I think it's very sad that this is becoming such a booming business because of our out of control health care costs.
Medical tourism (MT) is patient
movement from highly developed nations
to other areas of the world for medical
care, usually to find treatment at a lower
cost. Medical tourism is different from
the traditional model of international
medical travel where patients generally
journey from less developed nations to
major medical centers in highly
developed countries for medical
treatment that is unavailable in their own.
In First World countries like the United
States medical tourism has large growth
prospects and potentially destabilizing
implications. A forecast by Deloitte
Consulting published in August 2008
projected that medical tourism
originating in the US could jump by a
factor of ten over the next decade. An
estimated 750,000 Americans went
abroad for health care in 2007, and the
report estimated that 1.5 million would
seek health care outside the US in 2008.
The growth in medical tourism has the
potential to cost US health care providers
billions of dollars in lost revenue
communities.

Medical care is just too expensive. My sons feeding tube supplies and formula costs 55 dollars a day. And when he was on Tpn it was 238 dollars a day. On top of the 5 proscriptions he's been on since birth. Over 8 million in hospital bills. Not including doctor vistits. Luckily all of his is covered by insurance.

But I don't get the point in traveling for medical care

@CarefulBitchesImPregnant: Traveling to other countries, for instance India, after figuring travel costs, maybe family hotel expenses, etc... a major operation may cost 1/3 the cost that same operation would cost in the U.S.
Many surgery procedures performed in
medical tourism destinations cost a
fraction of the price they do in the First
World. For example a liver transplant
that costs $300,000 USD in America costs
about $91,000 USD in Taiwan

@Hawkeye58: jmo but I wouldn't want all that traveling right after a surgery

Best info I cld find...""""" Medical Tourism Statistics & Facts
With medical tourism still in its early stages,
gaining reliable data is challenging. Our
research and editorial team works hard to
compile the most accurate, current
information on international medical travel,
global healthcare, and the international
patient experience.
Below, we have compiled brief answers to
some of the queries we receive most often.
Contact us with specific queries—we're happy
to work with you to provide the best source
information, third-party references, patient
case studies, industry contacts, and the latest
research data.
What are the top destinations?
Brazil, Costa Rica, India, Korea, Malaysia,
Mexico, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey,
United States
Why these destinations?
The making of a world-class healthcare
destination is complex. We consider a variety
of factors, including:
Government and private sector investment in
healthcare infrastructure
Demonstrable commitment to international
accreditation, quality assurance, and
transparency of outcomes
International patient flow
Potential for cost savings on medical
procedures
Political transparency and social stability
Excellent tourism infrastructure
Sustained reputation for clinical excellence
History of healthcare innovation and
achievement
Successful adoption of best practices and
state-of-the-art medical technology
Availability of internationally-trained,
experienced medical staff
What are the top specialties for medical
travelers?
Cosmetic surgery
Dentistry (general, restorative, cosmetic)
Cardiovascular (angioplasty, CABG,
transplants)
Orthopedics (joint and spine; sports medicine)
Cancer (often high-acuity or last resort)
Reproductive (fertility, women's health)
Weight loss (LAP-BAND, gastric bypass)
Scans, tests, health screenings and second
opinions.
How big is the market?
Finding the answer to this question can be
challenging, as estimates and forecasts vary
widely among world's the top research firms.
These disparities arise from inconsistencies in
defining medical travel and a lack of verifiable
data at the country level.
Patients Beyond Borders' editors define a
medical traveler as anyone who travels across
international borders for the purpose of
receiving medical care. We do not count in-
country expatriates, tourists in need of
emergency medical care, companions
accompanying medical travelers, or multiple
patient episodes that occur over the course of
one trip.
With these variables in mind, we believe the
market size is USD 24-40 billion, based on
approximately eight million cross-border
patients worldwide spending an average of
USD 3,000-5,000 per visit, including all
medically-related costs, cross-border and
local transport, inpatient stay and
accommodations. We estimate some 900,000
Americans will travel outside the US for
medical care this year (2013).
Is the market growing?
Yes. The world population is aging and
becoming more affluent at rates that surpass
the availability of quality healthcare resources.
In addition, out-of-pocket medical costs of
critical and elective procedures continue to
rise, while nations offering universal care are
faced with ever-increasing resource burdens.
These drivers are forcing patients to pursue
cross-border healthcare options either to save
money or to avoid long waits for treatment.
We estimate the worldwide medical tourism
market is growing at a rate of 15-25%, with
rates highest in North, Southeast and South
Asia.
How much can you save?
Using US costs across a variety of specialties
and procedures as a benchmark, average
range of savings for the most-traveled
destinations:
Brazil: 25-40%
Costa Rica: 40-65%
India: 65-90%
Korea: 30-45%
Malaysia: 65-80%
Mexico: 40-65%
Singapore: 30-45%
Taiwan: 40-55%
Thailand: 50-70%
Turkey: 50-65%
We are happy to provide detailed comparative
cost data, by country and procedure, upon
request .""""...

Those costs for your son are beyond ridiculous, proving that there is something very, very wrong and unfair with the health care costs here!

The cost still figures cheaper even if you stayed in a hotel for a month or 2 recovering from a procedure.

yeah he is only 18 months

Was watching a TV program just the other night about this issue.
A young woman that had seriously injured her leg in a car accident, was left with 3 choices. 1. Never walk again. 2. Get her leg fixed here and loose her house because of the cost. And 3. Get the leg fixed in South America and not have to be in debt for the rest of her life. Naturally she chose the 3rd option.

that I can understand