| Why does it seem like Starbucks has a
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| | Japanese patients. Although Bumrungrad
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| store on every corner where you live?
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| | International Hospital in Bangkok claims
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| Because the company knows most of us
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| | JCI accreditation, it's not currently
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| won't go even one block out of our way to
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| | listed on the JCI website.
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| get a cup o' cappuccino. Why then, are
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| | What's the downside?
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| tens of thousands of people choosing to
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| | If you do travel abroad for medical care,
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| travel half-way around the world for
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| | you may have to pay cash for it.
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| surgical procedures? It's called "medical
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| | Government and basic medical insurance,
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| tourism," and you might find yourself
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| | and sometimes extended medical insurance,
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| considering it soon as well.
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| | often does not pay for the medical
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| What is medical tourism?
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| | procedure. Of course if it's an elective
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| Rapidly becoming a multi-billion dollar
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| | procedure (as most cosmetic procedures
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| industry, medical tourism is the
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| | are), you're on your own anyway.
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| catch-all phrase describing travel to
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| | Should complications arise, you may not
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| other countries primarily for medical or
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| | be covered by insurance, or be able to
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| dental care. Along with elective plastic
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| | seek adequate compensation through
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| surgery procedures like face-lifts and
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| | malpractice lawsuits. Most of the
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| implants, medical tourists also travel
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| | countries offering medical tourism have
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| for highly specialized operations like
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| | weak malpractice laws, so you'll have
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| heart surgery, cancer treatment and hip
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| | little recourse to local courts or
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| replacement. Some medical tours include
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| | medical boards if something goes wrong.
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| pre-operation sightseeing, luxury
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| | Of course, that's part of the reason why
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| accommodations and extensive post-op
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| | the costs abroad are so low - physicians
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| care.
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| | don't have to pay exorbitant malpractice
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| Why would I consider it?
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| | insurance premiums.
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| Your reasons for choosing to travel for
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| | Little follow-up care may be provided,
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| medical care depend on where you live. In
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| | and travel or vacation activities soon
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| the US, medical costs are skyrocketing,
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| | after surgery can increase the risk of
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| and many elective procedures aren't
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| | complications. For example, your post-op
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| covered by insurance. Procedures abroad
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| | scars may darken or become more
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| may be a fourth or even a tenth of what
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| | noticeable if you get a sunburn on the
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| they might be at home.
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| | beach after your surgery. Long flights
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| In countries with nationalized health
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| | home can be uncomfortable at best, and
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| such as Canada or Great Britain, the
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| | downright dangerous for thrombosis or
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| waiting times for treatment may simply be
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| | breathing-related problems. Treating
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| too long, and the cost to see a physician
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| | side-effects and any post-operative care
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| in private practice too high.
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| | will become your responsibility once you
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| You may also become a medical tourist if
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| | get home.
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| you'd like to combine an exotic vacation
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| | Are there other health risks?
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| with a tummy tuck or, on a more serious
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| | Exotic destinations are also home to
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| note, if you're seeking alternative
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| | exotic infectious diseases for which
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| treatments for cancer or other diseases.
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| | Westerners often have no immunity -
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| How much money can I save?
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| | particularly in a weakened, post-op
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| The short answer is, potentially lots.
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| | state. Gastrointestinal diseases can slow
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| For example, a heart valve replacement
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| | the recovery process and more serious
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| that would normally cost $200,000 in the
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| | diseases such as malaria, influenza, or
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| US would be $10,000 in India - including
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| | TB, can be life-threatening. Having said
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| round-trip airfare, and a quick vacation
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| | that, because these diseases are more
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| package. Looking for a face-lift? This
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| | common in other countries, doctors are
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| will raise your eyebrows instantly: the
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| | more likely to recognize the symptoms
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| price tag is $15,000 in the US, but only
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| | early and get you appropriate treatment.
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| $2,600 in Bolivia (And lest you think the
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| | How do I check out a hospital's
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| Bolivians are amateurs at this, more than
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| | credentials?
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| 70% of middle and upper-class women in
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| | Although it may seem daunting to research
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| Bolivian have had at least one cosmetic
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| | surgical treatment thousands of miles
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| procedure).
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| | away, it's absolutely necessary for your
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| According to a CBS News: 60 Minutes
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| | peace of mind and quality assurance.
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| report, one patient who received coronary
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| | The Joint Commission is a US-based
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| artery bypass surgery in Thailand said
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| | non-profit organization formed in 1951
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| the operation cost him $12,000, as
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| | with a mission to maintain and elevate
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| opposed to the $100,000 he estimated the
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| | the standards of healthcare delivery
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| operation would have cost him at home in
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| | through evaluation and accreditation of
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| the US.
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| | healthcare organizations. These standards
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| How do I choose a country for my
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| | define the performance expectations,
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| procedure?
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| | structures, or processes that must be in
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| It depends on what type of procedure
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| | place and cover nearly every aspect of
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| you're seeking. Some destinations
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| | care from admissions and data collection,
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| specialize in medical procedures while
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| | to daily patent assessments. Since 1999,
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| others are best known for cosmetic
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| | JCI has also been accrediting hospitals
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| surgery. If the procedure you're seeking
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| | internationally and to date has awarded
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| is elective and non-critical, you may be
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| | 81 accreditations. JCI lists accredited
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| most interested in a country with
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| | hospitals by country.
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| beautiful antiquities or beaches.
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| | How do I plan a trip?
