Medical Tourism Opportunities
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the question is: what kind of follow-up from doctors do you get if complications arise.
We also need to know how available it is in those other countries compared to ours. If the operations cannot be had even at double the cost for most people in those other countries, what good is a cheap price?
I believe this is where health care is headed. Obama Care will make it impossible for entrepreneurs to solve the cost problem in this country. So people will have to cross the border to find low cost, high quality care.
I think if more American doctors start crossing the border, the patients will follow them.
There is no question you have to do your homework, but the follow-up care can be really good if everything is put together in advance. There are even commercial insurers that write policies to cover complications of a surgery abroad even if those complications are resolved after you come back to the US. These policies are available at low cost (~10% of the cost of the surgery) and add a lot of comfort for people who travel for medical care. More at http://www.mymedtravel.com
As I note on my blog , the difference between the price charged in the US and the price charged in the cheapest country listed ranged from a maximum of a 16.9-fold difference to a 2.5-fold difference.
Face lifts, which are not covered by the vast majority of health care plans, showed the lowest multiplier. I suspect people who want face lifts, having to pay out of pocket, may shop for the best prices here in the US.
Medical tourists flying to South America such as Mexico or Costa Rica to find less-expensive medical treatment such as fertility treatment, knee replacement or bypass surgery.
Medical tourism in Mexico
Nearly six million Americans alone are expected to travel across borders in 2010, and locations such as Mexico or India. Medical-tourism industry is expected to reach over $100 million by 2012
After 6 months of offering stem cell therapy in combination with the venous angioplasty liberation procedure, patients of CCSVI Clinic have reported excellent health outcomes. Ms. Kasma Gianopoulos of Athens Greece, who was diagnosed with the Relapsing/Remitting form of MS in 1997 called the combination of treatments a “cure”. “I feel I am completely cured” says Ms. Gianopoulos, “my symptoms have disappeared and I have a recovery of many functions, notably my balance and my muscle strength is all coming (back). Even after six months, I feel like there are good changes happening almost every day. Before, my biggest fear was that the changes wouldn’t (hold). I don’t even worry about having a relapse anymore. I’m looking forward to a normal life with my family. I think I would call that a miracle.”
Other recent MS patients who have had Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (ASCT), or stem cell therapy have posted videos and comments on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFQr2eqm3Cg.
Dr. Avneesh Gupte, the Neurosurgeon at Noble Hospital performing the procedure has been encouraged by results in Cerebral Palsy patients as well. “We are fortunate to be able to offer the treatment because not every hospital is able to perform these types of transplants. You must have the specialized medical equipment and specially trained doctors and nurses”. With regard to MS patients, “We are cautious, but nevertheless excited by what patients are telling us. Suffice to say that the few patients who have had the therapy through us are noticing recovery of neuro deficits beyond what the venous angioplasty only should account for”.
Dr. Unmesh of Noble continues: “These are early days and certainly all evidence that the combination of liberation and stem cell therapies working together at this point is anecdotal. However I am not aware of other medical facilities in the world that offer the synthesis of both to MS patients on an approved basis and it is indeed a rare opportunity for MS patients to take advantage of a treatment that is quite possibly unique in the world”.
Autologous stem cell transplantation is a procedure by which blood-forming stem cells are removed, and later injected back into the patient. All stem cells are taken from the patient themselves and cultured for later injection. In the case of a bone marrow transplant, the HSC are typically removed from the Pelvis through a large needle that can reach into the bone. The technique is referred to as a bone marrow harvest and is performed under a general anesthesia. The incidence of patients experiencing rejection is rare due to the donor and recipient being the same individual.This remains the only approved method of the SCT therapy.
The cost of major surgeries are very affordable outside US especially in India. In terms of quality, medical tourism in India is widely accepted because most of the world class hospital in the country is accredited by major medical tourism agency to practice lucrative surgical procedures at a very competitive quality.
Mika
Plastic Surgery in Thailand