“To Save Money, American Patients And Surgeons Meet In Cancun,” by Phil Galewitz, Kaiser Health News

“Medical tourism has been around for decades but has become more common in the past 20 years as more countries and hospitals around the world market themselves to foreigners. There are, of course, risks to going outside the country, including the headache of travel and the possibility that the standards of care may be lower than at home. If something goes wrong, patients will be far from family and friends who can help — and it might be more difficult to sue providers in other countries.”

 

LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform):

How about placing demented clients in foreign nursing homes? A Medicaid planner made that suggestion at a conference some years ago. Kind of makes visiting Grandma a bit complicated.