Medbirds- Medical Tourism Leader

Mexico the new dental destination - Chicago Tribune Archives

2010-03-29T21:58:00.001-07:00

Mexico the new dental destination - Chicago Tribune Archives

Americans flock to border town that takes bite out of high prices found in U.S. clinics

LOS ALGODONES, Mexico—The sales pitches start just a few steps after you cross the border into Mexico. They come in the same half-whispers familiar to tourists who have been offered time-shares and T-shirts.

“Excuse me, sir,” a Mexican man politely asks in accented English. “Are you looking for a good dentist?”

“Got one,” a silver-haired American says, not even breaking stride.

This is the kind of commerce that has turned a sleepy village on the U.S. border into the latest boomtown of medical tourism, the practice of traveling abroad to get medical care. From face-lifts in Costa Rica to heart surgery in India, medical tourism has become a $60 billion enterprise by one estimate.

Los Algodones, population 4,000, is home to about 350 dentists geared to foreign patients, including snowbirds from Chicago and elsewhere in the upper Midwest. Their treatment comes at a huge discount—70 percent or more—from what Americans pay at home, a reality that many patients call an indictment of U.S. health care.

But U.S. medical authorities warn that this desert outpost is a medical Wild West, an unregulated environment where substandard providers can hang their shingle without the same oversight that exists in the United States.

Rubbing his jaw after getting a dental implant, Wisconsin native Carl Zeutzius downplayed those worries, saying he was pleased by the care and by a bill that was 75 percent cheaper than in the U.S.

“We’re in favor of helping the economy in the United States, but we don’t want to be ripped off, either,” said Zeutzius, who winters in Arizona with his wife, Chris.

Longtime dentists in Los Algodones say that, two decades ago, there were only about a dozen dentists, and the village drew only the occasional visitor looking for cheap trinkets or R-rated pastimes.

But as health-care costs in the U.S. rose and Arizona began drawing retirees and snowbirds, more foreign visitors began coming for dental care. The boom began in the late 1990s as dental offices began displacing cheap bars known as cantinas.

A recent survey reported about 350 dentists working in 160 offices. While pharmacies and eye doctors also share the sidewalks with quesadilla stands and souvenir vendors, dental care is the real engine. A Phoenix company, Dayo Dental, organizes van rides to make the three-hour run each way. TLC Dental has even opened a bed-and-breakfast adjacent to its dental office for visitors who want to make an overnight trip of it.

The consulting firm Deloitte found that 2 in 5 Americans would go abroad for medical care if they could save 50 percent of costs and were assured that the quality of care was comparable.

Another survey, by McKinsey & Co., said most patients travel in search of more advanced technology but that the industry’s growth potential lies in those seeking to reduce expenses, such as the patients in Los Algodones.

McKinsey said a new international accreditation system that certifies a foreign provider’s adherence to U.S. guidelines for care will only boost medical tourism as patients feel more comfortable.

Experts say one reason for the cost disparity is that U.S. providers must guard against devastating malpractice lawsuits by securing expensive insurance—costs that are passed on to the consumer.

As troubling as those high costs are, they are necessary to create a system in which a patient has recourse against an unethical or incompetent medical provider, said Kevin Earle, executive director of the Arizona Dental Association.

Earle said his member dentists have reported countless examples of having to fix problems in patients who have gone to Mexico for care. One patient came to the hospital bleeding heavily from the mouth—the Mexican dentist had ignored that the patient was taking a blood thinner, Earle said.

“Our dentists worry about their patients,” he said. “They don’t want to see them harmed in any way.”

Patients in Mexico can complain to two main governmental bodies. The Federal Consumer Prosecutor’s office handles complaints about unethical billing. The National Medical Arbitration Commission mediates disputes about substandard medical care. However, neither body has a full-time presence in Los Algodones or the ability to extract compensation.

Dr. Salvador Alvarado, general secretary of the arbitration commission’s state office in Baja California, said his group did not receive a single complaint from Los Algodones last year. But he acknowledges that the statistic is not a true indicator of the quality of dental care because U.S. patients likely would find it difficult to file a complaint in Spanish to an office 50 miles away.

The dental association in Los Algodones also polices its members and intervenes in disputes, said Dr. Edna Chavira, the group’s president. The association collects complaints from patients but acknowledges the group’s reach is limited because only about a third of the town’s dentists are members.

Many dentists and patients in Los Algodones point to Dr. Carlos Rubio as an example of what’s right with Mexican care. Rather than try to compete on price, Rubio said he wants to succeed on quality. The American-trained dentist’s office contains a digital X-ray machine and other high-tech devices.

Rubio says he worries that less-professional dentists will ruin the town’s reputation for everyone. He says it is common for Mexican dentists to move to Los Algodones from the interior to make a quick buck, especially as medical schools produce more graduates than there are jobs.

