Right now, in the midst of the novel coronavirus, medical tourism is not what it used to be. But, Americans are still desperately in need of treatment that they cannot afford in the US. Many have no choice but to travel abroad for medical care and, since no one’s out and about, it’s easy to get an appointment.
Ceylan Yeginsu reports for the New York Times on one woman with endometriosis, who lost her job and her health insurance and was forced to put off getting treatment as long as she could withstand the pain because of the cost. She found a hospital in Mexicali, Mexico to perform the hysterectomy she needed at a cost of $4,000. The cost in New Jersey is $20,000.
More than one in every hundred Americans travel abroad for their health care, in order to save money. They tend to go to Mexico and Costa Rica when they need dental care and prescription drugs. They often go to Thailand, India and South Korea for invasive medical procedures, be it to treat cancer or heart disease or some other serious condition.
Not as many people are traveling abroad now for medical care or any other reason because of travel restrictions and quarantine requirements. But, unemployment and uninsurance are leading many low and middle-income Americans without a choice. Care in the US is unaffordable.
And, even though the US-Mexican land border is closed to tourists, Americans can travel to Mexico for dental care and prescription drugs. One Delta Air Lines flight attendant walked across the border at Los Algodones to a dental clinic that replaced his crowns. Instead of paying $25,000 in Florida for the procedure, he paid $7,000.
In case you’re interested, Turkey is a destination for hair transplants. Nationals must observe curfews to help contain the novel coronavirus. But, foreigners do not have to abide by these restrictions. Some suggest that now is the time to go since there’s plenty of availability.
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