San Francisco Woman Saves $130,000 with a Health Vacation

Expensive Surgery Motivates Health Vacation

A local ABC News station in San Francisco recently did a feature story on medical tourism treatment, specifically highlighting people traveling to cut the cost of spinal surgeries.  KGO’s story focused on Billie Mae, a woman who injured her back falling off a horse four years ago.  Since the accident, Mae has been in considerable pain.  Everyday tasks like washing dishes were excruciating.  Recently, her doctor told her that the cost of her thoracic spinal fusion surgery would be $150,000, and her insurance would not cover it.  Unable to raise such a sum, Mae traveled to Bangalore, India on her first health vacation.   

Spinal Fusion Surgery in India

Of the half million Americans traveling this year for health vacations, many will be seeking spinal surgeries abroad.  The cost of a procedure like spinal fusion surgery is much more affordable in India than it is in the United States.  By choosing medical tourism treatment, Mae reportedly saved at least $130,000.   

Wouter Hoeberechts, the CEO of the medical tourism agency Mae traveled with, told KGO that Mae’s surgery was $14,000 at Bangalore’s Wockhardt Hospital.  Hoeberechts partnered Mae with Wockhardt because of its reputation for quality and its strategic partnership with Harvard Medical International.  With Mae’s travel and other expenses, her total spending for the procedure and tip was under $20,000. 

Americans Escape High Costs with Medical Tourism Treatment

For Mae, there was no debate about whether or not to go to India.  The money for the shockingly expensive procedure she needed just wasn’t there.  Mae’s situation is not uncommon.  The New York Times reports that health care costs in the US have risen faster than incomes for more than 40 years.  In fact, the newspaper says that health care is more expensive in the US than in any other industrialized nation.  After years of constant pain, Mae needed relief, and medical tourism was her answer.  “I want to move on with life and I haven’t been able to for many years,” she told KGO.