Since we have seen the pbs video on how unfair and expensive medical procedures are in the United States…many people also go to international countries to get the same procedure done..for much cheaper!
India is a booming economy, in which medical tourism is on the rise.
Heart Sugrery in the United Sates $30,000 vs. India $8,700
Orthopedic Surgery in the U.S. $20,000 vs. India $6,300
With hotel stays & plane ticket expensese, the patient would end up paying less!
Some facts of Medical Tourism in India
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An estimated 150,000 “medical tourists” visited India last year, representing a 20 per cent jump over the previous year.
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The CII-McKinsey report suggests that medical tourism could fetch as much as $2 billion by 2012, compared to an estimated $333 million currently. |
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A Famous Mumbai and Goa based cosmetic surgeon says his practice goes 1200 international patient last year, double the number from previous year.
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Medical tourists can also check with their insurance provider whether treatment at an internationally recognized hospital in India is covered by their policy. If not, the patient will have to bear the expense of their treatment. The cost of treatment will however be much less than the equivalent treatment in a hospital in the West.
I think that though it is cheaper to go to another country, someone is not chosing their surgeon face-to-face. The question that what if something goes wrong…whats a patient suppose to do then?
I think you have to weigh the costs vs. the benefits in this situation or the pros and cons. Yes it will be cheaper for medical surgeries/procedures in other countries but then will that procedure be as advanced as it is in the west? So basically you have to choose between saving money or saving your life… I think you have to do a thorough investigation into the countries medical field and also how experienced the surgeons are compared to those in the U.S… Is your life really worth messing with in comparison to saving money? Its a big decision to make.
Roshni