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Dear Medical Traveler,
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| My Medical Tourism Experience |
If you would like to share your medical tourism experience with our readers, please contact the Editor at editor@yourmedicaltravel.com.
Lavanya / Canada
Ovarian cyst
Traveled to India for surgery
 After being diagnosed with an ovarian cyst, Lavanya was told it would take approximately four to six months before she could have surgery to repair it - the result of long wait times for surgery under the Canadian health care system. Lavanya did some research and learned that she could undergo the procedure with a highly reputable surgeon almost immediately in India.
Lavanya and her husband traveled to India, where her procedure cost only $1,500. She recovered comfortably and was given a clean bill of health upon return to Canada.
For information on medical travel to India, visit www.starhospitals.net.
| International Hospital Makes Treatment Costs Available to Public |
Bumrungrad International Offers Free Online Access to Actual Costs of 45 Procedures
BANGKOK - Bumrungrad International, Southeast Asia's largest private hospital and one of the world's top medical travel destinations, has launched a unique online service to allow prospective patients to anticipate the costs of treatment. Called REALCOST, the service shows what Bumrungrad patients actually paid for more than 40 medical procedures at the hospital. REALCOST is on the hospital's website at www.bumrungrad.com/realcost.
Until now, finding out what a medical procedure will cost has been difficult. Most hospitals don't provide such information, and only a few do so online. Others give estimates that exclude significant items, such as doctors' fees, which patients must pay when leaving the hospital. Inquirers often have no way of knowing if the hospital's response is an 'average' or 'lowest possible' cost.
"It's difficult for both hospitals and patients," acknowledged Bumrungrad CEO Mack Banner. "You really can't make a good estimate until the doctor sees the patient and knows what treatment will be required. But patients want to get at least an approximate idea in advance to help them select a hospital and plan for the costs. We wanted to be transparent and helpful in this regard, and we think the way to do that is simply to show what our patients actually paid."
Created by an in-house team of developers and available free to the public on Bumrungrad's website (www.bumrungrad.com), REALCOST lists 45 procedures - surgeries such as appendectomy, heart bypass, hysterectomy, and knee replacement; and diagnostic procedures such as capsule endoscopy and colonoscopy. For each procedure, REALCOST shows information about the total bill patients paid upon leaving the hospital, including doctor fees, medication and supplies, and room costs for inpatient procedures. Inquiry results show three figures: a "low cost," which means only 1-in-4 patients paid less; a "median," which means half paid more, half less; and a "high cost," which was exceeded by only 1-in-4 patients who had the procedure.
Using a hip replacement as an example, REALCOST shows a low cost of 361,255 baht (US$10,940); a median cost of 413,717 baht (US$12,545); and a high cost of 447,648 baht (US$13,565). A website that helps uninsured Americans estimate U.S. hospital costs shows the average cost of a hip replacement as $39,299 in the United States.
"Most patients will fall somewhere in the middle," says Banner. "We exclude both the highest and the lowest 25 percent from the results. Those cases are not typical so it would be misleading to suggest that your surgery would cost as much or as little as that. Of course, after you are evaluated by our specialists, we provide an estimate specific to your case. Then you still have a chance to decide whether to go ahead."
REALCOST is currently based on full-year 2007 data. Bumrungrad plans to update its database to keep REALCOST current and to add more procedures. Results can be displayed in any of 45 different currencies.
"Data transparency is such an important component of the contemporary health care experience, empowering patients to make informed decisions," says Josef Woodman, author of Patients Beyond Borders. "I hope to eventually see all hospitals make this kind of information readily available to the public."
About Bumrungrad International
Bumrungrad International is Southeast Asia's premier private hospital and a regional referral center for advanced care, offering 554 beds, 30 specialty centers, 1,000 medical specialists, and more than 800 nurses. It is Asia's first Joint Commission International-accredited hospital and serves more than one million patients yearly from 190 different countries.
For press inquiries, please contact:
Public Relations Dept. Tel 02 667 2212
E-mail: pr@bumrungrad.com
www.bumrungrad.com
| How the Economy is Affecting Medical Tourism |
It is no secret that patients often travel abroad to save money on hospital bills that would pile up in the United States. With the current state of the economy, patients thinking about traveling overseas for healthcare are beginning to weigh the pros and cons of costs.
According to a recent article in The Daily News & Analysis, some medical tourism companies in India are reporting a decline in elective procedures being sought overseas due to the economic downturn.
In addition, to cut costs, various airlines have begun to charge passengers for extra checked luggage, in-flight snacks and beverages, and customer service calls.
Nevertheless, the potential for medical travel remains promising. With serious procedures, such as a hip replacement or neurological procedure, patients should research the price of surgery overseas after obtaining a quote from their primary surgeon. For example, according to the American Medical Association, hip replacement surgery, which costs approximately $43,000 in the United States can be performed in India for $9,000, or Singapore or Thailand for $12,000.
Additionally, patients should consider finding specialists to service their needs in countries closer to home -- like Mexico, Costa Rica, and Brazil -- in order to save money on airfare. Be sure to do your research before deciding when and where you'll go for a medical procedure.
 One of the most serious types of surgery - and one that will save patients the most money when traveling overseas for a medical procedure - involves the heart. Cardiac procedures, such as angioplasty, heart bypass, or heart valve replacement typically cost more than $130,000 in the United States. For patients who are uninsured or underinsured, these fees are almost unaffordable.