“Wherever you go—London, Canada, Chicago—you’re going to find the best, the average and the bad. We are no exception,” he said. “Sadly, there are too many businessmen taking advantage of this phenomenon, who will say: ‘Do you want to work with me? How well do you work—who cares?’ ”

One of his patients, Kate St. Clair, said she thought her friends were crazy when they suggested getting dental care in Mexico. Now she is a believer.

“I [initially] drove down here with the full expectation of walking in the door and walking right back out,” said St. Clair, of Prescott, Ariz. “But I’m actually happier than with the care I had in the States.

“The one sad thing of all this: What does it say that our health-care system, for being the most affluent country in the world, is so abominable that we can’t provide the care we need?”

Medbirds was created specifically to target those individuals who are open to traveling abroad for the ideal combination of top quality care and low health care costs. Contact us today on Medbirds.com or by calling 888- 756-7774.

Medical Travelers Find Solution to Costly Health Care

2010-03-25T00:05:00.000-07:00

The per capita cost of health care in the United States is about twice that in other major industrialized countries. Overall, U.S. health care costs have risen to over 15% of the Gross Domestic Project. It is no surprise, therefore, that medical bills are behind more than 60 percent of U.S. personal bankruptcies. Of note, according to a report by The American Journal of Medicine, most of those who filed for personal bankruptcy were middle-class, well-educated homeowners.

This rising cost in health care has lead to substantial growth in medical tourism to Asia. Americans have learned that medical procedures cost 50% to 90% less in Thailand and India as compared to the U.S. and the quality of care is on par with, and, oftentimes, statistically superior to that of most U.S. hospitals. This makes medical tourism very appealing to millions of patients each year. There is a name for such people. They are called “medbirds”. A “medbird” is person who travels from one country to another in search of less expensive and often more luxurious health care. As it turns out, the company that coined the term is also the leading medical tourism facilitator in the U.S. (www.medbirds.com).

For many, medical tourism is simply a better option than staying in their home country to get treatment. Lower costs, quicker treatment, better quality care and the possibility of recovering in some beautiful tropical location have helped to make medical tourism a growing international phenomenon.

Author: Conrad Crane

Medical Care International, Inc.

Why Medical Tourism Can Solve Your Health Care Problem

2010-03-23T13:26:00.001-07:00

(and they can't)

Let’s face it. We are sick of healthcare. We are sick because we don’t have healthcare. We are sick because we (or people we love) can’t afford healthcare. We are sick of talking about healthcare. We are sick of the debate about healthcare. And after a year of having the twists and turns of the debate shoved through our television screens, we are sick of not even knowing what the proposed solution is... let alone whether it will work or not.

Here is where medical tourism comes in. It provides a solution for your healthcare problem, and guess what—it doesn’t even need two-thousand-plus pages of legislative lingo to do it. The idea of medical tourism is simple—it provides an English-speaking liaison between you and international health providers at hospitals equipped and geared towards international patients—usually at a third to a tenth of the cost.

Why Congress Can’t Solve Your Healthcare Problem

Let’s imagine that you or someone you love has a healthcare problem but because they are uninsured or underinsured, they cannot receive the necessary treatment. Here is the key question: What would change in your life if Congress’ healthcare bill were passed tomorrow? The answer: Problaby nothing. The vast majority of the bill will not be implemented until roughly 20151, and even then, this bill does not include any public option, so every American will still be at the mercy of their private health insurance provider.

Here are the key changes that would be implemented within one-year under the pre-reconciliation bill (we don’t yet know what will be in the reconciliation bill):
Caps: Insurance companies will not be able to place a cap on coverage amount. However, unless the insurance company has informed you that your healthcare problem is covered, but you have exceeded your cap, this will have no effect on your coverage.

Pre-Existing Conditions: The government has set aside money to support uninsured Americans with pre-existing conditions. The manner, requirements, and amount of support is still unclear.

Dependants: Children may be covered by their parents’ plans until age 26 (currently children may be covered until age 25). 2

As you can see, the changes that could go into effect within the first year are meager. Additionally, these potential benefits are likely to be delayed. Between the steep opposition and procedural hurdles, the almost certain legal challenge to the bill’s constitutionality, and the necessity of implementing new government programs to administer the bill’s benefits, it is likely that any actual effect on any individual’s life is still too remote to factor the bill into any solution to your healthcare needs.

Ok, but let’s imagine that our country took a completely different path and went the way of our friends to the North (Canada) or across the pond (United Kingdom) by passing and implementing universal healthcare—that would solve our problems, wouldn’t it?

