Feb
2
Mexico as a major destination for ‘Medical Tourism’
By Sergio | Published February 02, 2010
Taking into consideration that a large number of American retirees may relocate to Mexico in the coming years, the Mexican Health Ministry recently expressed the possibility that in addition of the sunny beaches the country currently offers to visitors, medical treatments and surgeries could be offered as well.
Medical Tourism
With the support of other federal agencies, during the next couple of years the Mexican Ministry of Health plans to create the infrastructure for medical tourism, including private medical facilities as well as training of bilingual Spanish-English caregivers. The Health Ministry announced that eight private institutions accredited by a joint US-Mexico commission have already attained certification under the standards of this bi-national commission.
Other nations whose private sector is already benefiting from this newly created global market include Brazil, Costa Rica, Thailand, India and other Asian countries such as Cambodia and Vietnam, which are quickly catching up with this medical tourism trend.
Pilot programs to train bilingual nurses are currently in the stage of preparation, and one strategy being adopted to mitigate the risk of brain drain towards higher pay offered in the US is to focus the training on higher-tier sectors of the Mexican health care delivery such as plastic surgery and other specialized treatments.
In a traditional Mexican tourist town such as Puerto Vallarta, there are already indications that cheaper treatment fees for coincidental visits to the doctor or dentist are being noticed and appreciated by sick tourists.
The pamphlet of a local medical services provider advertises specialists, family doctors and even psychologists. The website of this particular Hospital with headquarters in the city of Guadalajara lists foreign insurance companies with which it currently works, accepting their payments. Some of the insurance companies listed include Cigna, Aetna and International Health Insurance of Denmark.
The success of the Mexican Ministry of Health’s medical tourism initiative will depend on various trends related to the socioeconomic, political and security situations at the borders of both countries. Right now the current levels of violence in the border region will likely affect the potential growth in the short-term. Depending upon the outcome of the health care reform in the US, and whether costs are increased as a result of the legislation being passed, the initiative would have better chances of succeeding.
Insurance companies mentioned:
Cigna
For more than 125 years, CIGNA has been helping people lead healthier, more secure lives. The company provides health care and related benefits offered through the workplace. Key product lines include health care products and services (medical, pharmacy, behavioral health, clinical information management, dental and vision benefits, and case and disease management); and group disability, life and accident insurance. In addition, CIGNA also provides life, accident, health and expatriate employee benefits insurance coverage in selected international markets, primarily in Asia and Europe.
Aetna
Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services. These include medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life, long-term care and disability plans and medical management capabilities. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans and government-sponsored plans.
International Health Insurance of Denmark
IHI was one of the first insurance companies in the world to offer international insurance plans. Over the last 30 years IHI has introduced more new products than any of the competitors including preventative services, health consulting services and online solutions for the convenience of our customers. In 2005 IHI were bought by the worlds largest health care provider Bupa and became a Bupa branch in 2009. Now we’re called ihi Bupa and continues to deliver the best in healthcare and travel-insurance.
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