UPDATE 1-World Bank OKs $1.25 bln for Mexico health insurance

[Judi Lynn]

UPDATE 1-World Bank OKs $1.25 bln for Mexico health insurance

MEXICO CITY, March 25 (Reuters) - The World Bank approved a $1.25 billion loan on Thursday to help expand health insurance coverage to Mexico's poor.

"The loan will support Mexico's Social Health Protection System Project promise to achieve universal medical insurance by 2012," the World Bank said in a statement.

The loan will also be used to make the health insurance program, which is available to Mexicans not covered by private plans or government plans for officially employed workers, to become more efficient.

The loan, maturing in 18 years, should help the government offer healthcare to an additional 10 million people, the World Bank said.

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