FAQs & Statistics About Medical Tourism
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- Medical Tourism or Medical Travel is the growing phenomenon of Americans traveling abroad for affordable healthcare.
- The Medical Tourism market is currently valued at $20 billion annually. These numbers are expected to double by 2010.
- More than 150,000 Americans traveled abroad for healthcare last year and that number is projected to double in 2007.
- The primary destinations for US patients include India, Thailand, Mexico, Costa Rica and Singapore.
- Common procedures include dental work, heart surgery, orthopedics, cosmetic surgery, neurosurgery, fertility treatments, LASIK eye repair, and cancer treatments.
- Medical travelers come from all over the US, and represent all ages and races. The most common factor is that the patient is either uninsured or underinsured. With 85 million Americans falling into this category, the potential demographic is enormous.
- Savings vary worldwide and by procedure. Broadly, patients can expect rates 25%–75% less than those in the US. Savings for a full mouth restoration can run from $7k to $25k. Savings for a hip replacement range from $30–$50k. Savings for a heart valve replacement range from $20k to $45k.
- Agencies specializing in international medical travel ( known as health travel planners or medical concierge agencies) are a growing part of the medical travel industry and work with hospitals, clinics, physicians, surgeons, airlines, hotels and recovery retreats abroad to offer patients the best quality at the most affordable rates.
- Some insurance companies allow for coverage based on “out of network” rates. Although most US insurance companies will not currently cover procedures abroad, regulations are expected to change as American employers and insurance companies evaluate the savings potential.
- Over the past five years, nearly 100 hospitals and treatment centers abroad have become accredited to US standards of healthcare, through the Joint Commission International (JCI), the nation’s leading hospital accreditation organization.
- For dental care and cosmetic-aesthetic surgery, most Americans prefer to travel to Mexico, Brazil or Argentina, with shorter flights and the allure of potential vacationing prior to treatment. For orthopedic and cardiovascular procedures, Americans generally prefer to travel to India and Southeast Asia (e.g. Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia) where accreditation standards, healthcare infrastructure and choice of qualified physician is greater.