Your health is one of the most important things in the world. No matter how rich you are, if you develop a serious condition, you will most probably give anything to get better.
While the rich can indeed pay astronomical sums to stay healthy, what about everyone else? It’s no secret that the healthcare system in the U.S. leaves much to be desired. Even countries like Canada and the UK suffer from their own problems, such as long wait times.
It’s for this reason that medical tourism has become such a popular trend. People find paying for a plane ticket and traveling abroad for medical care to be a better option than relying on what’s available in their home countries. It might seem a little risky to some, but there are many advantages to this type of medical tourism. Let’s explore further.
Expensive Procedures Are Available for a Fraction of the Cost
The cost of healthcare in America can be extremely high even for simple interventions. However, these same procedures can be performed for a fraction of the cost abroad. According to VeryWell Health, it is possible to save anywhere between 25% and 90% on medical bills. The exact percentage will naturally depend on the procedure and the country in which you get it done.
One reason for the high costs in America is that malpractice insurance costs drive up medical bills to ridiculous figures. Many countries don’t have to deal with this, and as a result, even high-quality care ends up being far more affordable.
Let’s look at some other examples. A hip replacement surgery that might cost $40,000 in the U.S. can be had for only $6,600 in Costa Rica. Similarly, a heart valve replacement surgery can cost upwards of $170,000 in the U.S. However, in countries like Singapore, you can get the same procedure done for just $12,500.
Yes, you can probably save even more by visiting countries like India, but at that point, the travel fare does start to become a factor to consider.
Picking the Best Destinations for Medical Tourism
If you or a loved one are serious about traveling outside the U.S. for healthcare, you will have to decide where to go. The truth is, many countries these days offer quality care at good rates. As we just mentioned above, travel costs do start to grow the farther away you travel from the states.
This is why you see a lot of people opting for medical tourism in Mexico. After all, it’s one of the closest countries, sitting right on the southern border, making it a great choice.
So if you ever wanted to get stem cell therapy to deal with cancer or a blood-related disease, rather than paying $50,000, visit Mexico. Beyond CellCare states that here, the average price ranges between $5,000 and $15,000.
That’s a pretty remarkable discount you can avail of with just a short flight or road trip.
Staying Safe and Avoid Getting Scammed
While traveling abroad certainly allows you to enjoy the benefits of cheaper healthcare, there are some risks. For one, it is easy to get caught up in the craze of finding the best deals possible and this is dangerous.
You see, while malpractice insurance is a reason that healthcare costs are high in the U.S., it’s not the only one. Healthcare here is extremely regulated with high standards and it’s unlikely that you are going to run into doctors who lack credentials and training.
However, the same cannot be said for certain other parts of the world.
Thus, you want to be a little careful about deals that seem a little too good to be true.
If you run into amazing prices, take a little time to do some digging. Find out the credentials of the physicians and the quality of the facility. Try to also search for patient testimonials. Even the CDC has some advice to offer for those traveling abroad for medical care.
Remember, most of the time, the price difference, even for reputable hospitals, is still going to be good enough that you won’t feel the need to find better deals.
So in summary, medical tourism is a perfectly valid method to avoid dealing with the exorbitant prices that many procedures demand. If a treatment that costs $110,000 in the U.S. is only $3,000 outside the country, is it any wonder that people are getting their passports ready?
Countries like Mexico, Costa Rica, and India are extremely attractive for health procedures. You should certainly consider visiting them if your insurance isn’t able to cover prices at home. Just make sure you stay safe, and don’t go about chasing deals that are too good to be true.
