Medical Tourism Insurance

In what is seen as surprising, many people, now travel even short distances like from the U.S.A to Canada for medical procedures. Ofcourse, the cost savings are main consideration here. Medical procedures like surgery are less expensive in Canada than in most parts of the U.S. However, the most attractive destinations for medical tourism are Thailand, the Philippines and India. India in particular is gaining rapid prominence as a haven for medical tourists because of its highly skilled physicians/surgeons at extremely affordable costs.

For example, a complicated heart valve replacement surgery would cost anywhere in the region of $200-250K in the United States. A similar procedure could cost just between $10-25,000 in India or Thailand. Not only would this price cover the surgery and hospitalization charges, it would also cover the return airfare and leave enough cash to even enjoy a relaxing post surgery vacation in these countries. Similarly, many dental procedures like a non metal dental bridge which averages around $6000 in the U.S, can cost around $500-600 in India. Plus, the quality and expertise of the medical professionals in many cases is on par or even higher than those found in the U.S or other western countries.

Some other destinations for medical tourism are South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Turkey, Hong Kong, Costa Rica, Jordan, Lithuania, Singapore and Hungary. Argentina and Brazil are especially growing in prominence for their cosmetic/plastic surgery skills.

With the surge in medical tourism, there has also been rising demand to insure for medical tourism. Medical tourism insurance offers competitive insurance for medical patients traveling abroad and covers them against unforeseen costs. Medical tourism insurance covers a varied aspects of your medical trip such as trip cancellation protection, travel accommodation reimbursals,unforeseen medical expenses not covered by the scheduled medical treatment etc. Medical tourism insurance in most cases also covers unexpected expenses such as lost baggage while in transit. Additionally, medical tourism insurance gives you a solid blanket of protection in the event of an accidental death during your medical trip.

Needless to say, medical tourism insurance is a must for patients traveling abroad to get complicated and extensive medical treatment. Making sure that your trip is covered against any unforeseen circumstances is crucial during the planning of your medical trip overseas.

Medical tourism can be defined as the practice of patients requiring medical treatment, traveling abroad to get treated with the primary intention of saving costs on their medical procedure. With the rising costs of medical procedures in Europe and North America, there has been a growing need for low cost medical alternatives. Medical tourism has filled in this void with the rapid growth of people traveling overseas to get medical treatment at affordable rates. Today, we are witnessing a huge increase in the number of patients traveling abroad for affordable and high quality medical care.

Some of the leading countries that are attracting medical tourism are India, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore & Malaysia. These countries have qualified medical professionals who offer their services for a fraction of the cost elsewhere in the world. Medical tourism is a boon for patients needing complicated and expensive medical treatment in their home countries. These patients now have an option to get quick, affordable and expertise medical treatment in other countries at affordable rates.