Medical Tourism Takes Off
As many as 500,000 people traveled abroad last year for medical procedures. This is a reaction to the costs of healthcare in the U.S., of course, but it also indicates increased confidence in physicians and medical facilities in other countries.
The number going abroad for treatment will continue to increase according to Josef Woodman, author of Patients Beyond Borders: Everybody’s Guide to Affordable, World-class Medical Tourism. The book gives details about saving money on a wide variety of medical procedures.
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Most U.S. health insurance won’t cover treatment abroad, but a few may. Some employers save money by offering plans with coverage out of the country. Most of the people traveling for medical purposes either don’t have health insurance or their insurance doesn’t cover what they need to have done. For many, going abroad means having the healthcare they wouldn’t get otherwise.
Woodman advises researching your options, seeking out English-speaking doctors and asking about success rates. He went to Costa Rica for his own dental work - a root canal, implants and follow-up care - after looking at several other countries. He saved about $2,000.
A number of U.S. companies are engaged in medical tourism, that is, they match patients with facilities overseas and make travel arrangements as well. One is www.MedRetreat.com, which has been in business since 2003. The company arranged treatment for 350 patients last year and anticipates a total of 650 this year with clients undergoing treatment. Their destinations include Argentina, Costa Rica, Brazil, Malaysia, Thailand and South Africa.
Brazil, Costa Rica and Mexico are popular destinations for dentistry. South Africa offers cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, while India is known for heart surgery and for simplified, innovative techniques in hip replacements. Patients go to Singapore is has knee replacements and to Thailand for orthopedic and spinal surgeries. One hospital in Thailand treated 64,000.
It makes sense to research thoroughly the procedure you’ll be having and how it’s handled in different places. Find out, too, where you can get follow-up care, which might entail a longer stay out of the country or finding a doctor near home who can help. Don’t be surprised if your family physician disapproves of the whole idea, but he or she won’t necessarily write you off as a patient. Do interview the doctor who is offering to treat you.
Recuperation can sometimes be at hotels or resorts rather than in a sterile hospital or rehab setting. Take care in chosing the area as well as the medical facilities, especially if you haven’t traveled extensively. It’s important for you to be comfortable while you’re there. If you don’t speak the local language, make sure the doctor and others speak English.
The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations started an international branch in 1998. Initially, this was to meet the needs of companies employing U.S. citizens overseas. JCAHO evaluate whether medical facilities meet U.S. standards. So far, not many overseas facilities have this accreditation.