This website provides an overview of how overseas surgery is fast emerging as a very cost effective and popular alternative to domestic medical care.
The Overseas Medical Vacation
Medical vacations in Mexico, Thailand, Singapore and India, often called medical tourism or health tourism, has become one of the fastest growing health care industries. Surgery overseas mainly encompasses elective and non-emergency treatments, such as overseas plastic surgery or joint replacements. Dental vacations are also becoming popular. It is not just for the wealthy anymore, and Switzerland is certainly not the only health vacation destination.
Medical tourism is gaining attention as uninsured or under-insured medical tourist patients discover high quality overseas surgery is available abroad for as much as 90 percent less than the cost in the United States, and is becoming an acceptable option to more and more people. Another advantage is that you can often also dramatically shorten your waiting period for elective surgery overseas.
Overseas plastic surgery is focused on because it is are not covered by U.S. medical insurance, However, major organ transplants and heart surgeries are now being performed in India not only because of their low cost, but because the quality of service is so high. Medical in India joint replacements using the same procedures and the same quality replacement parts typically cost 40 – 60% less than the cost in the US, including the hospital stay, all procedure and physicians costs and transportation to and from India.
Companies That Support Medical Tourism
Overseas medical vacations are offered by many countries worldwide, and there are a fast growing number of health care tourism “travel agent” companies that will connect people with doctors and hospitals for overseas surgery.
Normally the savings on the healthcare fund a vacation in the country that is visited for treatment and medical tour travel agents are now offering all-in packages including flights, treatment and accommodation. Medical tourism companies have contracts with hospitals, dental and beauty clinics, private surgeries, and any other medical specialty providers. The often U.S. or Europe trained, physicians, dentists and medical staff also aids you in recovery from your ailment and ensure a safe and healthy journey back home.
Medical Vacation Destinations
India medical tourism in particular is fast becoming the world leader. Overseas healthcare destinations are developing worldwide with India at the forefront and extending to Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, South Africa, and even European countries such as Hungary. The industry is estimated at $60-70 billion today and should well exceed $100 billion by 2012, according to statistics produced by McKinsey and the Confederation of India. The overseas medical vacation industry is very likely only the beginning and the next step will likely be globalized medicine, in which millions of fully insured patients here in the United States are connected to hospitals in Bangkok, Singapore, and India.
Medical tourism in Thailand is also established as a worldwide leader through its premium hospitals and talented plastic surgeons. You can have your overseas plastic surgery procedure performed by board certified surgeons using the latest techniques, at ISO and JCI/JCAHO accredited facilities. Thailand is particularly popular for sex-change operations with fees as low as $5,000. Thailand is now a medical vacation destination for all types of plastic surgery as well as a host of routine medical procedures. Thailand has a host of facilities that cater to international clients
Benefits of Surgery Overseas
The biggest driver is fast rising health care cost, mainly in the U.S. and Europe, and particularly for uninsured elective surgery. At the same time, the quality of care, particularly in India and Thailand, is essentially equivalent to that in the U.S. at total costs including travel at 60-80% less. Many insurance companies are now beginning to support overseas medical vacations due to the much lower cost.
Healthcare cost in America fast exceeding $2 trillion per year, at 16% of the GDP and over four times the expenditure for national defense. The US ranks 15th in healthcare globally by WHO, and even though upwards of 35-40% of Americans are now uninsured, we spend more on healthcare in the United States than all other industrialized nations.
Unfortunately, in the U.S. healthcare is a labor-intensive service that doesn’t offer huge scope for gains in labor productivity. While most other industries have consistently and dramatically increased productivity over the years, the number of hours it takes to perform doctor’s visits is roughly the same as it has always been.
The Risks of Overseas Health Care
Hospitals anywhere in the world are a dangerous place to be, and you want to spend as little time in one as possible. However, those countries that have focused on catering to the health vacation industry have typically created five star facilities for international patients. Many of them provide better facilities and services than in most hospitals western developed countries, at only 10-15% of the cost. Hospitals with really top notch departments for medical visitors will continue to see a steady increase in the flow of international patients.
Regardless, there are disadvantages to medical tours. They include less legal protection, more questionable medical privacy, longer absence from work, and the likely necessity for transfer of postoperative care back to your home country. In addition, personal medical insurance will rarely cover procedures that take place out of the country, though that is steadily changing due to the extraordinary cost attractiveness of overseas healthcare.
The Medical Tourism Guide is a thorough review of surgery overseas published by Jay Siva and is the best available “all in one place” resource for identifying and evaluating all available options for overseas medical vacation packages
Economic Turmoil Creates Boom for Medical Tourism
“We’re finding there’s a definite dip in requests for surgery overseas where there’s no medical urgency, such as tummy tucks, chiseled noses and dental veneers,” said Wouter Hoeberechts, CEO of WorldMed Assist
NHS Is Underwriting Cut prize Cosmetic Surgery From Overseas The NHS is currently underwriting cut prize cosmetic surgery overseas thanks to there is no clear management in locate on when the NHS should and shouldnt treat patients who have elected to have cosmetic surgery abroad.
Medical Tourism, Low Cost Affordable Medical Surgery
… health care it’s extremely important that you do your homework properly – research the facilities, the surgeons, compare the cost and quality offered by different hospitals, talk to people who have had their surgery overseas
Ohio Patient Thanks India and WorldMed Assist For Heart Surgery
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Has anyone gone overseas(medical tourism) for orthognathic jaw surgery
Has anyone gone overseas(medical tourism) for orthognathic jaw surgery? Posted on March 29, 2009. Filed Under Medical Tourism. What was your experience like and would you recommend it?
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People from many countries travel to Thailand each year for medical purposes, as the costs involved in their own countries are far more substantial than the costs in Thailand. You will find people take advantage of the low costs, and also can recuperate in the sun and be pampered by the Thai people. There are some great resorts that cater for medical tourism check out this site http://www.thailandtourismguide.com for more information.