How do you feel about the cost of your medical insurance?
With premiums rising each year, many are finding they’re unable to afford the costs of even basic health and dental insurance.
And after paying for monthly policy costs, there are all those “out-of-pocket” deductibles.
Then, in many western countries, there’s the ever-increasing resource burdens that cause completely ridiculous wait times.
That’s why …
“Millions of people are traveling abroad
each year to countries where medical care
is immediately available at the lowest
cost and highest quality.”
But is the overall cost of getting your medical procedure done abroad REALLY that much of a savings?
And after you pay for the flights, the passport, the hotels, etc., won’t you be spending about the same amount?
These are great questions.
So, let’s do a detailed review of the facts.
Cost Savings for the Procedure
First, here are the typical costs of various procedures in the U.S.
Procedure Cost
Heart Bypass $130,000
Heart Valve Replacement $160,000
Angioplasty $57,000
Hip Replacement $43,000
Hysterectomy $20,000
Knee Replacement $40,000
Spinal Fusion $62,000
Now, let’s look at the typical cost savings for a $50,000 procedure in various countries:
Percentage Savings Dollar Savings
Brazil: 20-30% up to $15,000 savings
Costa Rica: 45-65% up to $32,500 savings
India: 65-90% up to $45,000 savings!
Malaysia: 65-80% up to $40,000 savings
Mexico: 40-65% up to $32,500 savings
Singapore: 25-40% up to $20,000 savings
South Korea: 30-45% up to $22,500 savings
Taiwan: 40-55% up to $32,500 savings
Thailand: 50-75% up to $37,500 savings
Turkey: 50-65% up to $32,500 savings
So, from just the perspective of the cost of your procedure …
“You can easily save tens of thousands
of dollars by traveling abroad for
your medical needs.”
In fact, that’s WAY more than enough to cover your flight and hotel stays.
You’ll cover your entire trip, enjoy a wonderful vacation, and still end up spending less than having your procedure at home!
Time Savings
Another important factor to consider is the length of time required to get through the process of seeing a doctor, scheduling your procedure, and actually getting that surgery.
In some western countries, medically NECESSARY surgeries are scheduled up to 46 weeks in advance! That’s almost an entire year!
In Canada, the AVERAGE wait time for medically necessary surgeries average 20 weeks out!
Check out this chart of the average wait times (in weeks) between the time people get referred by a General Practitioner to when they finally get their treatment in Canada!
Other western countries also have significantly long wait times.
For example, surgeries for knee reconstructions take up to 18 months in the UK, and over 2 years in Australia and Canada.
57% of physicians in the U.K. and 51% of Canadian physicians reported that their patients experienced long waits for diagnostic tests.
In the United States, 61% of people say that getting care on nights, weekends, or holidays, without going to the emergency room, is difficult.
In Canada, it is 54%, in the U.K., 38% and in Germany, 22%.
In contrast, Thailand and India are two south Asian countries that have almost instantaneous knee reconstruction surgeries.
France, Germany and Belgium have short waiting times for hip replacement and cataract surgeries.
The United Kingdom and Finland have experienced large reductions in waiting times from a relatively high level in early 2000s.
Ireland has witnessed considerable reductions in waiting times of patients on the list for orthopedic treatment, prostatectomy and cholecystectomy.
So, by traveling abroad for your surgery, the schedule is also significantly reduced.
Summary
Given the tens of thousands of dollars that can be saved on the medical procedures abroad …
“The cost of flights, passports, and hotels are easily covered with the extra money going right into your pocket for other things
you have in mind.”
Remember, if you’re recovering from major surgery, why sit at home when you could be recovering in a bungalow at a beautiful beach while receiving your physical therapy or massage?
And if your family comes with you, many of the hospitals have travel agents that will arrange fun getaways to the beach and other adventures.
So, with all things considered … Yes, deciding to travel abroad for your medical procedure is a smart decision.
Not only can you get your medical procedure for the lowest price, your overall costs (considering all travel costs) will be much lower than doing it at home.
And you’ll enjoy better service, better quality, immediate availability, and get to spend your time recovering in some of the most beautiful destinations in the world.
To learn more and get a FirmQuote™ from one of our medical tourism experts