What is medical tourism?
Medical tourism has become a travel buzzword. Simply put, medical tourism refers to travel in search of various medical treatments and procedures. Medical tourists often go to overseas destinations, but the phenomenon also covers US domestic trips to hospitals and doctors that are less expensive than where you live.
Let’s get this out of the way: Does health insurance cover medical tourism abroad?
The answer is sometimes : if you choose your insurer’s global network option; and / or your insurer is connected with a foreign provider, such as a network of hospitals; and / or seek treatment at foreign branches of U.S. hospitals.
Who is pursuing medical tourism and why?
Medical tourists are typically citizens of countries where expensive private medical plans are the norm, such as the US For these medical travelers, surgery is often cheaper than their often high-quality insurance copay. Some medical travelers are Americans who have failed to sign up for health insurance and need a cheaper option than paying out of pocket in the US.
Some medical tourists are citizens of countries that cover them with national health programs, such as the United Kingdom or Canada. However, some Britons and Canadians seek foreign medical care to avoid an often very long wait for surgery and other specialized treatments.
Some medical tourists travel in search of specialized procedures and experimental treatments that are not offered in their home countries; or for medical care that is a specialty of the destination. Many medical tourists travel abroad for dental care, because dentistry is often not covered at all by their health insurance.
The fact is, medical tourism destinations often have Western-trained doctors and great nurses.
Today’s medical tourists find their foreign healthcare experience very similar to that of their home. Many of the overseas hospitals and clinics that sell to medical tourists are staffed by English-speaking doctors and surgeons who were trained and / or certified in North America. An example: the world-renowned Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok claims more than 200 certified surgeons in the USA.
Other countries are renowned for their excellent medical education, homegrown doctors and nurses. A partial list: Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Croatia, France, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, South Africa, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey.
Another trend in medical tourism: Overseas hospitals with strong links to US medical centers.For example, Johns Hopkins Singapore International Medical Center is a branch of the prestigious Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and there is a Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi, with doctors from the famous Ohio hospital.
How can you trust the hospital and the doctor?
There is a research organization based in the United States that accredits foreign hospitals that provide medical care to non-citizens: the independent non-profit International Joint Commission or JCI. Its stated mission “is to continually improve the safety and quality of care in the international community through the provision of education and counseling services and international accreditation and certification.” JCI has accredited health organizations in more than 100 countries. These providers include hospitals and clinics, laboratories, long-term rehabilitation centers, primary care, fertility treatments, home care, medical transportation, and more.
In turn, JCI is accredited by the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua).
Where do medical tourists go and for what kind of care?
Medical tourists seek a variety of medical care abroad. Expensive surgical procedures are the most sought after. The medical procedures most sought after by medical tourists include:
Medical tourists seek cosmetic surgery for the face …
Some medical tourists go out in search of beautification procedures including surgery (face lift, rhinoplasty, etc.) and wrinkle fillers (Botox, Restylane, Juvederm, etc.) Popular destinations include Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia , Colombia, Mexico), Korea and Taiwan.
Some American medical tourists travel to another part of the United States to search for a particular elite plastic surgeon, such as in New York and Beverly Hills. (Park Avenue plastic surgeon Dr. Sam Rizk goes further: his office helps his patients plan comfortable recovery stays at a Manhattan luxury hotel.
… And cosmetic procedures for the body
Latin America is an option for surgery to improve the body, especially Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Colombia. The beginning of art is advanced here. In Brazil, there are hospitals with a single specialty in cosmetic surgery, such as breast or buttock implants.
And some medical tourists are looking for pure medical surgery
Medical tourists travel for surgery of all kinds. These surgical procedures range from simple Lasik eye surgery to intricate neurological procedures, organ transplants, fertility treatments, and sex change operations. As an example, Pamplona, Spain is an international destination for neurosurgery and cardiac surgery at its Clínica Universitaria de Navarra.
And many medical tourists are looking for cheap and good dentistry
Even when an American has dental insurance, the plan often refuses to cover conventional but expensive procedures, such as implants and crowns, considering them “optional” or “cosmetic,” meaning that the patient pays 100% of the costs.
Abroad, these procedures can cost as little as a tenth of what you would pay in the US Popular dental destinations include Mexico, Central Europe, and Eastern Europe, where dentists are highly trained. These delicious European countries include the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Croatia (especially its capital, Zagreb).
Do medical tourists make all the arrangements themselves?
Medical tourism is a complicated task that involves researching and booking medical treatments and then making all the usual travel arrangements (visa, flights, hotel, etc.)
But today’s medical tourists generally do n’t do the research and planning. Numerous packers, think of them as medical travel agents, offer their services to traveling patients, creating packages that include the medical procedure, the hotel, and if you wish, the flight. If you Google “medical tourism packages” you will see hundreds of entries.
Enterprising hotels in popular medical tourism destinations are beginning to offer medical tourism packages. In Bangkok, numerous high-end hotels cater to medical tourists, including the Intercontinental, JW Marriott, The Peninsula, and Conrad. They offer guest promotions that include appointments and transfers to a variety of top-notch healthcare facilities in Bangkok.
What the U.S. Medical Establishment Says About the Potential Risks of Medical Tourism
Surprise. Many American doctors are wary of patients seeking medical care abroad. They say the potential risks involve physician training and abbreviated postoperative care. The American College of Surgeons urges medical tourists to be sure to gather all their records and examine foreign facilities to the best of their ability. And here at TripSavvy we say: read a lot of reviews online.
Please note: This article is intended simply to provide background on medical tourism. Before acting on this information, check with your health care provider and insurer.
