Medical tourism in the spotlight after the kidnapping of Americans in Mexico

Medical tourism has become more and more popular over the years and is not limited to Mexico.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas. The recent kidnapping of four Americans in Mexico underscores a common practice for many people in the United States: traveling to other countries for medical care that is not available at home or costs significantly less.

Four were abducted, resulting in two deaths, during a trip to Mexico, which, according to a relative, was for cosmetic surgery.

Experts say people are leaving the United States for dental procedures, plastic surgery, cancer treatments and prescription drugs. Apart from Mexico, other common destinations include Canada, India and Thailand.

Here is a more detailed look at the practice.

DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL TOURISM

According to Lydia Gan, an economist at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Lydia Gan, who studies the practice, medical tourism has been on the rise for years.

This trip is popular with people who don’t have health insurance or plans that charge them thousands of dollars before insurance starts.

Major employers also sometimes send insured people to other countries for hip or knee replacements or bariatric surgery. Some even send people to Mexico for expensive prescription drugs.

Cost is a huge factor. According to Jonathan Edelheit, CEO of the Medical Tourism Association, an industry trade group, care in countries like Mexico can be up to 50 percent cheaper than in the United States.

And cosmetic surgeries like tummy tucks, which cost thousands of dollars, are largely not covered by US health insurance companies.

Patients also sometimes travel because they can get faster access to some treatments outside of the United States. They may also want to seek help from a doctor who speaks their language or belongs to the same culture.

MILLIONS OF TRIPS

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that millions of US residents travel abroad for medical treatment each year.

Researcher Arturo Bustamante estimated that about 400,000 people traveled annually from the US to Mexico for treatment before COVID-19 hit. A professor of health policy at the University of California, Los Angeles, said the number dropped due to pandemic stay-at-home orders, but then quickly recovered.

Most of the people who come to Mexico for medical treatment are Mexican or Hispanic immigrants living in the United States, she said.

Non-Hispanic patients cross the border primarily for dental treatment, to purchase prescription drugs, or for treatments such as plastic surgery or some cancer treatments not covered in the US.

WEIGHTING THE RISKS

Patients can take steps to reduce the risk of receiving treatment in another country.

Edelheit said they should heed US government travel advice on intended destinations.

Gan noted that travel safety could also be improved by having a medical tourism agent work with the patient. Hospitals or health care providers often ask someone to pick up patients at the airport and take them to their doctor’s appointment or hotel.

Patients should also look into service quality before looking at prices, Edelheit said. They should know where their future doctor has been trained and look for any accreditations or certifications.

“They really need to make sure they’re working with the best of the best,” she said.

The risk to patients may not end after the procedure. If someone has complications after returning home, it can be difficult for their doctor in the US to know the details of the treatment they received while traveling.

It can also be difficult for patients to sue their doctor or hospital in Mexico, Bustamante said.

“Navigating the system is usually difficult,” he said.

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The post Medical tourism in the spotlight after the kidnapping of Americans in Mexico

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