Not only uninsured Americans traveling through the seas for more affordable health care, health insurance companies have now launched programs to support medical tourism.
David Boucher is the president of Companion Global Healthcare, a subsidiary of Blue Cross Blue Shield, and he started a medical "travel facilitator program" in 07. This program allows employers to add international options policies on group health insurance. employers who offer this benefit may even waive co-pays or pay for airline tickets if an employee will travel to another country for expensive procedures.
Companion Global healthcare has negotiated rates with 29 hospitals in 14 countries that are more affordable than the prices of the US services.
Although it can be cheaper to travel for health care, more care must be taken when considering a hospital in another country. It is important for Americans who are considering medical tourism to work with a health insurance company or the medical tourism Association. The Medical Tourism Association will work with consumers and their international suppliers.
CNN also suggested that before consumers consider medical tourism, they should:
- become familiar with the legal rights in the country visited;
- get only the procedures of hospitals that are accredited by the International Joint Commission, and;
- Try to negotiate with local hospitals again.
Many hospitals can try to pay more for uninsured consumers, but may consider a cheaper price if they know a consumer is shopping around.
legislation on health care will significantly reduce the number of uninsured in America. But at this stage, globalization can have a good grip on the health care services and this trend can not disappear anytime soon.
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