We and several friends are trying to sign up, but part way through get messages that vary, from try later to invalid code. I have tried several browsers. Any suggestions other than keep trying? It's been a week so far......

Somehow I got registered, though I also had difficulties. Not sure if the system is overwhelmed or buggy. Sometimes it marks an error but in reality the data was accepted. They have a Facebook page where you can get help.
https://www.facebook.com/SSIMSSBIENESTAR/

I mentioned that to him, and he responded that there's a cost for membership and that specialist treatment isn't paid for.

That was before. My wife and I are signed up and it didn't cost a thing.

https://www.imssbienestar.gob.mx/servicios_salud.html

Thanks for the info but, if IMSS is only for employees, he wouldn't qualify, since he drives a cab. I do send him some money on occasion, but my retirement income is limited. If there are any kind folks out there who would like to help, please email me as per the above, and I'll send you his contact info.

No, IMSS-Bienestar is the new universal healthcare that is being implemented so that everyone can have access to quality medical care regardless of their income. It's what Lupita and I have.

My understanding is that there are at least three levels of public health care in Mexico.

For my employees, I pay for seguro social (IMSS). That provides a level of health care services.

As a non-employee, I could choose to enrol in seguro, but my priority for service would be below that of a worker.

Non-employees may chose to enroll for seguro popular. That too is a level below seguro social.

People might choose to enroll in neither. A carpenter who,has done some work for me needs heart surgery in DF. His family is fundraising for it.

And the services of seguro ate not universally applied. Guerrero is a “have not” state. It is not as politically powerful as other places. The health care services of seguro in Zihuatanejo are not as the might be elsewhere.

Seguro Popular no longer exists as it used to. Our saving grace in Guerrero is that we are now the home state for the national healthcare system that was moved here from Mexico City as part of the president's decentralization efforts. Hopefully we'll at least get a nice new modern hospital out of this new arrangement. But for the moment we're still in transition mode.

For my employees, I pay for seguro social (IMSS). That provides a level of health care services.

As a non-employee, I could choose to enrol in seguro, but my priority for service would be below that of a worker.

Non-employees may chose to enroll for seguro popular. That too is a level below seguro social.

People might choose to enroll in neither. A carpenter who,has done some work for me needs heart surgery in DF. His family is fundraising for it.

And the services of seguro ate not universally applied. Guerrero is a “have not” state. It is not as politically powerful as other places. The health care services of seguro in Zihuatanejo are not as the might be elsewhere.

I have a friend in Zihua with a limited income and a child that needs to be seen by a doctor in Michoacan on a regular basis. The doctor visit costs 5500 Pesos. I was under the impression that only in the US people have to pay for doctor visits. Is the system in Mexico equally backward? Living in Europe many years ago, when I got sick, my mother would call the doctor who would come, check me out, write a prescription and there was never a bill. Doesn't Mexico have a similar system, at least for the financially stressed?

Mexico is working on their universal healthcare system, but there's still a long ways to go. They can go to the local clinic or DIF, but if they don't have ISSSTE (for state workers) or IMSS (Seguro Social), then for more advanced medicine it's more complicated. When I had my cataract surgery it was with a state clinic, and I was billed according to my ability to pay, so I saved a lot of money, but I still had to pay something. I would recommend they sign up with IMSS if they haven't already.