Medical Tourism - A Primer Despite much publicity, Medical Tourism is enjoying an exponential growth. This is because more and more Americans are today willing to cross the international borders for receiving world-class healthcare facilities that too at a significantly cheaper price than in the United Sates.
Who All Are Opting For Medical Tourism? According to a report released by ‘Patients Beyond Borders’ (PBB) – world’s most trusted source of consumer information, The total size of Medical Tourism market is estimated to range between $24 to $40 billion annually. The report also revealed that 600,000 to 800,000 consumers in US sought commercial medical escort services outside United States in 2012. This number further rose to 900,000 people in 2013.
Why Are People Opting For Medical Tourism? US consumers are now reacting to the high healthcare practices and other problems within American Healthcare System. One good example is in Vitro Fertilization. This procedure is not only expensive, but is also not covered by health insurance. Therefore, it is no surprise that US consumers are willing to travel abroad to receive such healthcare facilities. Recently, a column in the New York Times shared that women prefer Israel to seek fertility treatment. Israel is one of the few countries that provide the treatment at a very lower cost than US. Alternatively, the cost of fertility services range between $2,600 to $6,000 in countries like Spain, Russia, Brazil and South Africa.
Top Destinations for Medical Tourism
Mexico: Inexpensive weight loss and cosmetic surgeries
India: World-class cardiac and orthopaedic surgeries
Singapore: Cancer and stem-cell treatments
Thailand: The country attracts around 30,000 Americans every year for a vast range of surgeries and procedures
Israel: IVF treatments and other procedures
South Korea: Home to cancer, cosmetic surgeons and spinal treatments
Turkey: Orthopedics, cancer, cardiac and laser eye treatments
Other countries include Hungary, Costa Rica and Antigua.
Common Diseases for Which People Travel Initially, medical tourism was used for simple procedures like dentistry and cosmetic surgery. But, now you can get almost any treatment abroad. This includes extensive orthopaedics, complex cardiovascular treatments and knee or hip replacements and even intricate fertility treatments.
Advantages of Opting For a Medical Tourism Company Travel medical assistance companies prove highly beneficial in terms of:
Cost: The main driver for Medical Tourism, patients can save hundreds of dollars seeking medical healthcare abroad.
Value Added Vacation: Patients can also enjoy tourism with Medical Tourism.
Anonymity: Patients who do not wish to disclose their treatments due to legal or personal issues can maintain anonymity with Medical Tourism.
Bypass Long Waiting Times: Many patients in countries with National Healthcare facilities are forced to face long waiting times for various surgeries. But with Medical Tourism you experience limited to no wait times.
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