I had written a long post on this topic, but DreamHost went down before publishing it and I lost everything. Anyway, the Christian Science Monitor has an article describing how more people are traveling out of the country for healthcare, where service is less expensive. Some small companies are suggesting, requiring, or providing incentives for their employees to avoid the expensive United States healthcare system. Here’s an example:
Garrett’s medical care alone may save [his] company $50,000. And instead of winding up $20,000 in debt to have the operations in the U.S., he may now get up to $10,000 back as a share of the savings… His two operations could cost $100,000 in the U.S.; they’ll run about $20,000 in India.
Money leaving the United States can leave hospitals without money for medical research and for services for people who cannot afford insurance. Despite this, there’s a possibility outsourcing healthcare benefit the world in the long run. Organizations like the American Medical Association might disagree.
Have you ever traveled outside the United States for healthcare? Would you consider it now? If not, what would it take for you to consider it?
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I had a relative who needed to get some x-rays while on a trip to the carribbean. She went and got a few x-rays. When she got the bill it was for $25.00 (twenty five dollars)! She was shocked and thought they made a mistake so she asked the doctor and he said it was the correct price. The same x-rays in the US would have cost at least ten times as much!
So the question arises, how can a “poor” carribbean island charge $25 for an x-ray while a US facility would charge $250 – 500 for the same thing?
One thing that is true is that many of these “tourist” hospitals have far better recovery care than many American hospitals, where you’re in a big bullpen with a staff nurse far away while recovering. In these places, you typically have a private room and can have your own nurse during your stay.
Also, they don’t charge $10 for Tylenol.
The point about subsidizing emergency rooms and such is a valid one, but this is a policy issue, not a market issue.
Major point: if prices go high enough, you always have competition.
One thing the article doesn’t point out is that the tourist hospital business started in response to rationing in socialized medical systems in Canada and Europe.
I have gotten eyeglasses in Asia. I have extremely high power (-12.00) that would cost over $600 ($100 exam, $200 frame, $300 lenses) in the U.S. I got an exam, frame, and lenses for $150 in Asia. I was pretty happy with the results.
Yes, if I could afford the trip, the doctors pass my research and the procedure brought it all in under my share of the payment.
The question should be why wouldn’t you?
It’s like a score with a vacation mixed in.
Absolutely. US health care costs are completely out of control, because nobody pays their own medical bills. Our employer, insurance co, or the gov’t pay most of them.
As a result, market forces of competition are null and void in the medical industry and that’s why it’s only getting more expensive. Then the lawyers come in with ridiculous lawsuits and multi-million dollar judgements. This only drives the costs higher to cover the cost of lawyers, judgements, malpractice insurance, plus defensive medical tests.
So in short, hell yes I’d travel overseas to get health care, as long as I believed I would receive quality care.
I just heard two stories discussing this topic:
http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/2006/09/13/PM200609137.html
http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/2006/09/13/PM200609136.html
I looked at having a stem cell transplant in china. I ended up taking two sets of MRI’s and sending them to China. But after repeated emails they never responded-so I guess they decided I wasn’t a good candidate?? It was a very scary thought for me to consider the china alternative.
Surgery overseas? Yes, well kinda, if you count Puerto Rico overseas. I had some minor cosmetic surgery done in the unicorporated US territory because of the reduced cost. Removal of several moles and a bit of rhinoplasty. Even with airfare, hotel, meals, and the surgery, I still saved about $2500 over doing it in the states. The surgery was easy . . . the insurance part—well that was a bick tricky!
Randy
My mom got her fillings and root canal done in Trinidad. The fillings lasted some 20 years before they needed to be redone. (We’re from Trinidad)
My brother on the other hand, had his fillings done here for about 10 times the cost and every 2 years, like clock work, they pop out.
Depends on the surgery, but here in Thailand, tons of Japanese come to get health care. The doctors at these hospitals, are the top in the country, and most have studied in the States anyway. It’s all about the general cost of living. I’ve been to the dentist here and WAY nicer than I’ve seen in the US.
And if you are into it, Thailand is the best place in the world for a sex change operation as the do more than anywhere else in the world. This likely also means damn good plastic surgery.
Not really surgery, but a friend’s dad went to India and got a year’s supply of various heart medications he takes. The savings were more than the cost of his trip, even taking into account that he would have been paying only an insurance copay here.
My inernist went to India for a colonoscopy. Even with the professional fees waived, the facility charges would have been over $2000 here. Total price in India was slightly over $200 and that was in one of their top hospitals.
I am considering stem cell transplant in Germany. In the U.S, the cost for sugery is $25.000, in Germany the cost is $12.000, So i could borrow 20.000 and have a vacation also. I don’t know if my insurance would pay or not. Does anybody know where i could get the operation finiaced.I have poor credit. If you know of a site could you please let me know. or if you know how i could get my insurance to pay. It is for type 2 diabets.