Posted on 05/28/2015 10:17:00 AM PDT by Rona Badger
There is a strange expectation that Medical Tourism holds the answer to what is wrong with American medicine: long waits, shortages of doctors, costs that are completely out of control, poor treatment and a sharp decline in the number of doctors who are willing to go into medicine.
It’s true. Doctors are leaving medicine in droves while the corporations make more money than ever at the expense of both the patient and the doctor. We have written about this extensively. There is plenty wrong with healthcare in America. Hardly surprising, the overhead costs under Obamacare are expected to explode by more than a quarter of a trillion dollars over the next decade.
But be forewarned: the expectation that you’ll receive a higher quality of care abroad is likely to be a resentment waiting to happen.
“Why I will never allow my child to become a doctor in India”
This May 15, 2015 blog post by Dr. Roshan Radhakrishnan was brought to my attention through colleagues who became aware of his warnings after going viral via a mention by the BBC. I encourage a full read of it. Dr. Radhakrishnan talks about how the same situation in India is progressing and why fewer and fewer Indians are going into the field of medicine. Doctors there already face the fact that they will always be swamped with patients beyond the logical human capacity in India.
(Excerpt) Read more at theamericanmedicalmoneymachine.com ...
The EXEMPT in the “US”(paidoff,profiteering) Congress
will continue to get Kennedy-level care, anywhere
they want, and free of DeathCARE they imposed on
their voters (after lying in 2014 and before).
As we destroy free-choice, raise costs, increase bureaucracy, corruption and under-the-table dealing in our own health system, medical tourism will be a necessary and obvious result.
just as in Venezuela, the government destroys its food supply, people will hoard food, use non-market methods to get it, or find sources outside the country to get it. There is no difference.
Medical tourism is not THE answer for Americans - its only one small answer. The main answer is to undo our statist, socialist medical system here.
Doctors and medical systems outside the USA will obviously be very different in many aspects. Some may be much better, and cheaper - while some may be much worse. Those going that route will need to educate themselves very well.
Absolutely correct about getting education before heading to “paradise” for medical treatments. I know there are some success stories but the fact that Americans are prompted—even encouraged by many including CNN—to get medical care abroad is so horribly sad. It’s as though “Healed in America” is now akin to “Made in America”. In other words, rare and expensive. As for quality... stay tuned.
When I built my house I engaged in “toilet tourism” in order to get a full-flusher.
For medical needs, the world is a lot bigger than India. Some U.S. doctors may locate to small countries like Costa Rica, etc. The answer for some may only be in the midst of formation now.
Okay, I had to read that a few times, lol!
Obviously, there are many “elsewheres” to obtain medical care. Just as getting med care “outside the US” is a guarantee of nothing, getting med care someplace where the care is decent and functional if not Cadillac, at 1/10th the cost, could be beneficial.
Who among us would not consider assessing 2-3 alternate countries in which to get med care would be worth a 60% savings on a $50K (US price) procedure = $30K savings to be worth the research effort?
The trick is to go where the expatriate US and English and Canadian doctors have set up shop in various places around the world, India, Thailand and now all around the Caribbean. These doctors set up clinics and hospitals under special arrangements with the host governments. They provide revenue to those governments while treating the government honchos and the foreigners looking for the heart work they can’t get in a timely fashion in their home countries. You can’t sue them but they are cheaper and if you research your destination, you can find quality service that will soon be unavailable in the USA perhaps for a cost not teribly much the new level of deductibles and copays.
I know that Costa Rica and a number of other Caribbean countries have changed their rules and tax stuctures to attract American doctors who feel their alternative is to retire.
I did the same thing. Travelled to Toronto.
Before I left, people asked me if there would be duty on the toilet.
I told them "no", I was going to get a clean one
For those who live in the US SW, and for the Snowbirds and other visitors; there are cash clinics in Mexican border towns that offer quality services at a fraction of US costs.
Mostly Dentists and Optometrists, but other services are offered, as well.
Some little towns seem to be made up mostly of clinics.
They don’t take insurance; they are cash-only. They don’t receive subsidies from the Mexican government for their foreign patients, but their equipment is the latest and many of the Doctors were trained in the US. Some of the Doctors live on the US side of the border and commute across each day.
There are no malpractice lawsuits, so no expensive malpractice insurance premiums to be paid. And they don’t have a roomful of assistants processing insurance claims, since they don’t take insurance. The staff is usually one receptionist, one or more Doctors and one or more Nurses/Technicians.
The costs are often one-fourth of the US cost for the same procedure. Dental clinics are very popular, especially for things like crowns, root canals, implants and other costly procedures.
YMMV and do your homework before you go. Mexican border towns can be dangerous, so be forewarned. Some of the clinics will send a car to the border crossing to pick you up and return you when your appointment is complete. Many clinics are only a block away from the crossing.
If you need a prescription, you can get it filled at a Mexican pharmacy. If it’s an antibiotic, you’re probably ok, but if it’s a pain med, the ICE folks probably won’t let you bring it back (Hey, ICE has to have something to do).
For those who need some procedure of greater significance, like knee-replacement or heart surgery, you can fly to Mexico City (or Thailand, etc).
Like I said; do your homework. Most of the clinics have websites, with posted prices. Call ahead first. I’ve had good experiences with dental work across the border.
Sad that we have to do this, but it’s probably only going to get worse here in the US, regarding price and availability of healthcare/dental care.
The only thing wrong with American medical care is first, insurance companies and second, the nail in the coffin, Obama Care.
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