The Need for Medical Tourism.

Most of us know that health care in the US is in crisis. Health care cost in America is reaching all time high of about $2 trillion per year, which is 16% of the GDP, four times the expenditure for national defense. US is ranked 15th in health care’s performance by World Health Organization, globally, life expectancy ranks 22nd in world and infant mortality ranks 39th. US leads the most when it comes to health-care insurance spending, when compared to any other nation, yet 46 million Americans are without insurance and this number increases every year. Kaiser Family Foundation reports that between the years 2000 and 2004 the number of uninsured Americans increased by 6 million. The out-of-pocket costs for insured have nearly tripled in last six years and health-care premiums continue to rise at nearly three times the general inflation rate. In addition, unpaid and unpayable healthcare bills account for the majority of all personal bankruptcies in the country.

On the other hand, there has been much news recently about the high-quality care and cutting edge surgery available in countries such as India, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, a growing stream of uninsured and underinsured Americans are boarding planes not for the typical face-lift or tummy tuck but for discount hip replacements and sophisticated heart surgeries. By looking at options outside the American health care system those who lack adequate insurance can get medical care at significantly lower prices which is often referred to as medical tourism, seeking medical care outside the United States is an idea that is taking off at new levels. For example, Bumrungrad alone, according to CEO Curtis Schroeder, saw its stream of American patients climb to 55,000 last year, which is a 30% rise. Three-quarters of them flew in from the U.S.; 83% came for non-cosmetic treatments. Read more...