| Many Americans without health insurance are faced | | | | can be obtained for less than $10,000. Even after the |
| with the prospect of joint replacement surgery, but | | | | price of flights and accommodations, many medical |
| do not have the means to pay the high rates in the | | | | travelers find themselves saving tens of thousands |
| United States. Both knee replacement surgery and | | | | of dollars by traveling overseas for their medical |
| hip replacement surgery can cost upwards of | | | | procedures. |
| $70,000 in the United States — a significant cost | | | | Uninsured and underinsured Americans have been a |
| by any measure. | | | | topic of much discussion in the healthcare debate. For |
| As osteoarthritis continues to afflict a growing | | | | the thousands of Americans who cannot afford the |
| number of Americans, more and more patients are | | | | expensive medical care in the United States, medical |
| seeking alternatives to the extraordinary costs in the | | | | tourism offers a low-cost alternative. The standard |
| United States. It is estimated that osteoarthritis | | | | of care in many medical tourism destinations is as |
| afflicts upwards of 20 million Americans, most of | | | | high or higher than that in the United States, and in |
| whom are over the age of 45. In addition to this, | | | | many cases the doctors are U.S.-trained and |
| there are over 40 million Americans who do not have | | | | educated. |
| health insurance. Since the only long-term treatment | | | | Patients who are considering delaying or forgoing |
| to osteoarthritis is total joint replacement, many | | | | knee replacement or hip replacement surgery, medical |
| Americans are left with few options for surgery. | | | | tourism is an option that should be considered. |
| Medical tourism provides a solution to the millions of | | | | Instead of living with pain and reduced mobility, |
| Americans afflicted by osteoarthritis who have no | | | | thousands of Americans are traveling overseas to |
| insurance. By traveling overseas for medical care, | | | | receive much-needed joint replacement surgery at |
| patients can experience a savings upwards of 75%. | | | | affordable prices. |
| For example, knee replacement surgery in Taiwan | | | | |