Doctors operate in Mexico, which may prove to be a new destination for medical tourists. |
The Indian hospital group Narayana Hrudayalaya announced plans to set up facilities in Mexico that will treat Mexican and American patients.
Medical tourism — the practice of going abroad for less expensive treatment — may bring India $1 billion by 2012.
Some insurance carriers in the U.S. are even exploring the option of covering overseas medical procedures, giving Americans the option to hop on a plane for less expensive operations ranging from cosmetic to heart surgery.
A blogger at “Tanaris” writes about the popularity of medical tourism for plastic surgery patients, exploring both the promise of the Mexican market and the surge of medical tourists in India.
The “India, Latin America Collaboration” blog predicts that both medical tourism and overseas retirement homes will become more popular as American baby boomers age.
The “Mex Files” blog writes that the new Narayana Hrudayalaya hospital may meet demands for affordable health care as the U.S. struggles to find healthcare solutions.
The “Go Health” blog outlines the pros and cons of medical tourism, pointing out that if something goes wrong during a procedure abroad, Americans might have less rights.
The “Pangaea Medicine” Web site provides a search engine for hospitals worldwide.
Photo courtesy of Jessie Reeder under a Creative Commons license.