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| Countries actively promoting medical
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| | So far the Roaming Gnome doesn't offer
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| tourism for medical procedures include
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| | suggestions for medical tourism, but
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| India, Singapore, Thailand, Cuba, Hong
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| | there are plenty of websites that can
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| Kong, Hungary, Israel, Jordan, Lithuania,
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| | assist you with your plans. Google
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| Malaysia, and the Philippines.
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| | "medical tourism" and you'll find about
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| For plastic surgery, the hotspots are
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| | 15 million entries. Some companies are
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| Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Mexico
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| | foreign-based, with offices and
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| and Turkey. South Africa specializes not
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| | representatives in the US or Canada,
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| just in medical tourism, but "medical
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| | while others are US or Canadian companies
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| safaris" - lions, elephants AND a nose
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| | working with representatives abroad. Not
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| job. However, the country with the most
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| | all companies organize travel to all
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| expertise in plastic surgery may be
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| | destinations - you'll need to do a bit of
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| Brazil, as more plastic and cosmetic
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| | research to find the best fit.
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| surgery procedures are performed in this
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| | In any case, once you find a company to
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| country annually than in the whole of the
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| | help you plan your trip, the process
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| European Union.
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| | could go something like this:
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| India, Thailand and Singapore have been
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| | 1. Fill out an application with your
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| most aggressive in building their medical
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| | details and medical needs.
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| tourism business to date:
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| | 2. Talk with a US-based case manager to
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| INDIA
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| | select the hospital, doctor(s) and get a
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| The sub-continent is so committed to
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| | cost estimate.
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| generating revenue from medical tourists,
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| | 3. Pay a deposit - avoid companies that
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| the country's National Health Policy
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| | want to charge you 100% upfront.
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| actually declares that treatment of
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| | 4. Have a phone conference with your
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| foreign patients is legally an "export"
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| | chosen doctor and on-site case manager.
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| and deemed "eligible for all fiscal
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| | 5. Fly to your destination for your
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| incentives extended to export earnings."
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| | procedure, where you'll be met by your
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| It's estimated that medical tourism to
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| | on-site case manager.
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| India is growing by 30% a year.
| |
| | 6. Meet with your physician for a pre-op
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| India boasts 5 hospitals accredited by
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| | consultation.
|
| US-based Joint Commission International,
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| | 7. Have your surgery and recover
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| and a global reputation for superior hip
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| | sufficiently for your post-op vacation or
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| resurfacing and heart surgery. It may be
| |
| | return journey (for some procedures, it
|
| somewhat anecdotal, one Indian hospital,
| |
| | may be more practical to have the
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| Escorts Heart Institute and Research
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| | "tourist" part of your trip first.
|
| Centers located in Delhi and Faridabad,
| |
| | How does insurance figure in?
|
| claims to perform nearly 15,000 heart
| |
| | For the most part in the US, health
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| operations every year with a post-surgery
| |
| | insurance companies will not cover
|
| mortality rate of only 0.8 percent - less
| |
| | non-elective procedures overseas - and
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| than half of most major hospitals in the
| |
| | certainly not elective. In other words,
|
| United States. Most medical treatment
| |
| | you would be responsible for 100% of your
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| costs start at about a tenth of the price
| |
| | own medical costs.
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| of comparable treatment in the US.
| |
| | In the future however, employers may
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| However, for US travelers, extremely long
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| | offer overseas medical treatment as an
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| travel times can be a deterrent.
| |
| | option to their covered employees,
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| SINGAPORE
| |
| | according to Dr. Arnold Milstein, of
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| As Asia's leading medical hub, Singapore
| |
| | Mercer Human Resource Consulting, who has
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| has a reputation for excellent quality,
| |
| | been retained by five Fortune 500
|
| safety and trustworthiness, along with
| |
| | companies to determine whether
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| advanced research and technology. In
| |
| | outsourcing healthcare can be a viable
|
| 2006, Singapore hosted the first
| |
| | option.
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| international Medical Travel Conference
| |
| | It's also possible to obtain medical
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| with participants from 21 countries
| |
| | insurance while traveling, but it will
|
| coming together to discuss the issues and
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| | only cover you in the event of an
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| challenges facing the medical travel
| |
| | emergency occurring on that trip. Whether
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| industry. Nine hospitals in this small
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| | or not you would be covered during an
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| country are accredited by JCI.
| |
| | emergency that occurs as a consequence of
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| THAILAND
| |
| | other medical treatment you were
|
| With its beautiful terrain, intoxicating
| |
| | receiving is another question. I would
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| culture and stunning beaches, Thailand
| |
| | suspect the answer is no.
|
| has been a popular destination for
| |
| | So should I do it?
|
| American medical tourists. English is
| |
| | If you're seeking a relatively common
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| widely spoken, and a high number of
| |
| | elective cosmetic procedure, certainly
|
| physicians are trained in the West.
| |
| | shopping abroad should figure into your
|
| Bangkok's Bumrundgrad hospital alone has
| |
| | decision process. If you have no or
|
| more than 200 surgeons who are
| |
| | limited medical coverage, and need some
|
| board-certified in the United States.
| |
| | serious treatment, traveling abroad may
|
| Hospitals in the country offer services
| |
| | be the only option you can afford. In any
|
| specifically for the international
| |
| | case, make certain you've spoken in depth
|
| med-tourist. For example, the
| |
| | with your home physician, fully
|
| International Medical Centre in Bangkok
| |
| | understand the medical risk, and
|
| offers services in 26 languages,
| |
| | thoroughly research the physician and
|
| recognizes cultural and religious dietary
| |
| | facility you intend to visit.
|
| restrictions and has a special wing for
| |
| |
|
