Mexico medical tourism booms as Americans risk lives for surgeries: ‘Worst choice I ever made’

Days after four Americans were kidnapped and two killed while crossing the Mexican border, Mexico’s president says his country is safer than the US

“Mexico is safer than the US, and there is no problem traveling safely in Mexico,” said President Andrés Manuel López Obrador during his daily press briefing. “It’s something American citizens know, and something our fellow countrymen know. It’s not that they’re afraid. It’s not that the violence you mention actually exists, no. It’s manipulation, pure and despicable manipulation.”

The group was allegedly traveling for cheaper medical procedures, highlighting the dangers of medical tourism. The industry brings in big money for Mexico. But, going under the knife in a Mexican clinic has left many Americans fighting for their lives.

Justin Rodriguez had a bariatric procedure that left him fighting for his life and on a feeding tube for nearly three years.

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Justin Rodriguez in hospital after a bad procedure in Tijuana, Mexico. (Justin Rodriguez)

“I was nervous about the surgery, but like I said, I was desperate,” says Justin Rodriguez.

Rodriguez was about 400 pounds when the Idaho native decided to have weight-loss surgery. Her insurance wouldn’t cover the procedure, so she moved to Tijuana, Mexico.

“It was probably the worst election I ever made in my life,” Rodriguez said.

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Justin Rodriguez before undergoing surgery in Tijuana, Mexico. (Justin Rodriguez)

The 2016 surgery only cost $5,000, but left Rodriguez, now 37, with major complications.

“My lungs went haywire. My kidneys and my liver were acting up. The infection went to my brain,” says Rodriguez.

Medical tourism is a booming business in Mexico. Each year, more than 1 million Americans cross the border to save up to 70% on elective procedures. According to Patients Beyond Borders, the most common procedures are dental and cosmetic and weight-loss surgeries. Patients Beyond Borders writes a guide to international medical travel.

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Medical professionals walking on the street in Mexico. (Justin Rodriguez)

“In Mexico, there are fewer regulations. So you need to do your homework,” said Joseph Woodman, CEO of Patients Beyond Borders.

As seen this month in Matamoros, Mexico, border crossings can be deadly.

“We’ve gotten used to being 100% safe when patients cross borders, even in dangerous areas,” says Woodman.

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The medical procedure is taking place in Tijuana, Mexico. (Justin Rodriguez)

But, as long as it’s cheap south of the border, Americans will take the risk.

“The money isn’t worth it. It isn’t worth your life,” Rodriguez said.

As officials warn of cartel violence at the border, the CDC is reminding Americans of the risks of medical tourism, pointing out that the standards of clinics outside the country are different than in the US

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The CDC has also issued an alert after finding that several patients with serious infections linked to clinics in Mexico are resistant to antibiotics.