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Mexico Unveils Universal Health Service Credential, With National Registration Beginning in March

The new ID connects each patient to a unified electronic record across IMSS, ISSSTE and other public providers to lay the groundwork for gradual interoperability.

Overview

  • President Claudia Sheinbaum announced a phased in‑person enrollment from March through December 2026, with alphabet-based appointment days and two initial geographic waves starting March 2 and March 23.
  • Officials said the credential will identify users systemwide and link to a single electronic medical record to share histories, studies, appointments and prescriptions across institutions.
  • The program will deploy about 2,365 modules, 9,791 registration stations and roughly 14,000 staff, with an estimated cost of 3,500 million pesos.
  • Cards will be issued physically about six weeks after signup with notification from number 079, and a digital version is slated for April via a government app using QR codes to verify coverage and locate assigned units.
  • Sheinbaum emphasized this is a first step and that 2026 care will still follow current affiliations except emergencies; full participation by state services is voluntary and tied to free care, and a compensation mechanism between institutions is in development as opposition voices cite medicine and staffing shortfalls.