Call 911, get to a private hospital emergency room, and make sure you have travel medical insurance with air evacuation coverage before you need it.
What Numbers Do You Call?
Mexico uses 911 as its national emergency number. Dial it from any phone, Mexican or American, and you reach a dispatcher who routes police, fire, or ambulance. If you are calling from a U.S. cell phone with roaming enabled, 911 connects to the Mexican system, not the American one.
For a direct ambulance, call 065. This connects to Cruz Roja Mexicana (the Red Cross), which runs the primary ambulance service in Baja. Cruz Roja dispatchers make every effort to have bilingual staff on the line, but do not count on English. Know your address in Spanish. Know the nearest cross street.
Two more numbers to save: 078 is the national tourist assistance hotline. Operators speak English and Spanish. They can coordinate emergency help and translate. 066 is the police direct line, useful if you need officers at the scene before medical arrives.
Save all four numbers in your phone now. 911, 065, 066, 078. Not later. Now.
Where Do You Go in Baja California?
In Tijuana, two hospitals handle emergencies for foreigners reliably. Hospital Angeles Tijuana sits at Av. Paseo de los Heroes 10999, Zona Rio. It has 118 beds, a helipad, and a 24-hour emergency department. Phone: +52 664 635 1800. This is the closest thing to a major U.S. hospital on the Mexican side of the border.
SIMNSA Internacional is at Av. de la Amistad 9002, also in Zona Urbana Rio. Its ER runs 24 hours with in-house imaging, lab, and pharmacy. SIMNSA also operates a cross-border HMO, which means some of their staff are used to working with American patients and U.S. insurance companies.
In Ensenada, Hospital Velmar at Av. Reforma 999 has a 24-hour emergency department. It is the main private option for emergencies south of Tijuana.
Baja California residents have one advantage that BCS residents do not: proximity to San Diego. If you are in Tijuana or Rosarito and the situation is critical, a cross-border transfer works. An ambulance to Sharp Chula Vista or Scripps Mercy in San Diego takes under 30 minutes. You need a valid U.S. passport or passport card. CBP has a protocol for medical emergencies at the border. The ambulance company coordinates the crossing.
Where Do You Go in Baja California Sur?
In Los Cabos, H+ Hospital on the Tourist Corridor at Koral Center is the top trauma facility. It handles cardiac events, complex surgeries, and high-level trauma. This is where serious cases go. Phone: +52 624 104 9300.
BlueNet Hospitals in downtown Cabo San Lucas near the Marina is a solid option if you cannot make the 20-minute drive to H+. BlueNet is on the U.S. Consulate’s approved provider list. Phone: +52 624 104 3911.
Hospiten operates locations in both San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas with 24-hour emergency rooms, operating theaters, and imaging departments.
In La Paz, Hospital Fidepaz at Carretera Transpeninsular Km 4.5 has a 24-hour ER. La Paz also has the IMSS regional hospital and the ISSSTE hospital for those enrolled in government programs.
BCS is more remote than BC. There is no border to cross for quick access to U.S. hospitals. For life-threatening emergencies that exceed local hospital capacity, air evacuation to a U.S. hospital is the standard protocol. This makes evacuation insurance essential if you live in BCS.
What About Cruz Roja Ambulances?
Cruz Roja Mexicana operates ambulance stations throughout Baja. In Tijuana, the main station is on Calle 7a and Av. Constitucion in Zona Centro. Response times in urban areas average 8 to 15 minutes. In rural stretches of the Transpeninsular Highway, expect longer waits.
Cruz Roja ambulances are staffed by paramedics and volunteers. They stabilize and transport. They do not provide advanced cardiac or surgical intervention in the field. Their job is to get you to a hospital alive.
Cruz Roja does not bill at the time of service. The organization runs on donations. If they save your life, donate. The Tijuana Cruz Roja station accepts donations in person or through cruzrojatijuana.org.
Do Private Hospitals Require Payment Up Front?
