Experts: Medical Tourism Has Several Risks

Experts: Medical Tourism Has Several Risks

The recent kidnapping of four Americans in Mexico brought attention to a common practice for many people in the United States: medical tourism.

Medical tourism is traveling to other countries to receive medical care that is not available or too costly¹ at home.

The four Americans were caught in a shootout between criminal drug organizations. Two were killed and two were held in a remote area of Mexico. A family member said the four were on a trip from the U.S. so that one of them could get cosmetic² surgery from a doctor in Matamoros.

Experts say people leave the U.S. to get many medical procedures. These include cosmetic surgery, dental care, cancer treatments and buying medicines.

Medical tourism growing

Lydia Gan is an economist³ at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. She said medical tourism has been growing in popularity for years.

This kind of travel is popular with people who have no health insurance or health plans that require them to pay thousands of dollars in additional costs. Sometimes, companies send people covered by their insurance to other countries for medical procedures like hip⁴ or knee replacements⁵. Some companies also send people to Mexico for less costly medicines.

Jonathan Edelheit is head of the Medical Tourism Association, an industry trade group. He told the Associated Press that medical care costs in countries like Mexico can be more than 50 percent lower than in the U.S. Also, cosmetic surgeries that cost thousands of dollars are largely not covered by U.S. health insurers.

Patients sometimes travel because they can get quick care outside the U.S. They also might want to seek treatment from a doctor who speaks their language or comes from the same culture.

Medical Tourism Magazine, the trade group's publication, said over $37 billion was spent on medical tourism in 2019 around the world. Besides Mexico, the publication said the top five countries for medical tourism are Canada, Singapore, Japan, Spain, and Britain. Other places include Dubai, Costa Rica, Israel, Abu Dhabi, and India.

In 2019, the city-state of Singapore received more than 500,000 foreign visitors for its less costly and high-quality healthcare. For example, heart bypass surgery could cost $140,000 in the U.S. compared to $25,000 in Singapore. In Spain, the average cost of cosmetic surgery such as a face lift could be $5,000 instead of $15,000 in the U.S.

Risks of medical tourism

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (or CDC) says millions of people from the U.S. travel to other countries for care each year.

Researcher Arturo Bustamante estimates that 400,000 people traveled from the U.S. to Mexico each year for care before COVID-19 appeared. The University of California, Los Angeles health policy professor said most of the people visiting Mexico for care are Mexican or Latino immigrants living in the U.S.

He said non-Latino patients mainly cross the border to get treatment for their teeth, buy prescription⁶ drugs, or to receive cosmetic surgery or some cancer treatments not covered in the U.S.

However, the CDC warns medical tourism could be risky⁷ depending on the country and the medical center. Among the risks, the health agency says, are infectious diseases, quality of care, language difficulties and follow-up care.

To reduce risks, the CDC advises people to work with a healthcare provider or travel medicine provider before making the trip. Lydia Gan of North Carolina noted⁸ that care providers often have someone pick patients up at the airport and take them to the health center or hotel.

The CDC says patients should research healthcare providers and health centers. Edelheit of the Medical Tourism Association added that patients should research care quality before considering prices. "They really need to make sure they are going with the best of the best," he said.

Once patients choose a country and provider, the CDC advises to bring medical records and to inform medical workers of any health problems. After a procedure, the agency says to get copies of all new medical records and to plan for follow-up care.

The risk for patients may not end after a procedure. If someone has medical problems after returning home, it may be hard for their doctor to learn the details about the care received during a trip.

Words in This Story

practice –n. something that is done often or regularly by one or many people

remote –adj. far away from where most people are

cosmetic surgery –n. a kind of medical operation that is not aimed at improving a health problem but that is meant to improve a person's appearance

procedure –n. a medical operation or treatment that is not simple

insurance –n. a policy from a company that pays for certain defined costs in exchange for regular payments

hip –n. the part of the body between the waist and the legs formed by the pelvic bone

knee –n. the joint between the upper and lower leg

1 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

2 cosmetic   

n.化妆品；adj.化妆用的；装门面的；装饰性的

参考例句：

• These changes are purely cosmetic.这些改变纯粹是装饰门面。
• Laughter is the best cosmetic,so grin and wear it!微笑是最好的化妆品，所以请尽情微笑吧！

3 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

4 hip   

n.臀部，髋；屋脊

参考例句：

• The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line.新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

5 replacements   

n.代替( replacement的名词复数 )；替换的人[物]；替代品；归还

参考例句：

• They infiltrated behind the lines so as to annoy the emery replacements. 他们渗透敌后以便骚扰敌军的调度。 来自辞典例句
• For oil replacements, cheap suddenly looks less of a problem. 对于石油的替代品来说，价格变得无足轻重了。 来自互联网

6 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。

7 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。