Medical lane at San Ysidro Port of Entry suspended temporarily

SAN DIEGO ( Border Report ) — The city of Tijuana has decided to shut down the medical lane at the San Ysidro Port of Entry while it continues to investigate abuse and corruption in the program, which gives medical patients, after their appointments, the ability to drive back into the U.S. quickly.

Clinics in Mexico, both medical and dental facilities, purchase passes from the city and then hand them out to patients who can’t afford or don’t want to wait in long lines to get back home.

It is also used as an incentive for people from the California side of the border to seek medical or dental care in Mexico.

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But a recent audit discovered many of the people buying the passes from the city were not legitimate and were selling the passes for a huge profit to just about anyone.

According to Pedro Montejo Peterson, Secretary of Economic Development in Tijuana, they are relaunching the program asking medical and dental offices to go through a screening process once again.

“We’re checking these firms to make sure patients are actually going to get the passes, which was the original idea, we’re looking at all details involved in this important program,” he said.

Montejo Peterson is asking medical and dental facilities to remain patient while they start up the registration period.

In the meantime, clinics are advising patients to give themselves extra time to cross the border after their appointments.

No specific date was given to reopen the lane, but the city said it hopes to have it up and running again within a few weeks.

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