The Mexican Social Security Institute IMSS has approved updated health care rates that will apply in 2026 to patients without social insurance. The new prices will come into force on January 1, 2026.
IMSS — Mexico's key public health system, which prioritizes insured persons: employees, entrepreneurs and their families. However, the institute also provides medical support to uninsured patients — foreigners without residence, residents of Mexico, self-employed without registration in the system and other categories, — but on a paid basis at approved tariffs.
The IMSS system is divided into three levels of care. First level — these are clinics and family clinics, the second — general hospitals, third — tertiary medical centers and national reference hospitals. The tariff for services directly depends on the level of complexity of treatment and the infrastructure of the institution.
At the first level in 2026, a consultation with a family doctor will cost 1,298 pesos. A similar tariff is established for initial consultation at the second level. Among other first-level services, the following guidelines have been approved:
- dental consultation — 951 pesos,
- emergency escort — 1102 pesos,
- diagnostic or therapeutic procedure — from 420 pesos,
- laboratory analysis — from 121 pesos,
- X-ray examination — from 378 pesos.
These base rates apply exclusively to uninsured patients.
📘💸 El IMSS publicó los Costos Unitarios 2026 en el DOF:
consultas, hospitalización, terapia intensiva, ambulancias 🚑, estudios clínicos… todo actualizado.Incluye:
📊 Tabla oficial de Costos Unitarios por Nivel de Atención Médica 2026
👉 Usada para:
• Créditos fiscales por…pic.twitter.com/esGHAwb16g— Erik Ortuño (@erik_ortuno)December 11, 2025
At the second level, in other words in general IMSS hospitals, costs increase significantly. Consultation with a specialist will cost 2,082 pesos, emergency assistance — at 3111 pesos. A daily hospital stay is estimated at 15,764 pesos, and one day in the intensive care unit — at 82,158 pesos. Surgical intervention costs an average of 36,144 pesos, hemodialysis session — 2388 pesos, CT scan — 3956 pesos, magnetic resonance imaging — 4875 pesos. In addition, separate prices have been established for chemotherapy, radiation therapy, blood bank services and other specialized stages.
The third level of medical care is considered the most expensive. In tertiary hospitals, a consultation with a consultant in 2026 will cost 2,780 pesos, emergency care — 4343 pesos. ICU day maintained at P82,158, surgery — 44765 pesos. Interventional cardiology procedures are estimated at 67,696 pesos, and daily treatment of a patient on mechanical ventilation — at 49,175 pesos. These amounts reflect the average cost of the most complex and resource-intensive medical services.
A complete list of IMSS rates for uninsured patients can be found herelink.
The approved rates will be used both to directly pay for medical care by uninsured patients and to calculate tax consequences in cases of improper registration or purchase of medical services outside the framework of social insurance. For foreigners and residents without IMSS, these rates effectively determine the minimum cost of accessing the state's largest public health care system in 2026.