Yes. Every private hospital in Baja requires either payment or a credit card hold before treatment. This includes emergency rooms. If you arrive by ambulance unconscious, they treat you and sort out payment later. But if you walk in or arrive alert, expect to hand over a credit card before you see a doctor.
ER visits at private hospitals in Baja range from 3,000 to 8,000 pesos ($165 to $445 USD) for the consultation alone. Imaging, labs, and procedures add up fast. A CT scan runs 5,000 to 12,000 pesos. A night in the hospital runs 8,000 to 25,000 pesos depending on the facility and the room.
IMSS hospitals treat enrolled members at no additional cost, but ER wait times are longer and the facilities vary. If you have IMSS coverage and the situation is not life-threatening, IMSS works. For anything serious, go private.
What Insurance Do You Need?
Three layers cover a medical emergency in Baja. You do not need all three, but you need at least one.
Layer one: Mexican health insurance or IMSS. If you hold permanent or temporary residency, you can enroll in IMSS for around 7,000 to 14,000 pesos per year depending on your age. IMSS covers hospitalization and emergency care at IMSS facilities. It does not cover private hospitals.
Layer two: international health insurance. Plans from providers like IMG Global, Cigna Global, or GeoBlue cover private hospitals in Mexico and often include direct billing. Annual premiums range from $1,500 to $5,000 USD depending on age, deductible, and coverage area.
Layer three: emergency air evacuation membership. SkyMed International is the most popular option among Baja expats. Memberships start around $300 per year for individuals. SkyMed covers medical evacuation by air from Mexico to your home hospital in the U.S. or Canada. Without evacuation insurance, an air ambulance from Cabo to San Diego costs $15,000 to $50,000. From La Paz, the price goes higher.
At minimum, carry layer three. Air evacuation membership is cheap insurance against a catastrophic bill. Many Baja expats carry SkyMed alongside IMSS and skip international health insurance entirely.
What Happens If You Need Air Evacuation?
You or someone calls your evacuation provider. SkyMed, AeroCare, or AirLink USME dispatch a fixed-wing air ambulance with flight medics on board. They coordinate with the hospital holding you and the receiving hospital in the U.S. The flight from Los Cabos to San Diego takes about two hours. From Tijuana, they often do ground transfer across the border instead.
Without a membership, you pay out of pocket. Air ambulance costs range from $15,000 for a short hop to over $100,000 for complex cases. Insurance companies sometimes reimburse later, but the air ambulance company wants payment or a guarantee before they fly.
What Should You Carry With You?
Keep a medical information card in your wallet. Include your blood type, allergies, current medications, emergency contact, insurance policy number, and evacuation membership number. Write it in English and Spanish.
On your phone, set up the Medical ID feature (iPhone) or emergency information (Android). Paramedics and ER doctors check this. Include the same information as the wallet card.
Carry a photocopy of your passport and residency card. The hospital needs identification. If you are unconscious, they search your belongings. A photocopy in your wallet helps.
Store the U.S. Consulate Tijuana emergency number: +52 664 977 2000. For BCS, the Los Cabos Consular Agency number is +52 624 143 3566. The consulate can contact your family, help locate you in the hospital system, and assist with emergency document replacement.
What Are the Common Mistakes?
Assuming U.S. health insurance works in Mexico. Most U.S. plans do not cover treatment abroad. Medicare does not cover you in Mexico at all. Check your policy before you need it.
Skipping evacuation insurance because Tijuana is close to the border. Cross-border ambulance transfers work, but they require coordination with CBP and a valid travel document. If you are unconscious and your passport is at home, it gets complicated.
Going to a public hospital when a private one is 10 minutes away. In a true emergency, go to the nearest private hospital. Sort out the bill later. Private ERs in Baja are faster, better equipped, and more experienced with foreign patients.
Not knowing your address in Spanish. When you call 065 or 911, the dispatcher needs your location. “Near the Costco on the highway” does not work. Know your street name, number, and colonia.
Regulations and government processes change. This article reflects information current as of March 2026. For advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed immigration consultant or contact the relevant government office directly.