Tijuana Council Offers Border Crossing Coupons to Medical Tourists
KPBS
Dec 20, 2007
Amy Isackson
People who get medical treatment in Tijuana can now cross the border back to San Diego more quickly through a new lane for medical tourists. KPBS reporter Amy Isackson has the story.
Doctors and medical clinics in Tijuana can pay the city's Economic Development Council $2 for special border crossing coupons for their patients.
The coupon allows patients who've driven to Tijuana to cut into the border line about three quarters of the way through.
Flavio Olivieri is on the board of Tijuana's Economic Development Council. He says the border wait should be 20 minutes maximum.
Olivieri: We are working towards improving border crossings in as many fronts as we can. And medical tourism is very important to the economy of Tijuana. So we see this as a way of fostering more growth in this area.
Olivieri says Tijuana's medical and pharmacy industry provides about $3.5 billion in revenue for Tijuana.
U.S. authorities are not involved in the new lane because the entrance is in Tijuana.