The Benefits Of Medical Tourism

Introduction

Finding affordable care is becoming increasingly difficult in today’s world. U.S. residents and people from around the world are finding creative ways to receive treatments at an affordable price. This creative new phenomenon is “medical tourism,” which is when people travel to another country to receive medical care. The CDC estimated that 750,000 U.S. residents travel abroad for care each year. Many of these residents are immigrants to the U.S. and return to their home countries. The most common procedures people receive abroad are cosmetic surgery, dentistry, and heart surgery ("Medical Tourism - Getting Medical Care in Another Country | CDC Features", 2014.). Top rated medical facilities in the U.S. have caught on to this idea and are currently working on their own destination medical centers. Certain medical centers like John Hopkins have collaborated with hospitals abroad. In addition, what makes medical tourism so attractive besides the affordable prices is how they make the patients feel at home. Many medical facilities abroad appeal to what U.S. consumers want, for example, fast food choices near or in the hospitals. As technology and access to resources increases medical tourism will continue to rise. This paper will focus on cosmetic surgery abroad and the risks and benefits it has for patients, professionals, payers, and policymakers.

Why Foreign Countries can Charge Cheaper Rates

Finding affordable, quality care in the U.S. is difficult. The uninsured population in the U.S. is about 48 million. If these people cannot find affordable care in the U.S., they will find creative ways to receive it. In addition, the increase in co-payments, deductibles, and insurance premiums is pushing people towards find...

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...ent goes to receive surgery, there is always a risk for complications.

Conclusion

As travel becomes easier and more accessible going abroad to receive, medical care will increase. The U.S. may need to consider changing their laws on collaborating with other countries, and their laws on insurance companies offering incentives to patients who choose to travel abroad. Medical prices will continue to increase in the U.S. and patients will become more creative on how they can receive care. The U.S. is used to wealthy people in developing countries traveling here for care not their citizens traveling abroad for care. It is ultimately up to the patient to choose whether they want to stay in the U.S. or go abroad for cosmetic surgery. However, if the outcomes are similar as to what they would be in the U.S. and they can be on vacation while recovering, why not go abroad.