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Will Insurance Companies Pay for Your Medical Treatment Abroad?

Copyright © 2008 Medical-Tourism-Guide.com
by Jay Siva

The answer to the question of insurance companies paying for services abroad is “maybe”. The trend of insurance companies is that they are beginning to see the benefit of outsourcing medical care to other countries. Their reason for doing so is the same as the person who has to pay out of pocket-services abroad cost a fraction of the price of having the procedure done in a country such as the U.S. or Canada.

Other countries offer the same top quality medical services as developed countries, for as little as 10% of the cost! Most procedures are reported to be 1/5 or 1/6 of the quoted price in a developed country.

The following is a typical example of the discrepancy in costs in a developed country versus one overseas. A man needed to have surgery on a herniated disk in his neck. He was in the U.S. hospital for less than 24 hours and received a bill for nearly $200,000! The same surgery could have been done overseas for under $20,000, airfare and accommodations included.

The dollar is what speaks in the insurance industry. If an insured person is in need of a procedure, the insurance company is going to need to pay the bills to the doctors and hospitals. When faced with the option of paying $20,000 vs. $200,000 more and more agents are inclined to agree to pay for outsourcing services overseas. Who would not want to save $180,000 in payments?

For nearly a decade, the concept of medical tourism has been misunderstood and received bad media coverage in developed countries. Today not only has that trend reversed, but medical tourism is being embraced as a viable option for people in need of affordable medical care. Well known newspapers and television networks are doing pieces medical tourism as a whole and are spotlighting individuals who have taken advantage of the cost saving option.

It is a new concept, for someone other than the elite to travel abroad for medical services. Still, one has to think logically and wisely. If a person would travel thousands of miles to vacation, why not travel that far to have a medical procedure done? If a person is willing to risk having a foreign doctor perform the procedure in the developed country (E.G. a cardiologist from India, working in Chicago) why does that person not trust going to the same caliber cardiologist in the country of India itself? If a person is willing to fully research the hospitals and credentials in their homeland, why not check the ones abroad and save money by choosing a facility abroad?

Insurance companies exist to provide coverage in a time of need. They also exist because it is a lucrative business. The nature of the industry is that people pay premiums and the insurance company hopes that there is never a need to pay out. In the event there is a need to pay out, it is the intent of the insurance company to pay as little as possible, but within keeping of the policy. Therefore, if they are presented with a viable alternative, which medical tourism offers, they are likely to ponder and agree to it.

In some instances, it is not the worker who is making the decision to have the procedure done overseas. Medical tourism facilities have started heavy marketing campaigns to Western insurance companies. More and more, it is the insurance agent who suggests (and in some instances, mandates) having the surgery done in another country.

Research shows that medical facilities abroad are state of the art, with cutting edge technology and equipment. Many are accredited by the IOS (International Organization of Standardization) and the JCI (Joint Commission International). Most of the doctors who work in these medical tourism facilities have studied in the developed countries and then have returned to work in their home countries.

We are living in the 21st Century, in a global medical community that has no borders.
International travel is readily available, with the skies filled with jet planes going to and fro. It is possible to travel anywhere in the world, with relative speed and comfort. Many medical facilities are offering to make travel arrangements for their patients, and have negotiated discount travel tickets with major airlines. The internet and electronic medical systems make it possible for medical documents to be sent anywhere in the world within minutes, and for teams of doctors in various countries to consult with each other if there are questions regarding the documents. An increasing number of insurance companies are not only agreeing to overseas medical services, but are advocating or insisting that the patient obtain the less expensive services as a medical tourist.

Jay Siva is the author of the best seller book "The Complete Guide to Medical Tourism" where he reveals crucial information on how to successfully plan your medical trip abroad, find discount airfare, American-trained doctors, and internationally-accredited hospitals. You’ll find out such things as: how to pick your treatment destination, what you can expect to pay for specific surgical procedures, what to look for before choosing a hospital, what to ask your doctors, how to manage your travel and treatment costs and so much more.