Hadn't heard this is going on here and I live near TJ. This article is from Tennessee news.

http://www.wrcbtv.com/news/index.cfm?sid=5466

Companies Offer Insurance For Employees To Cross The Border

Jan 9, 2007


Some California companies are offering employees the option of crossing the border into Mexico for their medical treatment.

As Jane Wells reports, it's an issue that addresses both immigration and healthcare reform. In a busy medical clinic in Tijuana, sits Charles Greenwood. "I have medical, I have dental, and I have vision."

Greenwood is a waiter at a Marriott in California. His employer provides medical coverage in the U.S., but also offered a policy at about half the price if Greenwood wanted to go to the doctor in Mexico. He chose Mexico.

"A major surgery, I believe I have to cross over to the United States. If it is something really really major."

But everything else is done here. Companies from Healthnet to Blue Shield now provide cross border insurance policies to an estimated 150,000 California workers or their dependents. "We wanted to provide coverage for employees that may have to waive insurance because they can't afford it."

Steve Solomon at Dixieline Lumber says the company has offered health coverage for years, but a few years ago it added a cheaper plan through Blue Shield of California called access Baja.

Truss designer Juan Carlos Leyva pays $60 a month now versus $170 for U.S. coverage and his wife is happier. "She likes to speak Spanish with the doctor. She feels better. She feels free." "The program has improved worker retention. Usually in a truss yard there's about 30% turnover a year. Here it's closer to ten."

Dixieline says it saves $400,000 a year offering access Baja. But what about the quality of care? "Better." "I find it just as good, in some cases better. I say it's easier to get in and see a doctor. Worst-case scenario? Well we know the worst case scenario then it doesn't matter!" The plans will allow workers or dependents to have their babies in Mexico as well.

Which brings up a political issue because if you have your baby here, it is automatically a U.S. citizen regardless of the parents' immigration status.