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Medical Tourism is where patients travel from one place to another for care. It could be an American traveling from one state to another, or more recently it is now emerged into the practice of Americans traveling overseas for affordable healthcare. We have entered into an era of Global Healthcare where patients from around the world cross borders and travel to other countries to receive the best medical care and the best treatment. To many Americans the idea of traveling to another country for medical care comes as a surprise. But as many Americans investigate this option called Medical Tourism, they are finding that the hospitals in certain countries provide equal to or in some cases better care than in the United States.
The reality is Americans are traveling overseas because we have a healthcare crisis in America. Health insurance is now unaffordable for almost 50 million Americans, and almost 120 million Americans have no dental insurance. For these 50 million Americans there is no option for them in America. The cost of medical expenses and prescription drugs are too high. There is no solution in sight, and our state and federal government are doing absolutely nothing to solve the healthcare crisis. Unfortunately, the 50 million uninsured do not understand that if they came together under one voice the political power and influence they would have. Because the uninsured do not band together to fight being uninsured, then the uninsured will simply remain uninsured, with no solution possible, because there is no organization in America that is going to cut it’s profit margins to help the uninsured.We are in a sad state. There are Americans who need life saving surgical procedures each day who simply cannot afford it, do not qualify for state or federal aid, do not know of any other options and die each day because of lack of access to healthcare. No one talks about this “tragedy” that happens on a daily basis in America, as doctors, hospitals, and the government turn their back on millions of Americans. Even more Americans don’t take necessary prescription drugs simply because they are unaffordable. " Our American health care system is broken leaving many Americans with no access to health care.”That is why it is so shocking to Americans that they can jump onto an airplane fly several hours outside of American Airspace, and wherever they land the price of surgery and prescription drugs are as much as 50% to 90% less than in America. Does that make sense? That a prescription drug costing $150 costs $15 outside of the US, or a injectible prescription drug that costs $1,800 costs $900 outside the United States. The exact same drug by the same drug manufacturer? Is the drug subsidized by the foreign government? No!So, the next question the uninsured asks is what does the hospital look like and what experience do the doctors have. We have to ask that question because how would it be possibly to provide equal to or better care in a hospital for 90% less than in America. If a heart procedure that costs $100,000 could only cost $9,000 overseas than the hospital must be sub-standard compared to American hospitals, and the doctors less experienced than American doctors. Over 500,000 Americans who went overseas for surgical procedures in 2006 discovered that the hospitals were equal to or in some cases nicer than American hospitals. Some American hospitals describe the hospitals as “7 Star” hospitals , nicer than a Ritz Carlton, and they come back and “rave” about the tremendous experience of the doctors and how some were trained in the US or UK.
The reality is Americans are traveling overseas because we have a healthcare crisis in America. Health insurance is now unaffordable for almost 50 million Americans, and almost 120 million Americans have no dental insurance. For these 50 million Americans there is no option for them in America. The cost of medical expenses and prescription drugs are too high. There is no solution in sight, and our state and federal government are doing absolutely nothing to solve the healthcare crisis. Unfortunately, the 50 million uninsured do not understand that if they came together under one voice the political power and influence they would have. Because the uninsured do not band together to fight being uninsured, then the uninsured will simply remain uninsured, with no solution possible, because there is no organization in America that is going to cut it’s profit margins to help the uninsured.We are in a sad state. There are Americans who need life saving surgical procedures each day who simply cannot afford it, do not qualify for state or federal aid, do not know of any other options and die each day because of lack of access to healthcare. No one talks about this “tragedy” that happens on a daily basis in America, as doctors, hospitals, and the government turn their back on millions of Americans. Even more Americans don’t take necessary prescription drugs simply because they are unaffordable. " Our American health care system is broken leaving many Americans with no access to health care.”That is why it is so shocking to Americans that they can jump onto an airplane fly several hours outside of American Airspace, and wherever they land the price of surgery and prescription drugs are as much as 50% to 90% less than in America. Does that make sense? That a prescription drug costing $150 costs $15 outside of the US, or a injectible prescription drug that costs $1,800 costs $900 outside the United States. The exact same drug by the same drug manufacturer? Is the drug subsidized by the foreign government? No!So, the next question the uninsured asks is what does the hospital look like and what experience do the doctors have. We have to ask that question because how would it be possibly to provide equal to or better care in a hospital for 90% less than in America. If a heart procedure that costs $100,000 could only cost $9,000 overseas than the hospital must be sub-standard compared to American hospitals, and the doctors less experienced than American doctors. Over 500,000 Americans who went overseas for surgical procedures in 2006 discovered that the hospitals were equal to or in some cases nicer than American hospitals. Some American hospitals describe the hospitals as “7 Star” hospitals , nicer than a Ritz Carlton, and they come back and “rave” about the tremendous experience of the doctors and how some were trained in the US or UK.
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