With the current state of the economy, patients are more willing than ever to travel abroad to access care that is equivalent or superior to healthcare in the United States.
The cost savings are remarkable:
Source: American Medical Association (AMA), June 2007
Top-class, world-renowned medical centers overseas, such as Wockhardt Hospitals in India, Bumrungrad Hospital in Thailand, or ParkwayHealth hospitals in Singapore perform the same procedures for a fraction of U.S.-based costs.
Quality is Key
Bumrungrad has two cardiac operating theaters, two cardiac catheterization labs, a coronary intensive care ward (CCU), and rehabilitation facilities for cardiac patients. They employ more than 20 cardiac specialists and have received disease-specific accreditation from the Joint Commission International (JCI) for their myocardial infarction program.
As one of its clinical programs, ParkwayHealth offers patients the opportunity to meet with one of its more than 60 highly qualified cardiologists and surgeons to obtain services that range from simple screenings to complex procedures. Parkway's physicians, specialists, and nurses are trained in assisting patients' needs throughout the visit, ensuring the patient is taken care of and recovering comfortably before traveling home.
Patients considering medical travel for cardiac procedures should always consult their doctor and do their research about destinations. Ask medical tourism coordinators to put you in touch with patients who have traveled to a specific country and can provide references. If possible, speak with your overseas doctor before traveling to ensure that you are comfortable with your decision.
For more information on the hospitals and programs mentioned in this article, please visit the following Web sites:
| Surgery Overseas... Through Your Health Plan? |
 With the rising cost of healthcare, patients may soon be urged by their employers to travel overseas to internationally renowned hospitals for surgery.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) of South Carolina, the first health plan to offer patients medical travel options, has spawned Companion Global Healthcare, offering patients the ability to travel to numerous Joint Commission International-accredited hospitals in destinations including India, Singapore, Ireland, Costa Rica, Turkey, and Taiwan.
According to Companion, the following chart shows the average savings patients can experience when traveling overseas for medical care:
Estimated Costs for Select Procedures at Companion Global Healthcare Hospitals 2008
Procedure |
Southeastern U.S. Average Cost |
Apollo Hospitals, India |
Bumrungrad International, Thailand |
Hospital Clinica Biblica,
Costa Rica |
Parkway Health Hospitals, Singapore |
Wockhardt Hospitals, India |
Heart Bypass (CABG x 4) |
$144,317 |
$8,500 - $10,500 |
$23,000 -
$25,000 |
$22,000 -
$24,000 |
$30,000 - $33,000 |
$7,500 - $9,500 |
Heart Valve Replacement
|
$177,665 |
$9,500 - $13,000 |
$22,000 -
$24,000 |
$28,000 - $30,000 |
$20,000 - $23,000 |
$10,000 - $14,000 |
Hip Replacement
|
$100,047 |
$7,000 - $9,500 |
$11,000 -
$14,000 |
$10,750 - $12,000 |
$15,900 - $17,000 |
$7,000 - $9,000 |
Hysterectomy (Vaginal)
|
$31,474 |
$2,500 - $5,000 |
$3,400 -
$4,500 |
$4,500 - $5,500 |
$9,000 - $10,500 |
$2,500 - $5,000 |
Knee Replacement
|
$65,918 |
$8,000 - $10,000 |
$10,500 -
$14,000
|
$10,000 - $11,500 |
$18,000 - $19,500 |
$6,000 - $8,500 |
Spinal fusion
|
$103,761 |
$7,500 - $10,000 |
$9,300 -
$10,000 |
$15,750 - $16,750 |
$20,000 - $22,000 |
$6,000 - $9,000 |
Average
|
$103,864
|
$9,000
|
$14,750
|
$15,900
|
19,250
|
8,000
|
Estimates are based on exchange rates as of June, 2008. Hospitals charge in local currency, so actual costs depend on the exchange rate. Estimates do not include travel and costs that may arise from unforeseen complications. Savings on other procedures may vary.
Since the BCBS partnership, at least two other health insurance companies have announced interest in adding overseas hospitals as an option for its patients. United Health Group of Minnesota is currently looking into the medical tourism trend, while WellPoint Inc. of Indianapolis will offer employees of Wisconsin-based Serigraph Inc. the option of traveling to India for non emergency procedures, to begin in January 2009. WellPoint subsidiary Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin will set up the medical care and take care of scheduling and travel service. The insurer will cover the travel and lodging costs for both the patient and a companion. It will offer the program only for people who receive insurance through Wisconsin-based Serigraph Inc., a self-insured printing company that employs about 700 people in the United States.
Star Hospitals.net (www.starhospitals.net), a Canadian-based medical tourism company, recently announced a partnership with Star Health and Allied Insurance Company, which will work with U.S. health insurance providers to manage and submit claims for procedures done overseas.
According to experts, approximately 750,000 Americans traveled outside of the United States for healthcare in 2007, a number that is expected to increase to six million by 2010. If healthcare outsourcing continues - particularly with lay-offs amid the current economic downturn -- there is a greater chance that you or someone you know will be part of the medical tourism wave.
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Popular cosmetic surgery destination, especially among Europeans.
Three hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI).
A popular destination for dental tourism, El Salvador also offers certain cosmetic surgery and ophthalmology procedures.
