Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Heading out for health care

In some circles it's called Medical Tourism. It refers to persons living in the United States who cannot afford medical care in their own country, who thus head out to obtain it at a far lower cost in another country.

The latest issue of National Geographic Traveler (May/June 2009) describes what's involved in an article entitled "Medical Tourism Takes Off," pp. 10-14.

For example, one gentleman from Michigan needed surgery for an aortic aneurysm. A local hospital informed him that the cost of repair would be $450,000, thank you very much. He decided to go elsewhere--to India, where the procedure cost $9,000.

Health care costs, says John Rosenthal, author of this article, have gone up 6.5 percent a year since 2000. Many of our citizens cannot afford health care in this country, the so-called "richest country in the world." So, with limited options, they head out to other countries and in some cases combine medical procedures and vacations.

In fact, Rosenthal quotes stats from the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions which indicate that about 750,000 Americans headed out to foreign countries for medical procedures in 2007, and "[T]hat number is expected to reach six million by 2010 if health care costs in the U.S. continue to rise at the current rate."


The procedures performed overseas include not only things like aortic aneurysm repair, but dental procedures, cosmetic procedures, hip and knee replacements, and more.

"And the savings are substantial. Hip replacement surgery, which costs as much as $50,000 in the U.S., is just $12,000 in India, including airfare."


The AMA is "agnostic on medical tourism, saying 'it is too early to determine whether the risks outweigh the advantages.'" So, the recommendation is to use "only facilities that have been accredited by international organizations such as the Joint Commission International (JDI) or the International Society for Quality in Health Care."

Not a big problem. There are "more than 230 JCI-accredited facilities in 30 countries..."


A free market has no conscience. It's god is profit. That's not all bad, of course, unless unregulated or poorly regulated and poorly administered, such as our current health care system.

There is something seriously wrong when millions of people from the "world's richest country" have to seek health care overseas because of the daunting costs of health care in the United States.

Health care reform is high on President Obama's agenda. Whether the progressives will be able to pull it off is another story. The medical community has had its way for a long time usually hauling out the hoary old threat of "socialized" medicine. The medical community's lobbyists are working overtime to counter any perceived danger to the current system which lines their pockets at the expense of the people.

Which isn't to say reform is impossible. The hoi polloi need to yell and scream until they are heard and listened to. The hoi polloi need to tell every single member of Congress who opposes a national health care system they are raving hypocrites, sucking at the teat of government-subsidized health care for themselves and their families, while screaming "socialism" at the mention of any reform that would provide similar benefits for the rest of our citizenry.

Maybe health care reform would be a "tea party" worth having.

5 comments:

Grandpa Eddie said...

I have gone to the same medical center for over 30 years. At one time it was a non-profit run by nuns. When I first went, it cost $10 to see a doctor which eventually went up to $25. Fifteen years ago the nuns sold it to a corporation and s Dr visit immediately went to $85, now it is $185 to see a Dr for 10 minutes.

I have RA and Fibromyalgia and will lose my Ins sometime in the next three months. My meds cost me $200/month and without Ins I won't be able to afford my meds or pay for my Dr visits.

Lowell said...

@ You are a poster boy for a "socialized" national health care system that works for all people, not just the rich and the politicians.

Grandpa Eddie said...

That would be me. Hell, they can even slap my mug on the posters if it would help.....without scarin' people away.

Bob Poris said...

My surgery for a a rather large aortic aneurysm cost me nothing, as I am enrolled in the Socialistic Medicare program and also pay for an AARP cap policy to cover any fees not paid for by Medicare. I have not paid for any procedure for many years. If that is Socialism, I am all for it! I could have used the VA, also at no cost to me, as they discovered it. The VA is also a Socialistic medical provider but the local hospital was closer to our home.

I am in favor of allowing people that want private health care to be able to have it. That would get them out of any governmental or Socialistic system as long as they could afford to pay the premiums. The rest of us that have np problem with governmental care could continue to get it thru Medicare and some method of allowing younger people to get into the program might save a lot of lives. It would allow the Insurance companies and any doctors affiliated with them, to continue to get richer, which is good for the economy, as long as they also pay their fair share of taxes/ It seems to be a win, win situation to me.

Paul said...

Dear Jacob,

I read your post on medical tourism. You and your readers may be interested to hear about this new online medical tourism guide.

http://www.health-tourism.com

Health Tourism Guide

The Health Tourism Guide provides overseas medical tourism and medical travel information. Treatments include orthopedic surgery, dental procedures, cosmetic surgery, heart surgery, rehabilitation, cardiology, plastic surgery, dermatology, dialysis, hair transplant, infertility, mri, stem cells, transplants, urology, addiction, cancer, fertility and obesity. Destinations include Mexico, India, Thailand, Costa Rica, Malaysia, Singapore, Brazil, Hungary, Australia, Philippines and Cuba.

Of special interest to your blog should be this article:

Medical Tourism is a Low Cost Alternative to the American Healthcare System

http://www.health-tourism.com/medical-travelers-usa/

Keep up the good work.

Yours,

Paul

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