Who is using medical tourism?
People consider seeking medical care abroad for a number of reasons. An increasing number of people are having major medical procedures done abroad due to the staggering difference in cost. Many people in the United States find themselves without insurance or with insurance that has limited coverage or pre-existing conditions. When faced with the need to have cardiac, orthopedic or other major surgeries, many people have traveled abroad for care in order to save money. For example, one can travel abroad for heart bypass surgery in a prestigious medical center with a three-week recovery for under $20,000. The total cost for the medical procedure alone in the United States would routinely be in excess of $100,000.
