| In these recessionary times, almost every industry is | | | | underinsured -- even if you have employer-based |
| seeing significant losses. | | | | health coverage." |
| Not so with medical tourism. | | | | Health Insurance premiums have risen 73 percent |
| Hospitals specializing in medical tourism report seeing a | | | | since 2000, according to the National Coalition on |
| 30 percent increase in business from international | | | | Health Care (NCHC). Employers and insurance |
| patients last year. Discounting other nationalities, The | | | | companies are forced to more closely scrutinize their |
| Deloitte Center for Health Solutions estimated the | | | | health plans to contain the high costs. Employers are |
| number of Americans that traveled abroad for | | | | now covering fewer employees, reducing the number |
| healthcare in 2007 at 750,000. As money gets | | | | of covered procedures and increasing co-pays and |
| tighter, more people are opting to travel long | | | | co-premiums. In fact, the NCHC states that |
| distances to save on their healthcare bills. Current | | | | employee contributions have increased 145 percent |
| research indicates that more than one million | | | | since 2000. |
| Americans are traveling overseas to receive medical | | | | Many insured individuals in this situation find that they |
| treatment. | | | | can save more money by traveling abroad for their |
| While traveling abroad for medical care is not a new | | | | treatment than they can by paying these hefty |
| concept, it is only in the past few years that the | | | | co-pays. Some have been pleasantly surprised to find |
| medical tourism industry has exploded. International | | | | that their insurance company will reimburse them for |
| hospitals in foreign countries began focusing their | | | | part of their medical travel. |
| marketing efforts on global clientele and medical | | | | While many medical travelers take advantage of cost |
| tourism companies like MedTrava were created to | | | | savings for dental treatments, facelifts and |
| help fill the gap between the patient’s need for | | | | liposuction, a growing number are opting for open |
| information, support, and assistance and the | | | | heart surgery and orthopedic procedures like hip or |
| hospital’s ability to devote its valuable resources | | | | knee replacements overseas. Medical tourism can also |
| to this area. | | | | allow a patient to take advantage of procedures |
| With the current state of the U.S. healthcare system, | | | | difficult to receive in the U.S. Surgeries such as |
| it’s no wonder that many uninsured Americans | | | | Birmingham hip resurfacing and cervical disc |
| are eschewing medical care in their home country in | | | | replacement were only recently approved by the |
| favor of medical tourism. More than 47 million | | | | FDA, so overseas surgeons can have years more |
| Americans are uninsured and nearly 120 million | | | | experience than U.S. surgeons on these techniques. |
| Americans are underinsured. The statistics for certain | | | | Procedures like stem cell treatment are also available |
| states are appalling. Only 76.1 percent of Texans and | | | | in some foreign countries. |
| 79.9 percent of New Mexicans were insured as of | | | | However, the bulk of the treatments medical tourists |
| 2007. Worse still, only 81 percent of Mississippians | | | | are seeking include orthopedics, cardiology, and |
| and 81.5 percent of Texans could get medical care | | | | dental. Patients are able to save up to 80 percent in |
| when they needed it. | | | | these fields and receive superior treatment over |
| President Obama recognizes the problems inherent in | | | | what they would probably have been able to afford |
| the U.S. system of healthcare, saying "Fixing what's | | | | in the U.S. Quality of care at hospitals is comparable |
| wrong with our health care system is no longer a | | | | in quality to those in the United States. The Joint |
| luxury we hope to achieve -- it's a necessity we | | | | Commission International, an arm of the organization |
| cannot postpone any longer." | | | | that accredits American hospitals has accredited |
| But with no clear idea of how the administration will | | | | nearly 200 hospitals overseas. Many doctors and |
| pay for the estimated $630 billion price tag for its | | | | surgeons are English-speaking and have trained at |
| proposed reform, and with Republicans remaining | | | | Western medical schools and teaching hospitals. |
| vehemently opposed to nationalized healthcare, it | | | | Medical travel companies can help expedite and |
| could be a long while until Obama can make good on | | | | facilitate a patient’s treatment. Once a patient |
| his promise of “It’s time to deliver.” | | | | contacts a medical tourism facilitator like MedTrava, it |
| In the meantime, more and more Americans will | | | | can connect them to carefully selected, pre-qualified |
| continue to feel the pinch of healthcare bills. A | | | | providers and fast-track the sending of the |
| recent Harvard University study reveals that medical | | | | patient’s medical records and set up a |
| bills play a factor in more than 62 percent of all | | | | conference call with an overseas surgeon in days. |
| bankruptcies. | | | | Surgery can be scheduled in as quickly as two |
| And it’s not only the uninsured that are affected | | | | weeks, and the medical travel facilitator can assist |
| by hefty medical bills; 78 percent of those citing | | | | the patient with every aspect of their medical |
| medical bills as a reason for filing bankruptcy were | | | | travels, from visa and passport assistance to |
| actually insured. | | | | arranging for a patient care manager, driver, cell |
| Part of this reason is the ever-increasing share of the | | | | phone, and hotel in the destination country. |
| medical bill insured consumers are expected to pay. | | | | While traveling abroad for surgery is not usually a |
| According to a survey by the National Opinion | | | | person’s first choice, the quality of medical |
| Research Center and Watson Wyatt Worldwide, the | | | | treatment available abroad is at an all time high—in |
| annual out-of-pocket medical expenses for an insured | | | | some cases, superior to what is available in the |
| worker increased 34 percent between 2004 and | | | | United States. And in these days of a recession with |
| 2007. | | | | no end in sight, being able to save 80 percent on |
| The researchers recognized this problem and stated | | | | anything without sacrificing any quality is a |
| in their report, "in the United States, if you are sick | | | | much-needed reprieve. |
| and earn a modest income, then you are probably | | | | |