IMSS enrollees in Tijuana who need inpatient psychiatric treatment can now receive it at no cost under a new six-month agreement between the federal social security institute and the Hospital de Salud Mental de Tijuana (HSMT). The deal, signed in early June, covers hospitalization for conditions including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and suicidal ideation.
José Francisco Bustamante Barragán, the hospital’s director, said approximately 23 patients per month are referred for inpatient care through the arrangement. He noted this is the first time such an interinstitutional agreement will run uninterrupted for a full six months, providing stability for both the hospital and the patients it serves.
IMSS Referrals Make Up 80 Percent of Inpatients
About 80 percent of the HSMT’s inpatient caseload already comes from IMSS (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social) referrals, according to Bustamante Barragán. The new agreement formalizes that relationship and eliminates out-of-pocket costs for enrolled patients experiencing a mental health crisis.
Bustamante Barragán thanked Desiree Sagarnaga Durante, the IMSS regional delegate for Baja California and San Luis Río Colorado, for her role in making the agreement happen. He credited her commitment to mental health access as a driving force behind the deal.
How IMSS Members Can Access the Program
IMSS members who need inpatient psychiatric services should visit their nearest family medicine unit (unidad de medicina familiar). A staff psychiatrist at the unit can evaluate the patient and issue a referral for immediate admission to the HSMT. Walk-ins without a referral are not covered under the agreement.
The Hospital de Salud Mental de Tijuana is a nonprofit civil association that has operated since 2008. It receives no direct government funding and relies entirely on institutional agreements like this one to cover patient care costs. Without these contracts, the facility would have no guaranteed revenue stream.
What This Means for Expats With IMSS Coverage
For foreign residents enrolled in IMSS, the agreement removes a significant financial barrier to inpatient mental health care in Tijuana. IMSS coverage is available to legal residents of Mexico, and many expats in Baja California carry it as their primary health insurance. The program applies only to inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, not outpatient therapy or counseling.
The six-month agreement is set to run through late 2026. Whether it will be renewed depends on future negotiations between IMSS and the hospital. This story was first reported by Punto Norte and San Diego Red.