Mexico's public health system faces longstanding structural challenges

Mexico’s health system, formally created in 1943, was designed as a hybrid of two European models: the German Bismarck system for salaried workers and the English Beveridge system of universal, tax‑funded care. The structure split responsibilities between institutions for formally employed workers, financed by payroll contributions, and state agencies serving the “open population” without formal employment, funded by general taxes.

The three main public pillars created in the mid‑20th century are the Secretaría de Salud (originally Secretaría de Salubridad y Asistencia), the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) and the Seguro Popular mechanisms. Over the past eight years the system has shown widespread deterioration, which analysts attribute to structural and financing issues rather than individual staff performance. The fragmentation and mixed‑model approach are cited as key factors behind the persistent problems affecting Mexico’s health sector.