private policy for care in private hospitals.

Before you decide

1. Look at your health today. If you have a diagnosis on the article 82 list, ask the IMSS before you pay.
2. Count the waiting periods. If you are planning a birth or orthopedic surgery, count the wait from your enrollment date.
3. Add up the cost for the whole family. Compare the total of the fees with the premium for private health insurance.

Your health insurance in Mexico with 1SEGUROS

At 1SEGUROS, based in Mérida with more than 30 years of experience, we compare national and international major medical insurance from several insurers and go over coverages, deductibles, exclusions and waiting periods with you before you sign. We serve you in Spanish or English. Message us on WhatsApp at +52 999 316 7145.