Some 400,000 Americans and more than 2 million international citizens travel abroad each year to take advantage of affordable health-care services, treatments and surgeries.
In almost every instance, the cost savings are dramatic. Heart bypass surgery in the United States—typically running from $70,000 to $133,000—will cost $7,000 in India or $22,000 in Thailand. A facelift, costing $10,500 to $16,000 in the U.S., is $5,500 to $6,500 in Brazil, as low as $2,400 in Thailand and from $4,000 to $8,000 in Singapore, South Korea and Mexico.
The top 10 foreign destinations for medical travelers—in alphabetical order, according to International Living magazine, are:
1. Brazil, because it has the highest number of practicing cosmetic doctors per capita in the world. Common procedures, such as tummy tucks, breast augmentations, facelifts and rhinoplasty (nose jobs), run $3,000 to $6,500.
2. Costa Rica, where nearly 15 percent of international tourists visiting this ecological paradise take advantage of its medical services, mainly cosmetic surgery and dental care.
3. Hungary, which has more dentists per capita than any other country and is known for its mineral springs, lakes, baths and spas.
4. India, where more Americans travel for cardiac and orthopedic procedures than for all other treatments combined.
5. Malaysia, which gets more than a quarter-million medical travelers each year. It compares favorably to India, Thailand and neighboring Singapore in terms of its medical facilities, skill and costs.
6. Mexico’s convenient location is the top draw for most American health travelers. More than 70 percent of Mexico’s U.S. patients reside in California, Texas or Arizona.
7. Singapore—a medical tourism heavyweight with a health-care system the World Health Organization ranks as the best in Asia and sixth best in the world.
8. South Korea is one of the world’s most technologically and scientifically advanced nations. South Korea has earned a good reputation for spinal surgeries, cancer screenings and treatments and cosmetic surgeries.
9. Thailand is an established leader in cosmetic surgery, with an excellent medical infrastructure. Westerners come primarily for elective surgeries whose low cost more than makes up for the long flight and other travel expenses.
10. Turkey, which is home to more accredited health-care facilities than any nation outside the United States. Costs compare extremely well even to those in Asia, and the medical system has many doctors who are Western-trained and fluent in English.
This information was compiled by the editors of International Living magazine.
Tags: cardiac, cosmetic surgery, facelift, foreign destinations, heart bypass, medical facilities, medical travel, patients, surgery