7 Reasons to Consider Traveling for Medical Care
Medical tourists have different reasons for traveling abroad for care. Here's why they do it
Reader Comments
Medical Tourism
Medical Tourism is on the rise with more and more people searching for different options to find affordable quality surgeries. With reputable medical tourism companies such as WorldMed Assist ( http://www.worldmedassist.com ) arranging the logistics, they are making it much easier for people to travel abroad. Visit WorldMed Assist for more on medical procedures offered. http://www.worldmedassist.com/procedures.htm
Offshoring, Education and Medical inflation
I believe the true rate of inflation in the US is more accurately represented by the rate of tuition increases and medical inflation.
The low CPI rates of the last decade or two have been at the expense of manufacturing jobs moving to China, India, and elsewhere.
Medical and educational services can not easily be offshored and inflation in those areas have run several times that of the general Consumer Price Index, and that, I believe has been the truly relevant rate of inflation in this country.
Medical costs have risen, seemingly without restraint. Perhaps medical tourism will encourage costs to come into better alignment with income by globalizing medical competition.
I wonder how much longer it will take before Americans are traveling abroad for higher education? Today I read that 49 states received an F in college affordability, and California got a "D."
Cosmetic surgery spa -Club CASA MARINO, San Miguel de Allende Mexico
We just returned from a fabulous experience in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. We had almost given up on getting our work done because of the economy.
My wife had a complete facelift for $6,500, performed in a state of the art hopsital and I had a full mouth full of dental cosmetic work done.............all for l/3 the price of what it is in the U. S.
The CLUB CASA Marino is part of www.faceliftmexico.com a l5 year old company, since l994. They say they are the pioneers in Medical Tourism; representing the finest surgeons; whose work is done in a full facility hospital ; not a clinic.
The 6 day post - op stay at CLUB CASA MARINO is FREE . A total package of 10 days, 3 nights private hospital room; is the required stay ....
Our recovery in San Miguel de Allende, a 500 year old city preserved by the Mexican government is like going back in time. 6,000 feet elevation allows for spring like weather all year long. The spa/club atmosphere is private for patients only........a gorgeous colonial villa just for US. They produce exactly what they say they will. We are both very pleased. Picture this.........the surgeons come to the CLUB for post op follow up. We dont go back to the hospital. A CLUB CALL (house call). Quality, quality, quality in everything. I recommend this service to all my friends .
Medical Travel
The medical travel articles can be beneficial to the readers of US News & World Report, however, your audience might be best served by having more balanced reporting. The current articles are more of an advertorial nature that lead towards promoting the book Patients Beyond Borders and the positive aspects of medical travel. Patients need to evaluate and weigh both the pros and cons of medical travel and costs, so that the "cheap doesn't become the expensive", or worse they die from complications overseas or after they return back home.
Seeking care abroad is a serious endeavor, and patients should know what the full risks are; how to evaluate hospitals and doctors based on medical outcomes and qualifications (within disease-specific indications); and if medical travel is the right decision for them to make in relation to their specific health condition, diagnosis, and care needs.
Furthermore, there is also a lot of hyping of data by the medical travel industry for promotional gain. And, patients/consumers will need to access high quality health articles and information that are balanced in context so that a more accurate and realistic picture of the global medical travel industry is presented.
This very basic editorial standard is much needed for the medical travel industry and its media coverage. Otherwise, it will become difficult for patients/consumers in the very near future to distinguish between what is fact and what has been made up strictly for promotional gain. Therefore, balanced and unbiased reporting should be paramount for the media and the medical travel industry, in order to, help patients/consumers truly make better choices and decisions about their health needs. Whether, they seek care abroad or here at home.
According to a report by Research and Markets, countries such as Singapore, India, Malaysia and Thailand are likely to do well off the back of the challenges faced by western nations.
These challenges include increased demands on public health care because of aging populations, shortages of medical professionals and declining economies.
Get a guide to medical tourism in Singapore for free at
http://www.singaporemedicine.com/5myths_medical_tourism/register.asp
english
another word of perseverance
7 Reasons to Consider Traveling for Medical Care
Dear Bob of OR:
The insurance market for medical travel is changing rapidly, and your best bet is to check with hospitals and clinics in-country, for any insurance plans or partnerships they may offer.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, through its subsidiary Companion Global Healthcare, now carries a number of hospitals in its network, including Bumrungrad in Thailand, Parkway in Singapore, Anadolou in Turkey, Hospital Clinica Biblica in Costa Rica and more. I understand Aetna is now also offering plans through employers.
accepting U.S. Insurance and Medicare
Please make a list of the Insurance plans accepted by these Hospitals or what Insurance Companies agrees to work with the Hospitals.
