There have been a few recent posts regarding medical tourism, and I thought I would share my experience and give some tips regarding the matter.
Disclaimer: I have only done dental “medical tourism” and I have only gone to Mexico to do so. Medical tourism refers to traveling to a tourist destination with the main purpose of receiving treatment. One of the reasons that medical tourism has become more popular is due to cost of treatment and availability of treatment. The first of this, cost. As many people know, the cost of health treatment – especially in the United States – is typically very expensive. So expensive that for serious procedures you can pay for a plane ticket, rental car/transportation, a place to stay, and the procedure for cheaper than it would cost to do it in the United States. The second part, you must remember that frugality doesn’t mean only getting the best deal. Medical Tourism is great because if you cannot get an appointment for a necessary surgery for several months, you can pay extra money to travel to a different location where you can get the same surgery. Even if it costs more to travel, the cost of taking care of the problem sooner is worth more than taking the risk that the problem will get worse.
Would I recommend it? Yes, I would recommend it. I have had a gum graft and a jaw surgery done in Mexico, but my main story I use is the gum graft. After going to multiple periodontists and oral surgeons, I was quoted an average cost of $5,000 after insurance. I thought this was just too high so I began to look into medical tourism. I sent a quote to medigo.com, and within a few days they had me scheduled for an appointment in Los Algodones, Mexico (20ish minutes from Yuma, Arizona. I liked this so I could sleep in the United States to feel more safe.(I’m not saying other countries are not safe, I was just more skeptical at the time)) The reason I used Medigo is because they certify clinics and will only recommend a clinic to you if they have done thorough research to make sure it is legit. I know there are other websites and companies that do a similar thing, but I never had a problem with Medigo so I figure why go with someone I don’t trust? Medigo also assesses your needs and they even can help with discounts on your travel.
After a plane ticket, the procedure, a car rental, and an AirBnb I was close to $2,100. The procedure was just like any procedure I have done in the United States. However, I was scared when I got there. The outside of the dental office looked…. sketchy… I thought. But the inside was just the same as any dental or surgeon office I have ever been in the U.S. As the dentist proceeded to do the surgery, everything went smoothly. The doctor and staff spoke English and there was no language barrier. I paid exactly what they gave me as a quote. No extra fees. I had an awesome experience, and saved a lot of money. I would recommend it to anyone who needs to get an expensive surgery done.
Tips and advice:
-
Use a 3rd party site to take care of everything. Like I said, I used Medigo. There are other options available, but make sure you do your research not only with the 3rd party site, but the clinic as well. Be sure they are legit and don’t scam medical tourists.
-
Stay inside. Especially if you are in a foreign country, don’t go outdoors while it is dark outside. The light is your friend and is the best way to assure now harm will come to you.
-
Transportation. If you are going to Mexico, I wouldn't recommend driving in because of car burglary. So if you can walk to through the border, that’s the best option. If you take a taxi in Mexico (and since this is the Frugal subreddit), you tell the taxi driver what you will pay them. Don’t let the driver tell you or you will spend more money than thought. Mexico taxis don't always have a set rate. You tell him "I pay you $xx to take me to the airport. If he asks for more, just tell him you will wait for the next taxi. Of course make sure you have a fair price, but don’t let them scam you out of money. Also there are plenty of buses to and from Mexican cities and the airport.
-
Do I trust it? I trust the clinics there because many of the dentist have gone to several years of dental school and practice in the US. I am very skeptical with most things, but as long as you do your research, you do not have to be skeptical about this.
-
Mexico is not the only place to go. I speak from experience in this post, but there are tons of countries where you can get cheap or efficient work done, whether dental or health related. I simply say Mexico because I live closer to Mexico than any other country, so it is the easiest and most cost effective place to go.
-
Opportunity cost. This is probably my best tip I could give to the Frugal subreddit. It is something many people get wrong about anything that will save them money. You have to take into account not only the things I mentioned above (e.g. Car rental, place to stay, food, airplane/travel), but also the Opportunity cost. If you have to take off 3 days of unpaid work making $160 per day, in reality you are paying $480 more to go to a different place. Is it worth that much money? If the difference is close to $500, you might just stay in your own country instead of losing out on work time. Opportunity cost is one of my favorite things to talk about in economics, and it’s something that people don’t always think of.
I hope this helps in some way to any person with questions about this.
February 21, 2018 at 12:45PM