Again, the answer is: Probably not. Countries with universal healthcare oftentimes have problems with quality and speed of care. For example, when Canadian Prime Minister Danny Williams was diagnosed with a heart murmur, did he go through the state-run health programs? No. Instead, he went to a foreign country and told the media: "This was my heart, my choice and my health, I did not sign away my right to get the best possible health care for myself when I entered politics.”3 Also, on March 14, 2010, England’s soccer superstar David Beckham ruptured his Achilles tendon. Did he use state-run medicine? No; instead, he flew to Finland for his surgical procedure.4

Bottom line is this: Even if healthcare passes, if you have a need for healthcare that is not currently being met, it will not be met for at least several years. Rather than suffer in vain while the political elephants and donkeys continue to battle over solutions that may never solve your healthcare problem, maybe it’s time to take a proactive approach, and see how medical tourism can help you right now.

--By Condor Crane
www.Medbirds.com

CHANGE of Guard: health care

2010-03-22T01:06:00.000-07:00

One of our partner hospitals in India-- Wockhardt-Fortis Hospital-- shows their relevance in our lives once again:

It's time to discover your global health care option. Visit Medbirds today to begin your road to improved health in a global way.

TOP 10 Reasons Patients Go to Asia for Medical Tourism

2010-03-04T12:55:00.000-08:00

Medbirds is a U.S.-based medical tourism facilitator that connects patients to leading medical facilities in Thailand and India for affordable, high-quality health care. The company was founded by a seasoned group of U.S. health care professionals and has expanded rapidly to become a major player in the global health care market. With its headquarters in the U.S. and offices overseas, Medbirds is able to offer its clients full service capabilities. Medbirds has top 10 reason to tell why people come to Asia like Thailand and India for Medical tourism as following :

1. Thailand and India Boast Some of the Best Hospitals in the World : Thailand and India have, over the years, spent furtively in developing their medical tourism infrastructure and established over 30 English speaking hospitals, innumerable dentistry clinics and other alternative healing centers. Some are accredited to prestigious boards including the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and the International Organization for Standardization.

2. Incredible Service : It is no joke when Westerners write on the Internet or chat in bars that the service, look and ambiance of Thailand’s and India’s hospitals is similar to that of a five-star hotel. The treatment received from doctors, nurses, orderlies, administrators, and technicians is outstanding and the doctor patient ratio is as low as 1:4.

3. Extraordinary value for the money: Foreign patients can expect to pay just 10-50% for the cost of treatment, in comparison to what they would pay back home. The likes of hip surgeries, teeth whitening, face lifts, x-rays, mastectomies, and heart bypasses can all be performed at very affordable prices. With the money they save they can enjoy a memorable holiday and even go back home with cash leftover.

4. Specialize In Serving Foreign Patients: The renowned hospitals in Thailand and India specialize in serving foreigners and have attracted millions of patients from the United States, Europe and the Middle East.

5. International Accreditation : The standard of treatment at our network hospitals is considered in North America as one of the highest in the world with most of their doctors holding U.S. professional certification. Our network hospitals have international JCI accreditation; this is an organization which is the primary inspector of hospitals, nursing homes and other medical institutions in the U.S. Many of the physicians at our network hospitals are trained in Europe and the U.S. and hold medical credentials from there. The hospitals also have working relations with Western hospitals. Notably, the UK Foreign and Common Wealth Office stated that Bangkok has “Excellent International Hospitals” and the U.S. State Department has stated that Bangkok also offers “Excellent facilities for routine long-term and emergency healthcare.”

6. State Of The Art Technology: The most up-to-date state of the art developments and technologies have been introduced in our network hospitals to enhance medical facilities and treatment.

7. Unique Procedures: Many hospitals offer treatments which are not offered elsewhere.

8. Excellent Long-lasting Outcome: Several of our hospitals have been recognized for the results of their outstanding track-record of treatments .

9. Thailand and India are Amazing for Relaxing: On top of having treatments conducted by highly trained and skilled doctors, patients can also enjoy a marvelous holiday in some of Asia’s prime tourist destinations. Patients can experience spas and resorts which are universally famous for exceptional service and comfort – all while looking out over beautiful virgin beaches or remote mountains.

10. International Health Care System: Our network hospitals provide prompt and complete response in any emergency situation and are recognized outside of Asia as having standards equivalent to that of those in the West. Our network hospitals are accredited according to standards that meet or exceed those in North America

Medbirds offer over 200 high quality medical and dental procedures at 60-80% less than the cost for the same treatments in the U.S. Call Today: (888) 756-7774 or visit Medbirds at http://medbirds.com/

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Medbirds offers affordable access to the finest internationally acclaimed hospitals in Asia. We offer over 200 high quality medical and dental procedures at 60-80% less than the cost for the same treatments in the U.S. For a safe, enjoyable and successful medical tourism experience, trust in America’s best medical tourism company.

