Will Universal Health Care Level Medical Playing Fields?

Can’t Afford High Priced Cosmetic Surgery? Medical Tourism Can Help

Ever find yourself wondering how much blepharoplasty, more commonly known as eyelid surgery, costs?  Most of us don’t have the disposable income for the thought to even cross our minds.  Others either have the money to afford eyelid surgery or feel strongly enough to come up with the money for the surgery.  Either way, saving money has a common appeal to those who have, and those who have not.  Over the past couple of decades, medical tourism has proven to help save patients enough money that even the haves may be more likely to consider such elective procedures as blepharoplasty.  Low cost of living and minimal overhead costs make it easier for Filipino, Thai, and Brazilian doctors to provide affordable health care. 

Medical Tourism Helping Usher in Affordable Health Care

For the more than 750,000 US patients in 2007 who traveled abroad for health care wondering “how much will knee, heart, or even eyelid surgery cost,” medical tourism has been answering quite affordably.  The phenomenon has also seized the attention of insurance providers and employers.  They are recognizing the savings and value associated with medical tourism.  According to Jonathan Edelheit, president of the Medical Tourism Association, “With an economic recession, employers simply cannot ignore the savings [from medical tourism].” 

Universal Health Care, Medical Tourism May Help Each Other

President Obama’s push for universal health care is one of many telltale signs of the severe lack of affordability in US health care.  Furthermore, the growing numbers of patients turning to medical tourism to help them afford critical, or even the most basic care, paint an even clearer picture.  Unfortunately, restructuring the US health care system will take longer than many patients can reasonably wait to see a doctor or receive much needed treatment.  Health care officials can, however, learn from the successes and best practices of medical tourism as it helps globalize affordable health care moving the entire industry one step closer to universal coverage.

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