Exploring Medical Tourism: Americans Seeking Healthcare Abroad

The high cost of healthcare in the US means that many Americans are travelling abroad to access more affordable treatment. According to the USITC, uninsured Americans can expect to pay $30,000 for a knee replacement in the US, compared to $12,000 in India. Even Americans with health insurance find it cheaper to access medical care abroad, as most insurance plans do not cover dental work, cosmetic surgeries, and many prescription medications.

Americans travel abroad for dental work

The high cost of healthcare in the US means that many Americans are travelling abroad for medical procedures. In 2013, more than 500,000 Americans travelled out of the country for dental care, according to the medical tourism group Patients Beyond Borders.

Dental tourism is projected to increase by 12% by 2025, according to GlobeNewswire. However, 3 out of 4 Americans fear dental tourism, with most feeling more comfortable having dental work done in the US.

Dental work can be uncomfortable, and travelling during this time can make the process more painful. There are also fewer regulations in foreign countries, and some clinics use low-cost materials. However, Americans who travel for dental procedures claim that the quality is comparable to that of the US.

Travel writer and editor Olivia Balsinger got veneers in Colombia for a fraction of the cost she would have paid in the US. For eight veneers and three crowns, she paid $4,000, compared to around $15,000 in the US.

Americans travel abroad for surgeries

Americans are increasingly travelling abroad for surgeries and other medical procedures. The high cost of healthcare in the US is the main reason for this, with many Americans without health insurance unable to afford procedures in their home country. Even for those who are insured, most medical insurance plans do not cover dental work, cosmetic surgeries, and many prescription medications. As a result, Americans are able to save thousands of dollars by travelling abroad for procedures such as dental work, surgeries, giving birth, and picking up prescription medication. For example, a knee replacement in the US would cost an uninsured American $30,000, whereas the same surgery in India would cost $12,000. Similarly, travel writer Olivia Balsinger paid $4,000 for eight veneers and three crowns in Colombia, a procedure that would have cost $15,000 in the US.

Despite the low cost of health services in other countries, Americans who travel abroad for medical procedures claim that the quality is comparable to, or even better than, the US. Travel writer Gigi Griffis, who has been travelling full-time for six years, said:

> I would never ever choose to have a procedure done in the US. Paying five or more times as much for the same or worse care? No thanks.

The American healthcare system is known for being notoriously expensive, with 11.3% of Americans unable to afford health insurance, according to data collected in 2017 by the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.

Americans travel abroad to give birth

Americans are increasingly travelling abroad to access affordable healthcare. The high cost of healthcare in the US is a well-known issue, with many Americans unable to afford health insurance. For those without insurance, the cost of medical procedures can be staggering. For example, a knee replacement in the US costs $30,000, whereas the same surgery in India costs $12,000. Even for Americans with health insurance, most policies do not cover everything, and many medical insurance plans do not cover dental work, cosmetic surgeries, and many prescription medications. As a result, many Americans are choosing to travel abroad for medical procedures, claiming that the quality of healthcare is comparable or even superior to that of the US.

One reason Americans travel abroad to give birth is to avoid the high cost of maternity and childcare in the US. The US is the only high-income country that doesn't mandate paid maternity leave, and has longer workweeks and less paid time off than most other developed countries. Even with employer-provided insurance, Americans can expect to pay an average of $4,569 in out-of-pocket childbirth fees. In addition, women in America are often discharged from the hospital almost immediately after giving birth, which can be unsafe and inconvenient.

Another reason Americans may choose to give birth abroad is to obtain US citizenship for their children. This practice, known as "birth tourism", has become a lucrative business, with companies charging up to $80,000 to facilitate the process. While the US government has been cracking down on birth tourism, it is still a legal practice. However, there have been scattered cases of authorities arresting operators of birth tourism agencies for visa fraud or tax evasion.

It is important to note that the number of Americans giving birth abroad is not precisely known. However, according to migration experts and interviews, many Americans leave the country, at least in part, to escape the financial and personal costs of starting a family in the US. In 2019, more than 66,000 Americans had babies abroad.

Americans travel abroad to buy prescription medication

The high cost of healthcare in the US means that many Americans travel abroad to access more affordable treatment. This is especially true for those without health insurance, for whom the difference in cost can be staggering. For example, a knee replacement costs $30,000 in the US, but only $12,000 in India. Even for Americans who are insured, most health insurance policies do not cover everything, including dental work, cosmetic surgeries, and many prescription medications.

A 2016 Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that 8% of respondents said they or someone in their household had imported a drug at some point, which would translate to about 19 million adults in the US. The internet has made it easier for Americans to buy prescription drugs abroad, but this can be unsafe. Many online pharmacies are disreputable, and some imported medications could be inferior, expired, or even counterfeits. Nevertheless, many Americans routinely skirt federal law by crossing into Canada and Mexico or tapping online pharmacies abroad to purchase prescription medications at a fraction of the price they would pay at home.

In 2019, the Trump administration unveiled a plan that would legalise the importation of selected prescription drugs from countries where they sell for far less. However, the plan only addresses imports at the wholesale level and is silent about the millions of Americans who already buy their medications outside the United States.

Travel writer and editor Olivia Balsinger got veneers in Colombia for a fraction of the cost she would have paid in the US. For eight veneers and three crowns, she paid $4,000, compared to $15,0000 in the US. Similarly, Rease Kirchner purchased the medication she needed in Colombia for a fraction of the cost of the medication in the US.

Americans travel abroad for cosmetic procedures

Americans are increasingly travelling abroad for healthcare, including cosmetic procedures. The high cost of healthcare in the US is the main reason for this, with many Americans without health insurance unable to afford procedures in their home country. For example, a knee replacement costs $30,000 in the US but only $12,000 in India. Even Americans with health insurance find that it is less expensive to access medical care abroad.

Dental work, cosmetic surgeries, and many prescription medications are not covered by most medical insurance plans. As a result, Americans are travelling to countries like Colombia, where they can get cosmetic dental work for a fraction of the cost in the US. For example, travel writer Olivia Balsinger got eight veneers and three crowns in Colombia for $4,000, a procedure that would have cost $15,000 in the US.

Even giving birth in an American hospital can be prohibitively expensive, with many Americans paying hundreds or thousands of dollars out of pocket for these medical services. Americans who have travelled abroad for healthcare claim that the quality of care is comparable or even superior to that in the US.

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