Growth of Medical Tourism

2010-03-04T12:34:00.000-08:00

It is expected that medical tourism will become a $40 billion business by 2010. The projected increase in the number of American medical tourists is from 750,000 in 2007 to 15.75 million in 2017. Worldwide, medical travel is growing rapidly and places like Thailand and India have become major world centers attracting people from all corners of the world to their top-quality surgical and medical facilities.

Why do people travel abroad for medical tourism? Cost is the big reason. Today, forty-seven million Americans are uninsured. The cost of treatment for medical or surgical procedures in the U.S. is often prohibitive and far beyond the average person’s ability to pay for it. Many people who need help put off seeking it because they simply cannot afford it. Many surgical procedures (i.e. heart bypass, joint replacement, spinal disc repair, Lasik eye surgery, Lapband weight reduction surgery) cost 50% to 90% less abroad. Those huge savings can make the cost of even major medical care affordable for anyone forced to pay out of pocket for treatment. Medical tourism companies like Medbirds (www.medbirds.com) are helping patients find affordable, high quality surgeons and facilities abroad. Medbirds is a U.S.-based medical tourism facilitator founded by a seasoned group of U.S. health care professionals and has expanded rapidly to become a major player in the global health care market. The company connects patients to 5-star medical facilities in Thailand and India. These two countries are clearly the strongest choices in terms of price, capability and quality.

Even when a medical tourist factors in the cost of airfare for himself and his companion (accommodations, meals, other travel-related expenses, and the cost of the procedure itself), the cost savings are striking. In most cases, even when patients fly halfway around the world and stay at top hotels, they are still saving huge sums of money as compared to having received care in North America. For more information on Medical Tourism, see: WSOC-TV July 2009, 9 Investigates: Patients Going Outside U.S. for Cheaper Medical Treatments.

What is Medical Tourism?

2009-11-30T23:22:00.000-08:00

Medical Tourism is the term used to describe traveling to a foreign country to receive medical care. This includes required medical surgeries, cosmetic surgeries, drug/alcohol rehabilitation, dental procedures and fertilization treatments, among many others. It is typically performed in a vacation destination at a fraction of the cost.
Medbirds is a growing, top-performing medical tourism provider. They are especially personable and focused on patient-needs throughout the process of medical consultation, travel arrangements, accompaniment throughout the medical services in the foreign country, and follow-up care.

An excellent article about Medical Tourism on eMaxHealth by Deborah Mitchell follows:
In an attempt to rein in exploding medical costs, a growing number of health insurance companies are offering their customers, both individuals and employers, an opportunity to get their health care overseas. Some medical and dental procedures overseas can cost up to 80 percent less, excluding travel costs, than in the states.
Medical tourism, according to the international nonprofit organization Medical Tourism Association, is a practice whereby “people who live in one country travel to another country to receive medical, dental and surgical care,” which they do “because of affordability, better access to care or a higher level of quality of care.” One of the principles of the Association is to provide unbiased information and education for health insurance companies, patients, and employers about available hospitals and medical and dental services.
In the past, most medical tourists were wealthy or uninsured. Today, however, more and more of them have health insurance. According to a 2008 survey conducted by Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, nearly 40 percent of Americans said they would travel overseas to receive medical treatment if the cost was cut in half and the quality of care was comparable.
As more and more Americans make the trip overseas—80,000 traveled to Bangkok’s Bumrungrad International Hospital in 2006 alone, according to Managed Care magazine—health insurance providers are slowing joining in. Among them are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, and Georgia-based BasicPlus Insurance Services, and an increasing number of others are making inquiries.
One concern about surgeries and medical procedures performed overseas is follow-up care. Patients need to know how such care will be handled, especially if complications arise. Some US insurance providers have agreements with foreign hospitals to coordinate post-procedure care.
Some services, such as hip and knee surgery, heart valve replacements, spinal fusions, coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and many dental surgeries, are good candidates for medical tourists. Others, such as bone marrow transplants, need special follow-up care and should be done at home.
Individuals whose health insurance provider offers overseas medical care should consider several factors. Generally, people who have a high deductible plan may find medical tourism economically worthwhile, and some employers are even willing to pick up the travel expenses because the savings to them is considerable as well. High out-of-pocket expenses are common with dental coverage, which makes overseas dental care trips popular as well. Medical tourists should also take along a friend or family member to help them deal with the medical system in a foreign country.
Approximately 750,000 Americans were medical tourists in 2007 and, according to Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, about twice that number will make the trip in 2010. As the number of health insurance companies who offer this option to its premium payers grows, so will the number of individuals and employers who will pack their bags.
SOURCES:
Business Week, November 9, 2008
Deloitte Center for Health Solutions
Forbes.com August 22, 2009
Medical Tourism Association
USA Today August 22, 2009