Top 3 Medical Tourism Destinations

Medical Tourism

Medical tourism is a rapidly growing global industry that combines travelling and obtaining health care into one practical and convenient journey. In other words, it involves the undertaking of a trip for the purpose of receiving medical treatment or procedures that would otherwise be inaccessible or unavailable. Most of us know that health care in the US is in crisis. Health care cost in America is reaching all time high of about $2 trillion per year, which is 16% of the GDP, four times the expenditure for national defense. US is ranked 15th in health care performance by World Health Organization, globally, life expectancy ranks 22nd in world and infant mortality ranks 39th. US leads the most when it comes to health-care insurance spending, when compared to any other nation, yet 46 million Americans are without insurance and this number increases every year. Kaiser Family Foundation reports that between the years 2000 and 2004 the number of uninsured Americans increased by 6 million. The out-of-pocket costs for insured have nearly tripled in last six years and health-care premiums continue to rise at nearly three times the general inflation rate. In addition, unpaid and unpayable healthcare bills account for the majority of all personal bankruptcies in the country.

On the other hand, there has been much news recently about the high-quality care and cutting edge surgery available in countries such as India, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, a growing stream of uninsured and underinsured Americans are boarding planes not for the typical face-lift or tummy tuck but for discount hip replacements and sophisticated heart surgeries. By looking at options outside the American health care system those who lack adequate insurance can get medical care at significantly lower prices which is often referred to as medical tourism, seeking medical care outside the United States is an idea that is taking off at new levels.

Where Can Medical Tourism Take You?

Top 3 Medical Tourism Destinations

1. Malaysia

Malaysia’s medical tourism industry has seen staggering growth over recent years. The number of foreigners seeking healthcare services in Malaysia has grown from 75,210 patients in 2001 to 296,687 patients in 2006, according to the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia. The large volume of patients in 2006 brought approximately $59 million in revenue. The Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia projected that the number of foreigners seeking medical treatment in Malaysia will continue to grow at a rate of 30 percent a year until 2010.

Malaysia offers a wide array of medical procedures—including dental, cosmetic and cardiac surgeries—at significantly lower costs than in the U.S. In Malaysia, cardiac bypass surgery, for example, costs around $6,000 to $7,000, according to a publication released by Tourism Malaysia last November.

2. Costa Rica

Costa Rica has become a popular destination among North American patients for inexpensive, high-quality medical care “without a trans-Pacific flight,”. The convenience of travel has made the country a particularly attractive destination for American patients, as Costa Rica can be reached from most U.S. cities within seven to 10 hours of flight time.

Around 150,000 foreigners sought care in Costa Rica in 2006, according to the NCPA report published last November. Often, foreign patients travel to Costa Rica for the low costs of dental work and plastic surgery. Costs of procedures in Costa Rica are generally less than half the cost of the same procedures in the U.S.; the price of a dental veneer, for instance, is approximately $350 in Costa Rica, whereas the same procedure is $1,250 in the U.S.

The Costa Rican government seems to be taking steps to further encourage foreign investment in the country; in October 2007, a national referendum voted in favor of the U.S.-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). Successful implementation by March 2008 should result in an improved investment climate.

3. India

India has the lowest cost and highest quality of all medical tourism destinations, according to a report on medical tourism published by the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) last November. Several hospitals are accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI) and utilize highly trained physicians and cutting-edge medical technology.

The medical tourism sector is experiencing rapid growth, with approximately 500,000 foreign patients traveling to India for medical care in 2005, compared to an estimated 150,000 patients in 2002, according to experts quoted in the University of Delaware’s UDaily news. In monetary terms, experts estimate that medical tourism could bring India as much as $2.2 billion per year by 2012.

India has become a well-known medical tourist destination for cardiac and orthopedic procedures. In the past, American patients have traveled to India for procedures such as Birmingham hip resurfacing, which was previously unavailable in the U.S., and has only recently been FDA approved. Medical tourists also journey to India for procedures that carry high costs in the U.S.; for example, Apollo Hospital in New Delhi charges $4,000 for cardiac surgery, while the same procedure would cost about $30,000 in the U.S.

Although India has taken significant steps to becoming the “global health destination” envisioned by Finance Minister Jaswant Sing in the country’s 2003 budget, the country still faces problems such as overpopulation, environmental degradation, poverty and ethnic and religious strife. Such problems may dissuade some patients from traveling to India to receive healthcare.