Wockhardt Hospitals Blog

Until recently, most Americans who traveled for medical care abroad went for dentistry and cosmetic surgery or other procedures not usually covered by insurance. However now more and more Americans are beginning to travel to India and South Asian Countries for serious medical treatments and elective procedures such as heart surgery and hip replacements.

While the difference in medical costs are almost one tenth , for example open-heart surgery in the U.S. costs in excess of $100,000, the same procedure at an internationally-accredited hospital in India can cost one-tenth as much. For that reason, even some insurers are starting to add foreign providers to their networks.

BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, for example, has created a medical-tourism unit called Companion Global Healthcare that helps to facilitate care for patients at 18 internationally-accredited hospitals across 10 countries. Members in some group and individual health-care plans can access the foreign hospitals for in-network care; services also are available to uninsured patients.

While its true that most Indian healthcare companies boast of international standards in clinical specialties,some issues like post operative care,long distance travel specially for heart patients remain a problem specially for US and European patients.

It is precisely for these reasons insurance companies have come up with a Insurance plan to cover medical complications specifically for the " Medical Travelers"

Seven Corners Inc., a specialty trip insurer, introduced policies last year covering medical complications for medical tourists. The policies cover treatment of common surgical complications such as a reaction to anesthesia, blood clots and infections during and after treatment abroad. The policies provide no-deductible coverage for unexpected expenses and follow-up care, the company says.

Insurance broker Custom Assurance Placements introduced a similar program called Global Protective Solutions in December. One-time costs start at $70 and increase according to the riskiness of the procedure and the health of the applicant. A policy for major heart surgery can cost $5,000.

courtesy: Wall Street Journal

Just when you had thought that your health comes before anything else in the world and perhaps you would have never thought of delaying your Hip Replacement,comes the news that baby boomers in the US are increasingly putting off their orthopedic treatments , fearing that prolonged absence from work might make them more vulnerable to risking their job.

Dr. Scott Oliver, an orthopedic surgeon at Jordan Hospital in Plymouth, said his department had four orthopedic surgeries canceled just last week. He said one patient who canceled owns an air-conditioning business and was afraid to miss work. Another patient, who did have surgery, was told she risked losing her job if she didn’t return within six weeks, which was shorter than the recommended recovery period.

Doctor Scott Oliver, an orthopedic surgeon at Jordan Hospital in Plymouth, said his department had four orthopedic surgeries canceled just last week. He said one patient who canceled owns an air-conditioning business and was afraid to miss work. Another patient, who did have surgery, was told she risked losing her job if she didn’t return within six weeks, which was shorter than the recommended recovery period.

Across new Hospitals in the US overall volume is down 20 percent, and other surgeons are also reporting cancellations for these election procedure, especially at smaller hospitals. According to Massachusetts Hospital Association numbers, 59 percent of hospitals are reporting a decline in elective surgery for the quarter ending March 31. The MHA did not reveal any numbers for orthopedic surgery.

“There is definitely a palpable increase in concern over missing work and possibly losing a job,” said Dr. Daniel Snyder, an orthopedic surgeon at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Traditional knee replacements can require long recovery periods of six to 12 week.