The Stanley Rubenti Medical Tourism Blog

Medical Tourism Competes with Strings and Doorknobs

Medical Tourism, Thailand’s Signature Attraction

In 1997, Thailand’s currency collapsed, forcing its government to look diligently for sustainable revenue streams.  Thailand's solution was to offer plastic surgery to tourists at lower prices than they could find at home.  Since then, Thailand has expanded services covering the gambit of medical tourism care.  Today, health travelers experience lower costs for dental fillings and breast augmentation alike.  For example, the cost of dental fillings in Thailand can run as low as $12-14 per filling, compared to $75 to $145 per filling in the US. 

Thailand Capitalizes on Low Cost Dental Fillings and More

As we saw in campaign promises and presidential debates, health care is a major issue in the US, particularly in terms of affordability.  While the new administration works to make healthcare more affordable in the US, Thailand and other medical tourism destination countries will continue to capitalize on that need.  These countries offer prices and packaged deals that the middle and upper class can’t refuse.  Acceptance of these offers is reflected by the 750,000 Americans who sought medical care abroad last year.  Experts anticipate the number growing to 6 million or more by 2010.

Technological Advancements Strengthen Medical Tourism Industry

The only other way I know to receive the kinds of savings medical tourism offers for your dental health involves string and a doorknob.  Of course, that method would reduce the cost of getting a tooth out, but does little for putting dental fillings in.  Fortunately, countries like Thailand have taken advantage of technological advances that make the process almost as easy as the doorknob method.  In the old days, there were few options to justify the high cost of dental fillings.  Most were amalgam fillings that could be unsightly; creating a darkened appearance through the tooth.  Research and technology helped develop new options increasing the strength, durability, and aesthetics of filling materials.  Today porcelain fillings, known as inlays, can be ordered to match the color of the tooth.  Although on average, the porcelain fillings are more expensive than their amalgam counterparts, medical tourism patients travelling to Thailand have found even the porcelain option much cheaper than what they’d pay for amalgam fillings in the US.

4 Tips for Your Dental Tourism Vacation

1. Medical Vacation Safety, First

First things first, dental tourism isn’t just a vacation where you may or may not have a great time.  It’s about your health.  Take, no, MAKE time to research the country you’re planning to visit.  Naturally, you’d like to know the sights to see and something about the nightlife, but pay careful attention to the political climate and customs there too.  For example, India would not be a place to order a hamburger or steak; there, cows are sacred.

2. Double Up on Dental Tourism Vacations

The business world refers to these types of savings as economies of scale.  Those of us on the “outside” know it better as bulk purchase.  It’s the difference between buying from a Sam’s or Costco warehouse instead of a Wal-Mart or Target store.  You’re getting more at one time, and saving over time.  The up front cost of getting dental caps or fillings is relatively small enough that you could combine multiple procedures in one visit.  You end up saving both time and money.

3. Use the Buddy System During Medical Vacations

International travel may be one of the best times to rekindle the buddy systems we learned as children.  This may be even more critical during medical vacations, because some procedures require several days of recovery.  During that time, you may be under the influence of painkillers or sedatives for rest and comfort.   

4. Coordinate Dental Tourism with a Pre-Existing Vacation

If you’re saving thousands of dollars on a major procedure, then clearly, medical vacations make good fiscal sense.  However, less expensive procedures may negate the discount with the purchase a $1000+ airline ticket.  For example, the cost of dental caps can range from $500 to $3,100 depending on the material used.  Gold caps are generally cheaper than porcelain, because porcelain caps have a more realistic look to them.  With this price variance, you may instead consider scheduling the procedure at a time when you’re already planning to take a vacation.  Then, consider changing the destination to a place like New Delhi, India, where you can have your dental work and relax.  In this respect, medical vacations allow you to kill two birds with one stone.

Medical Vacations Replace Your Apple-a-Day

Medical Vacations to India Save Big

Dental tourism offers incredible savings to Americans looking for a break from soaring health care costs without sacrificing their safety.  Lately, pinching pennies has not been enough to cover the exorbitant costs of most procedures.  For example, the cost (per tooth) of dental bridges in India is only one-tenth of the $500-900 average price in the US.  Even with medical insurance paying for half of the lower-end prices, you can’t beat the discount.  India is one of a growing number of countries actively participating in the multi-billion dollar medical tourism industry. 

Low Cost of Dental Care Builds Bridges around the World

There’s obviously a void in the US health care industry that medical tourism is filling, pun intended.  US patients are having difficulty covering the costs of their health care, and many are forced to prolong even routine care.  Preventive medicine, the best treatment for any medical issue, consequently falls to the wayside.  Dental care is ignored by those who can’t afford healthcare.  They wrongly assume that dental health is unrelated to their overall health and therefore something they can sacrifice when the chips are down.  The opposite is true.  Poor dental health can lead to serious problems, and even death.  Unfortunately, those problems don’t distinguish between people who can’t afford proper care and those who just don’t care.  Dental tourism gives another avenue for those concerned with their oral safety  (assuming they can afford to travel abroad to places like India).

Dental Tourism Safety Is a before, during, and after Thing

Safety is crucial when going abroad for dental care (or any kind medical care).  It’s not just something to think about before you leave or while you’re there.  You must also think about, plan for, and arrange follow-up care.  If you need to make another trip to India, plan accordingly.  You may want to make arrangements while at the hospital, if possible.  On the other hand, if you’re planning to have your follow-up care in the States, you should ensure your regular dentist will accept the work performed overseas.  Some doctors don’t want to “deal with” someone else’s work.  Others, on the other hand, already have agreements with international offices to pick up where they left off.

Malaysia Gets the Kinks Out of Your Neck

More Americans Afford Plastic Surgery Prices…in Malaysia

One of the greatest paradoxes around American health care is that so many US citizens almost travel almost 9,000 miles to Malaysia to afford it.  Other countries, like Canada and Great Britain have taken a universal approach to health care.  The ensuing wait times have traded affordability for accessibility; patients have trouble getting the care they need when they need it.  Medical tourism to countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and others have helped answer the affordability issue for over 750,000 Americans in 2007.  And due to speedy service, this growing trend also redresses long wait-times.

Medical Tourism May Be States’ Newest Provider for Uninsured

At last count, over 47 million Americans were without medical insurance.  Add the pending health care and economic crises the country faces and you can see that many Americans may be in bad shape, financially and medically.  For those who can afford the cost of cosmetic procedures like neck or facelift surgery abroad, medical tourism serves as an alternative to lack of insurance.  There was a time when even if you had insurance, your provider wouldn’t have covered a trip to Malaysia for medical work anyway.  Fortunately, more providers are cashing in on the benefits and savings of medical tourism, which means your future health vacation, including travel and hotel accommodations, may be covered.

Malaysia Specializes in Low Plastic Surgery Prices

Malaysia and a few other medical tourism destination countries have shown US patients their plastic surgery specialties without the outrageous prices.  For example, the cost of neck lift surgery can range from $3,000 to $15,000 in the States.  In Malaysia, the procedure’s $4,600 cost comes with neck, eyelid (upper and lower) and brow lift surgeries.  The kicker with the sticker is that even as insurance providers expand coverage to include medical tourism, most don’t cover plastic or cosmetic surgery.  Who knows though?  With the savings passed on to employers through the insurance companies, cosmetic surgery may be next on the coverage menu.