As Los Angeles residents increasingly turn to Mexico for affordable care, this panel explores the emergence of a formalized binational healthcare corridor. We will demystify the "90-day rule" for importing prescriptions and discuss the technical push for seamless EMR portability across the border. The conversation also examines how insurance providers offer legal, employer-sponsored coverage specifically designed for the Southern California workforce. By bridging these two medical systems, our experts provide a roadmap for ensuring safety, affordability, and continuity of care in a truly integrated medical ecosystem.
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Featured Panelists:
Richard Boxer, MD, FACS, Interim Chief Medical Officer and Board Member, MiSalud Health
Ilan Shapiro, MD, MBA, Senior Vice-President and Chief Health Correspondent and Medical Affairs Officer, AltaMed
Laura Vargas, PA, Co-Founder, Board of Directors, Refugee Health Alliance
Moderator:
Arturo Vargas Bustamante, PhD, MPP, Professor of Health Policy and Management, UCLA
SPEAKER BIOS
Richard Boxer, MD, FACS, Interim Chief Medical Officer and Board Member, MiSalud Health
Ilan Shapiro, MD, MBA, Former CEO, Michigan Medicine
Dr. Ilan Shapiro is the Senior Vice-President and Chief Health Correspondent and Medical Affairs Officer for AltaMed Health Services. He supports strategies for external health communications, advocacy, and community relations. As the Chief Health Correspondent for AltaMed, Dr. Shapiro works closely with the Public Affairs, Community Affairs, Government Relations, and Civic Engagement departments to help expand community health and wellness initiatives.
In 2011, he was invited to join the White House Hispanic Policy Group and help educate and raise awareness for the Affordable Care Act. Dr. Shapiro is also a recent recipient of the Othli Award, an honor presented by the Consul of Mexico to recognize individuals working to improve the lives of Mexican nationals living in the United States and abroad. Prior to joining AltaMed, Dr. Shapiro held numerous health and leadership roles that focused on expanding access and improving health outcomes. He spent five years working with migratory agricultural workers’ families and the homeless in Southwest Florida and as a pediatric resident at Mount Sinai Children’s Hospital in Chicago. He believes these roles sparked his passion for meaningful, community-focused work. In addition to his work at AltaMed, Dr. Shapiro serves on the Board of Governors at L.A. Care Health Plan and the Gasol Foundation.
Laura Vargas, PA, Co-Founder, Board of Directors, Refugee Health Alliance
Laura M. Vargas, MHS, PA-C is a binational health advocate, clinician, and community organizer at the intersection of cross-border healthcare access and health equity. A Colombian-American immigrant and first-generation medical professional, Laura brings both personal and clinical insight to the challenges and opportunities of integrated U.S.-Mexico healthcare systems.
Laura is co-founder and co-director of the Refugee Health Alliance and practices in Neurosurgery at a Medical Center in West Los Angeles. She remains an active partner with LA community organizations, advocating for healthcare equity and disparities affecting underserved populations. Laura joined medicine to give back to mi gente — and today helps chart the road forward for a safer, more affordable, and truly integrated binational medical ecosystem.