Medical Tourism
ABOUT MEDICAL TOURISM
Many people think the industry of “Medical Tourism” is new. This is far from the truth. Medical tourism has existed for over 50 years. People from all over the world have been traveling to foreign countries for better or more affordable care thus medical tourism.
Some medical tourism patients seek specialized care not available in their home country, some medical tourism patients are looking for more affordable care while other medical tourism patients are looking for immediate access to medical care. In many cases medical tourism patients want anonymity. Many medical tourism patients combine a medical procedure with a vacation hence the name “medical tourism”.
The world of medical tourism spans the entire globe. Countries as diverse as India, Costa Rica, Mexico, Brazil, Thailand and Romania have been in the medical tourism business for many years. Today over 50 countries are involved in medical tourism. In the past few years countries like Lithuania, Bulgaria and Cuba have entered the medical tourism arena also.
THE GROWTH OF MEDICAL TOURISM
According to Deloitte medical tourism as an industry is a 100 billion dollar a year business. And medical tourism is expected to have annual growth rates of more than 35%. It is estimated that by 2014 over 6 million Americans will travel abroad for medical tourism services.
COSTA RICA THE BEST MEDICAL TOURISM DESTINATION FOR AMERICANS AND CANADIANS
For Americans and Canadians the best choice for medical tourism is Costa Rica. Medical tourism in Costa Rica offers some of the highest quality medical and dental care in the world. Add to this the fact Costa Rica is only a 3 to 4 hour flight for a medical tourism patient from most cities in the United States.
As a medical tourism destination Costa Rica’s medical and dental costs are less than 1/3 of those in the United States. And the quality of medical and dental care a medical tourist will receive in Costa Rica is equal and in some cases better that the very best in the United States. Ask any American who has come to Costa Rica for medical or dental care and almost without exception everyone will tell you that the quality of care was much better than what he/she was used to at home.
Costa Rica is also a world class tourist destination with over two million tourists visiting the country every year, most of those from the United States and Canada. It is estimated that over 100,000 Americans have chosen to live or retire permanently in Costa Rica. These two factors make it very comfortable and easy for any medical tourist in Costa Rica as he or she will feel right at home.
INDIA – THE MOST AFFORDABLE MEDICAL TOURISM DESTINATION FOR AMERICANS AND CANADIANS
For those seeking medical tourism at the lowest possible cost, usually 1/5 to 1/10 of the cost in the United States, medical tourism services in India are the best choice. India has excellent hospitals and is a leader medical tourism especially in heart and spine surgeries.
Costa Rica Medical Tourism Services has contract with two of India’s best medical facilities and we can arrange any kind of medical care in India also.
QUALITY OF MEDICAL TOURISM
Costa Rica Medical Tourism Services has created one of the best medical tourism networks in Costa Rica and India. Our medical tourism network consists of the best hospitals, the best doctors, the best dental clinics and the best rehab centers in both countries. Our highly experienced physicians and outstanding medical facilities assure a level of quality and safety that are equal to the very best facilities and doctors in the United States.
Even though a medical tourism patient will be paying less than 1/3 of the cost in the United States the quality and equipment in the hospitals and clinics are equal to the most expensive and exclusive health care facilities in the United States.
MEDICAL TOURISM FINANCING AND INSURANCE
As a result of the growth and general acceptance of medical tourism, patients can now finance the total cost of their travel, lodging and medical tourism procedure for up to six years.
Costa Rica Medical Tourism Services will assist you in the simple process of obtaining 100% financing for your entire medical or dental procedure plus all travel and lodging expenses. This means that a $15,000 surgery can be had for a monthly payment of less than $200 with no money down.
Furthermore, the medical tourism patient can also purchase a complications insurance policy that will cover the cost of any complication or problem involving the procedure or care the patient received while abroad. This complications insurance will cover the complete of complication arising from a surgery or procedure for a period of six months after the procedure.
Please contact Costa Rica Medical Tourism Services for more information about financing and insurance.
MEDICAL TOURISM – THE REVERSAL IN THE DIRECTION OF MEDICAL CARE
In the past citizens (medical tourists) from third world countries would travel to the United States and Europe to obtain advanced medical care not available in their home countries. Over the past ten years this trend in medical tourism has reversed.
Medical tourism countries like Costa Rica and India have developed excellent medical tourism facilities that include modern state of the art internationally accredited medical tourism hospitals along with medical and dental facilities that offer medical tourism care comparable to the best available in the United States and Europe at a fraction of the cost.
As the cost of medical and dental care in the United States and Europe continues to rise and becomes less and less affordable people from those countries have discovered that they can obtain the same quality of medical and dental care in medical tourism countries like Costa Rica and India at a fraction of the cost with no compromise in safety or quality. Medical tourism will become more and more of an option for patients who need access to affordable health care.
In a recent study by Deloitte less than1% of Americans had heard about medical tourism. However fully 29% stated they would consider traveling abroad for affordable medical or dental care.
MEDICAL TOURISM – INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION
Many countries have recognized the potential of medical tourism and have identified this as a huge opportunity for their economies. As a result they are going to great lengths to modernize and develop hospitals and dental and clinics to attract patients for medical tourism.
They are also getting these medical tourism facilities accredited by prestigious agencies from the United States and Europe such as the Joint Commission International (JCI) who specialize in accrediting medical tourism facilities worldwide.
COSTA RICA – A LEADER IN MEDICAL TOURISM AND MEDICAL TOURISM ACCREDITATION
It is no accident that Costa Rica is recognized as a world leader in medical tourism. As a leader in the medical tourism industry Costa Rica has obtained Joint Commission International accreditation for three of its best private hospitals and AAAHC and AAAASF accreditation for dozens of its medical and dental clinics that participate in medical tourism.
All of Costa Rica Medical Tourism Services medical and dental providers are accredited by the JCI, the AAAHC or the AAAASF. This assures any of our medical tourism patients a standard of care equal to the very best in the United States.
THE FUTURE OF MEDICAL TOURISM
The Internet and globalization have also contributed to the growth of medical tourism. Just as old industries like textiles, electronics, telecommunications went abroad when their product or service became too expensive to manufacture at home and was available elsewhere at much more affordable prices, market forces moved those industries to countries where it was more affordable.
The same thing is happening with medical tourism. As medical and dental costs become more and more expensive and less accessible to the average person in the United States and Europe people will travel abroad in search of affordable medical and dental care.
