Safe, Affordable Care Arrives in Latin America

Posted on 19 September 2011 by Josef Woodman

Medical tourism is becoming a mainstream concept for most Americans. In fact, you likely know someone who has at least considered leaving his or her town, state, or country to gain access to care not available nearby.

For years many of the most sought-after health care providers have been concentrated in Asia. Hospitals like Bumrungrad in Thailand, Apollo in India, and Anadolu in Turkey have become Meccas for international patients seeking affordable, high-quality options outside of the overpriced US healthcare system.

A wave of excellent American-accredited hospitals has recently swept Latin America, making affordable care more accessible to millions in the US. Americans looking for care abroad no longer need to bother crossing an ocean and enduring the painful flight transfers in exotic lands; receiving world-class care at half the price is often no more than a four-hour flight away.

Hospitals in Mexico and Costa Rica have recently been awarded full accreditation by the US-based Joint Commission International (JCI), the same agency that accredits the best US hospitals such as Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic facilities across America. Five years ago, not a single Hospital in Mexico or Central America had been accredited by JCI. Today the number of JCI hospitals south of the border is 13: eight in Mexico, three in Costa Rica, one in Panama and one in Nicaragua.

Many of these hospitals are American-owned and managed, with US board-certified physicians and surgeons, offering a comprehensive range of health services from dentistry to cosmetic surgery to orthopedics and even heart work. Most of these facilities offer shuttle services to and from the airport and nearby hotels, minimizing the inconvenience of navigating an unfamiliar environment. American patients typically save 40-60% over treatment in they would have otherwise received in the US.

The future of health care in America has never been less certain. Health care costs continue to rise; insurance companies continue to find ways to limit coverage; fiscal strains are placing Medicare and Medicaid programs on the congressional chopping block. Not to mention the significant political movement to repeal healthcare reform.

In these times, it’s encouraging to know that options are readily available for those willing to “go global” with their medical needs.

This Friday, I'll be moderating a panel of healthcare professionals and patients at the AARP Life@50+ National Event and Expo in Los Angeles, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Participants will learn where to go in Latin America for the highest quality care, how to negotiate the best prices, what types of insurance coverage are available, and what to do in the unlikely event that something goes wrong. If you're attending the conference, I hope to see you there!