Shopping for Surgery: Why International Medical Tourism is on the Rise

When one thinks of comparison shopping, several important buys come to mind. Cars. Televisions. Homes. But shopping around for surgery? Though it sounds surprising, a growing number of people are traveling abroad for medical procedures which are less expensive than those they could receive at home. As defined by the Medical Tourism Association (MTA), Medical Tourism is a situation in which people who live in one country travel to another country to receive medical, dental and surgical care at a significant savings while at the same time receiving equal to or greater care than they would have in the United States. Although it sounds shocking - and dangerous - to travel for the least expensive heart bypass or knee replacement surgery, it is a rapidly growing trend.

The rapid growth of medical tourism is being driven by the increasing cost of health care in the United States and increasing difficulty in obtaining and maintaining health insurance. According to The Washington Post, almost 15% of the U.S. population is currently uninsured, and more than 150,000 Americans traveled abroad for health care in 2006. That number is projected to have doubled in 2007. Some of the top destinations for tourism health care are Southeast Asia and Mexico.