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Medical Tourism Offers Alternatives to Rising Medical Costs

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

Some 4.3 million people in the U.S. do not have insurance, due to the high cost of insurance premiums. Uninsured and the under insured are tired of the rising medical costs and the astronomical costs of insurance coverage in developed countries and are looking for alternatives. It is not uncommon for a person to pay $100-$200 a week for medical coverage. That is $5-10,000 a year, and many have already paid taxes on that money! A person working for a low wage cannot possibly afford this cost and are left uninsured, while others CAN afford it, but are angry that they need to use hard earned money that has been set aside for retirement or a new home or a vacation.

Medical tourism offers a viable alternative, for the high cost procedures that would be impossible to pay otherwise. The $10,000 that would have been paid in an annual policy can completely pay for a heart bypass in an Asian Country, instead of facing a charge of $70-80,000 in the U.S. A person can have a knee replacement for just 6,000 in another country, as opposed to $50,000 or more in the developed country. With discounted airfares and full accommodations included in many foreign package quotes, an uninsured person can actually save money and still get top quality services when needed.

Many people are paying high premiums AND still only have partial coverage. There are numerous reports of people paying nearly $1,000 a month for catastrophic insurance that has a $5,000 deductible. That puts out of pocket expenses at $15,000 BEFORE having insurance coverage! Who has that kind of cash to throw around? Blue collar workers account for an increasing percentage of people outsourcing their medical needs to the medical tourism industry.

It is a new concept, 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?

Case studies and statistics verify that medical tourism offers top quality medical care in accredited facilities. A growing number of facilities that offer medical tourism are accredited by the IOS (International Organization of Standardization) and the JCI (Joint Commission International).

Many 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. A person in need of having a medical procedure done can rest assured that he will be cared for by highly qualified staff, with proficient translators standing by!

The concept of going to a third world country to obtain a package of services that supercedes what is available at home is becoming more widely understood and accepted. Just as the economy has become a global economy, so it is with the medical field. It is becoming commonplace practice for a person to travel abroad for all types of medical procedures. We are seeing, in the 21st Century, that we are truly living in a world with no medical borders!

Case after case is being shared about people seeking alternatives to the out of control healthcare costs at home. A typical scenario is that of a person suddenly finds himself in need of surgery. The choice for many of these people is to either do without the surgery, empty out the lifetime savings account, use the retirement account or sell their home. Like millions of others in need of a costly medical procedure, they simply cannot afford it.

As insurance costs rise at home, and wait time lengthens in the midst of government red tape, millions are taking advantage of an industry that once belonged to the elite. The concept of medical tourism is not new to the rich and famous of the world. They have been traveling abroad to receive services for many years.

Because of the decreased costs and ready access of air travel, medical tourism is a viable option for ALL people now! A person can obtain timely and quality medical services in a vacation paradise, for a fraction of the cost of the same medical procedure in the home country. Don’t feel that there are no alternatives. Begin researching yours today!

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.