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Five Reasons more than 20,000 American Travelers Visit Costa Rica for Medical Care
It was bound to happen with health care costs leaping in the U.S. : medical tourism abroad.
Like America's car industry in the 70s and 80s, the medical industry often acts like it is a monopoly having a captive audience such that the American public will continue to pay constantly increasing costs because there are no practical options.
The U.S. health care industry would do well to remember two things
- - - Americans have learned how to vote with their pocketbooks
- - - Detroit
America's Car Industry
Everyone remembers what's happened to the Big 3 car and truck makers. An upstart—-not even American!—-came along, offered better quality cars for less money and sold millions of foreign-made vehicles while American vehicle manufacturers seemed as oblivious to the threat as though they were from another planet.
Consumers voted with their pocketbooks and Detroit lost to a foreign competitor.
America's Health Care Industry
Gallup, one of the world's best pollsters , has published polls showing that 40% of American consumers surveyed have related they'd be willing to travel abroad for major health care needs assuming equal quality of care at significantly less expensive costs.
That percentage rises more for uninsured Americans (now approaching about fifty million).
And, like they demonstrated with the U.S. auto industry, they're increasingly voting with their pocketbooks, hopping a jet for their medical treatment in foreign countries.
Medical Tourism in Costa Rica
As the U.S. medical industry sometimes appears intent on pricing itself out of the market for millions of consumers, that void in care is being met by overseas competitors that have seen explosive growth in the last few years.
Just as Toyota transformed American vehicle buying habits three decades ago, Costa Rica and other nations like India, Mexico, Malaysia, and Thailand are doing the same to the U.S. medical industry—- each trying to take a piece of the projected $100 billion medical tourist pie.
And, though it's one of the smallest countries on earth, Costa Rica is consistently ranked in the top five overseas medical tourism destinations.
It's easy to see why.
1. Cost . In 2009, the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions announced that average prices for American patients was 30-70% from what they'd typically pay back home.
2. Level of Care . The best hospitals in the world are awarded Joint Commission International (JCI) Accreditation and Costa Rica has three privately held hospitals having that distinction, the most of any Central America country.
And, importantly, many doctors are board certified (often trained in the U.S.) and speak English.
3. Prompt Treatment . Many British visitors also travel when they have significant medical issues because, although they have socialized health care the wait time can be terribly lengthy. Not so in Costa Rica.
4. Ease and Affordability of Travel . Unlike India, Malaysia, Thailand, or other Asian countries, Costa Rica is only two and a half hours from Miami. Combined with enough savings to sometimes more than pay for the cost of transportation the convenience and price are powerful incentives.
5. Safety . Fact is that places like Thailand and Mexico have significant safety issues, unlike Costa Rica with its stable democracy.
It's no wonder, then, that over 35,000 annual travelers combine a tropical holiday with medical care in Costa Rica.
Like America's car industry in the 70s and 80s, the medical industry often acts like it is a monopoly having a captive audience such that the American public will continue to pay constantly increasing costs because there are no practical options.
The U.S. health care industry would do well to remember two things
- - - Americans have learned how to vote with their pocketbooks
- - - Detroit
America's Car Industry
Everyone remembers what's happened to the Big 3 car and truck makers. An upstart—-not even American!—-came along, offered better quality cars for less money and sold millions of foreign-made vehicles while American vehicle manufacturers seemed as oblivious to the threat as though they were from another planet.
Consumers voted with their pocketbooks and Detroit lost to a foreign competitor.
America's Health Care Industry
Gallup, one of the world's best pollsters , has published polls showing that 40% of American consumers surveyed have related they'd be willing to travel abroad for major health care needs assuming equal quality of care at significantly less expensive costs.
That percentage rises more for uninsured Americans (now approaching about fifty million).
And, like they demonstrated with the U.S. auto industry, they're increasingly voting with their pocketbooks, hopping a jet for their medical treatment in foreign countries.
Medical Tourism in Costa Rica
As the U.S. medical industry sometimes appears intent on pricing itself out of the market for millions of consumers, that void in care is being met by overseas competitors that have seen explosive growth in the last few years.
Just as Toyota transformed American vehicle buying habits three decades ago, Costa Rica and other nations like India, Mexico, Malaysia, and Thailand are doing the same to the U.S. medical industry—- each trying to take a piece of the projected $100 billion medical tourist pie.
And, though it's one of the smallest countries on earth, Costa Rica is consistently ranked in the top five overseas medical tourism destinations.
It's easy to see why.
1. Cost . In 2009, the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions announced that average prices for American patients was 30-70% from what they'd typically pay back home.
2. Level of Care . The best hospitals in the world are awarded Joint Commission International (JCI) Accreditation and Costa Rica has three privately held hospitals having that distinction, the most of any Central America country.
And, importantly, many doctors are board certified (often trained in the U.S.) and speak English.
3. Prompt Treatment . Many British visitors also travel when they have significant medical issues because, although they have socialized health care the wait time can be terribly lengthy. Not so in Costa Rica.
4. Ease and Affordability of Travel . Unlike India, Malaysia, Thailand, or other Asian countries, Costa Rica is only two and a half hours from Miami. Combined with enough savings to sometimes more than pay for the cost of transportation the convenience and price are powerful incentives.
5. Safety . Fact is that places like Thailand and Mexico have significant safety issues, unlike Costa Rica with its stable democracy.
It's no wonder, then, that over 35,000 annual travelers combine a tropical holiday with medical care in Costa Rica.
About the Author:
One of our favorite pastimes is traveling and, with its many attractions and excellent climate, vacations in Costa Rica are always popular. Come visit the Land of Pura Vida.And, with Costa Rica medical care offering top flight treatments and care at amazingly low prices, why not combine that vacation with a bit of that care.