Nuevo Laredo is a city in Tamaulipas, a state in northeast Mexico near Texas. This medical tourism destination has a population of around 600,000 within 500 square miles of terrain. It is considered the third-largest city in Mexico. Nuevo Laredo medical tourism is evolving into a popular attraction for United States residents seeking out more affordable healthcare procedures.
Affordable Healthcare in Nuevo Laredo
Nuevo Laredo is a short 15-minute drive from Texas using the Laredo Texas Border crossing, approximately 3 miles into Mexico. Hundreds of thousands of travelers cross the border to Mexico each year, many including medical tourists.
Patients beyond borders seek more affordable healthcare in Nuevo Laredo, typically United States Residents. Public healthcare in Mexico can be as low as $100, compared to the United States, which is on average $1,500, making Nuevo Laredo medical tourism costs up to 95% cheaper![1] On top of that, you don’t have to speak or understand Spanish in Nuevo Laredo, as English is a universal language in the world and most people in Mexico can speak fluent English.
Common Medical Tourism Procedures in Nuevo Laredo
Private health care tends to offer a higher quality than public ones. These can include less crowded hospitals, more private one-on-one patient time, first ones to receive up-to-date vaccines, medical treatments, and equipment, and shorter wait times. Medical services offered in Nuevo Laredo include bariatric surgery and plastic surgery as the most popular procedures. Also, dentistry is growing popular in the Nuevo Laredo medical tourism industry.
Bariatric Surgery in Nuevo Laredo
Due to its closeness, patients suffering from obesity with no insurance from the Lone Star State seek bariatric surgery in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Hospital de Especialidades and Hospital San Angeles are two popular hospital facilities serving medical travelers.
Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery in Nuevo Laredo
- Breast Implants
- Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)
- Facelift
- Mommy Makeover
Dentistry in Nuevo Laredo
- Crowns and Molding
- Dental Implant
- Tooth Replacement
- Cavity Fillings
Cost of Medical Procedures in Nuevo Laredo
It is important to find the right surgeons and procedures because it is your body after all.
Cost of Bariatric Surgery in Nuevo Laredo
The basic weight loss surgery is gastric sleeve surgery, which is about $4,300 to $6,500. The more advanced and complicated weight loss procedures, like the duodenal switch or revision surgeries, may run you about $7,000 in total. So you are looking at the range of $4,600 to $7,000 for bariatric procedures.
Cost of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery in Nuevo Laredo
The plastic and cosmetic surgery prices vary a lot more compared to bariatric and dental, this is because everybody part is different and requires different equipment for each use. The price ranges from $3,000 to $7,000.
Cost of Dental Procedures in Nuevo Laredo
As for dental procedures, the most common procedure is fillings which are around $51, and the more complicated ones involving tooth implants are around $1,300.
Benefits of Nuevo Laredo for Medical Tourists
Pros
- Cheaper healthcare options
- Advanced medical technologies and facilities
- The traveling distance is in close proximity from the United States and Canada
- There are many insurance coverages available online for Nuevo Laredo
- The medical facilities in Nuevo Laredo can mostly speak English
- The waiting times for the medical facilities are shorter compared to the United States and Canada
- One review states, “Nuevo Progresso seems to be the safest (I use that term in a relative sense) of the South Texas border towns for this kind of venture.”
Cons
Safety and Security
The following is from the US Dept. of State, Divison of Diplomatic Security, a report in 2012:
Should travel to this region be necessary, visitors are urged to remain alert and exercise extreme caution during their stay. Visitors should be aware of their surroundings at all times, even when in areas generally considered safe. U.S. citizens should be cautious in general when using ATMs in Mexico. It is recommended that visitors traveling into Nuevo Laredo on day trips use ATMs in Laredo, TX prior to crossing over into Mexico. Cloning/counterfeiting of ATM cards and credit cards occurs in Mexico, and travelers are advised to check their account activity online at least weekly to detect fraudulent charges early. Visitors are also advised to avoid using bank machines in dark or isolated areas.
Consider if cheap dental work is worth the risk. I personally would try to find a local dentist who would give a senior discount, or perhaps work out a payment plan.
My husband and I enjoyed visiting Laredo and Nuevo Laredo once or twice each year–lovely people, great shopping, and good restaurants. We haven’t been to either city in over five years since we couldn’t enjoy visiting while looking over our shoulder constantly.