English
Apr
21
Obama Not Keen On Medical Tourism as Solution to National Healthcare Issues
Posted on Apr 21, 2011 by Sergio Ulloa (G+)
US President Barack Obama has expressed an interest in curbing the amount of Americans looking to go abroad and receive medical treatment. Through the 2010 US health reform law, the President's administration has planned to tackle spiraling healthcare costs and ensure medical services remain competitive and affordable in the United States. Addressing questions on America's healthcare options at Northern Virginia Community College, president Obama said, "My preference would be that you don't have to travel to Mexico or India to get cheap healthcare." On why US health insurance does not cover medical expenses incurred abroad, The President added: "I'd like you to be able to get [inexpensive treatment] right here in the United States of America that's high quality." Obama was also adamant that prescription drug prices would need to be brought under control "One of the things that we want to do as part of our health care reform package is let's start doing a better job of negotiating better prices for prescription drugs here in the United States, so that you don't feel like you're getting cheated because you're paying 30 per cent or 20 per cent more than prescription drugs in Canada or Mexico." In response to another question on handling rising medical costs in the US, Obama said: "Before we went on the path of 'you can go somewhere else to get your health care', let's work to see if we can reduce the costs of health care here in the United States of America. That's going to make a big difference." President Obama was speaking of the growing phenomenon of citizens choosing to cross borders and shop for elective health procedures, a practice known as medical tourism. The substantial development of the global economy coupled with the falling costs of travel and communication has enabled world class healthcare practices to establish themselves all around the world. International clients seeking alternative healthcare solutions to what is available in their home countries at competitive prices now are presented with many opportunities. Popular locations for medical travel include countries in South East Asia and Latin America, where many surgery procedures, including transplants, cost a fraction of the price they would do in North America or Western Europe and usually can offer shorter waiting times for treatment. The convenience and efficiency of pursuing international healthcare options is something to be considered for patients seeking to fully evaluate their future health procedures. The Indian medical industry in particular has emerged as a major market for medical tourism, drawing thousands of international patients by meeting the global demand for modern, high quality, healthcare treatment available through internationally recognized private hospitals at affordable prices. Estimates have the Indian medical tourism industry generating over $2 billion in revenues by 2012. Medical tourism clients visiting the subcontinent had previously tended to be travelling from Africa, Asia or other countries without access to certain medical procedures. Now with a relatively static economic outlook in the West, patients from countries like the US have turned to India for complex procedures such as cardiac surgery, orthopedic operations, and neurosurgery as well as dental treatment. Cardiac bypass surgery performed in the US might cost upwards of $60,000, but a patient who chooses to get the procedure in India might have to pay only $10,000 for the operation, including travel and accommodation. Members of India's leading private hospital chains have responded to Obama's statements and assert that it is not just low prices that have lured international patients to India. Anupam Sibal, Medical Director at Apollo Indraprastha Hospital, New Delhi, explained: "No one travels for reasons of costs alone. It is the relatively low costs coupled with high quality care." Delhi's Apollo Hospital alone has treated over ten thousand foreign patients in the past two years. According to Sangita Reddy, executive director of operations at Apollo Hospitals, American private insurance companies themselves have recommended medical treatment in India to some of their clients. "Healthcare costs have not come down in the US and Obama's statement may not have much impact out here," she said. Dr. Naresh Trehan, chairman of Medanta, the Medicity, confirmed that the Indian healthcare industry had nothing to worry about. "For the president of a country to admit that healthcare is cheaper elsewhere shows the deficiency of that country. But India is not about cheap healthcare but affordable high quality healthcare. The success rate of heart surgeries in some top Indian hospitals is 99.8 per cent. Indian doctors are skilled." Dr. Trehan commented further that a significant proportion of American patients who had sought treatment in Indian hospitals did not have prior health insurance in the States. "We are fulfilling a need of people who are out of the health care net in the US," he said. Data from the US Census Bureau reveal that around 50.7 million Americans, or about 16.7 percent of the country's population, do not currently have health insurance. The new US healthcare reform law will reduce the number of uninsured but the true effects of this legislation have yet to be realized. The United States's healthcare system must become more cost-effective if it wishes to maintain and attract the increasing number of globally mobile patients. Healthcare in America has remained very expensive and will be a hot topic in the run up to the US midterm elections in November. Meanwhile in the United Kingdom, efforts could be underway to promote medical tourism and drive prospective international patients towards the nation's private health facilities. While the government is looking to deter excess foreign access to the NHS, independent medical institutions are actively looking for overseas clientele. London & Partners, a comprehensive marketing, investment and tourism agency, has been appointed to encourage visitors to engage with private industry in England's capital city. Many British private hospitals already attract a substantial amount of medical tourists as private patients. International clients choose London due to its convenient central location and the plurality of high quality medical treatment offered in the city. Private medical institutions such as Spire and HCA International specialize in catering to patients from all over the world with an array of services. These companies cooperate closely with global medical referrers and sponsors including country embassies, health offices and private corporate companies in handling efficient international medical care. Companies Mentioned Apollo Hospitals Group
Apollo Hospitals is the largest healthcare provider in Asia, third largest in the world. The company operates 53 hospitals, a total capacity of 8500 beds, across Asia. The company also offers medical consultancy and pharmacy services. Apollo Hospitals was founded in 1983 and is based in Chennai, India
Medanta - The Medicity
Medanta is one of India's largest multi-specialty institutes located in Gurgaon, in the National Capital Region. The institute includes research centers and medical and nursing schools. Medanta has 1250 beds and 45 operation theatres catering to over 20 different specialties.
Spire Healthcare
Spire Healthcare is a private hospital network in the UK whose mission is to be the best private provider of quality healthcare. Spire Healthcare has 26 year heritage in the private healthcare sector.
The Hospital Corporation of America (HCA)
The Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) is the largest private operator of healthcare facilities in the world. HCA operates some 170 acute care, psychiatric, and rehabilitation hospitals in the worldwide.