Treatment FAQ

how many people go to mexico to get medical treatment from the us

by Salma Sauer Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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How many people travel to Mexico each year for medical treatment?

Did you know that on average, 1.2 million travelers visit Mexico from different parts of the world to access medical procedures and treatments that cost 2x more in their country of residence or do not fall within their insurance coverage?

Why do US citizens go to Mexico for health care?

In recent years, Mexico has been a popular destination for US citizens seeking health care. Its proximity to the United States and the relatively low travel costs, have been drawing Americans and Canadians. Numbered among these are also Mexican-Americans, who return home to their family doctor/dentist and save money.

Is it safe to go to Mexico for medical treatment?

Addressing potential safty concerns, Woodman said that while there are potential risks with receiving treatment outisde of the U.S., Mexico is increasingly gaining international recognition for improving its medical facilities, many of which are "world class".

What are the most popular medical treatments in Mexico?

The following are the popular treatments sought by medical tourists in Mexico: Cosmetic surgery. Dentistry. Aesthetic procedures (Botox, etc) Hip replacement. Knee replacement. Orthopedic surgery. Bariatric surgery.

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What is the third biggest contributor to medical tourism in Mexico?

Bariatric surgery, or weight loss surgery, is the third biggest contributor to medical tourism in Mexico. It is estimated to save up to 80% of the cost by undergoing bariatric surgery in Mexico. Orthopedics, IVF, optometry, etc. are other healthcare services that are gaining prominence as a part of Mexico’s medical tourism.

How much does Mexico save in dental costs?

Around 60% of patients visit Mexico to receive high-quality dental care. This can help save more than 70% of the dental care costs in the US. Cosmetic surgery represents around 15% of people traveling to Mexico, helping you save up to 75% of the total cost in America.

Why do people go to Mexico for rhinoplasty?

One of the top reasons why patients seek medical procedures in Mexico is because health care costs in the country are 30-50% cheaper than in the US. For instance, a rhinoplasty costs only around $3,800, which is much affordable than $6,500 in the U.S.

How many tourists will visit Mexico in 2020?

Undoubtedly, Mexico is witnessing exponential growth in medical tourism. According to Statista, around 728 thousand tourists visited Mexico in March 2020 for medical purposes. The number has declined as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak but is estimated to grow in the years to come.

Which country is the second best for medical tourism?

However, one name that instantly comes to mind when talking about medical tourism is Mexico . Offering high-quality medical services, improved customer support, and affordable prices – Mexico has emerged as the second top-rated destination for medical tourism.

Is Mexico a good country?

The affordability of medical procedures in Mexico does not undermine the quality of services one gets in the country. Mexico is rated to have an excellent healthcare system. In fact, the country’s public healthcare system is almost at par with that in European countries such as Switzerland and Europe. Additionally, public medical institutions are considered to have superior healthcare quality as private hospitals.

Is Mexico a medical tourism destination?

Medical Tourism in Mexico. Medical Tourism in Mexico is one of the top five medical tourism destinations in the world. With about a million medical tourists per year, most coming from the United States, and Canada. Mexico medical tourism has seen a significant boom in recent years with thousands of patients flooding a day.

How many medical tourists will be in Mexico by 2020?

The Mexican authorities estimate that the number of health tourists will reach 650,000 by 2020.

How many JCI accredited hospitals are there in Mexico?

Mexico currently has 9 JCI accredited clinics and hospitals, such as the Galenia Hosptial. Several of these hospitals also have CSG Accreditation that is given by the General Health Council of Mexico. Browse our list of hospitals and clinics in Mexico >>.

Where are the best hospitals in Mexico?

Mexico's best hospitals and clinics are based in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Many private clinics that cater for to Americans are located across the US border, in cities like Tijuana, Mexicali and Laredo. Waiting times in Mexico are not a problem and are generally non-existent.

Is malpractice law enforced in Mexico?

Malpractice and Liability Laws in Mexico [ sources] Medical liability is not as strictly enforced by laws in foreign countries as in the United States. Accordingly, it is not surprising to note that malpractice compensation is not as generous.

Is Mexico ranked 61 in the world?

According to the World Health Organization Mexican healthcare system is ranked 61 in the world [ source ]. The private hospitals in Mexico are usually similar in quality and care to those in the United States. There are medical packages which offer accommodation and aftercare away from the urban areas and closer to the vibrant beaches.

Is waiting time for medicine in Mexico a problem?

Waiting times in Mexico are not a problem and are generally non-existent. There is also an option to save on prescription medicine for a quicker and smoother aftercare. Mexican costs of medicines are almost half those of the USA and Canada.

Is bariatric surgery covered by insurance in Mexico?

Mexican hospitals have become popular lately for bariatric surgery for weight loss. This is an elective procedure which is not covered by some US insurers. The following are the popular treatments sought by medical tourists in Mexico:

How many dental refugees are there in Los Algodones?

According to Mayor Christian Camacho, up to 6,000 dental refugees make their way to Los Algodones every day in the temperate season between Thanksgiving and March. The costs savings are hard to debate.

How many people in the US have no dental insurance?

Approximately 74 million people in the US have no dental insurance, according to the National Association of Dental Plans. To put those numbers into perspective, that’s nearly a quarter of the population, or roughly twice the number that lacks health insurance overall. But the problem is much larger than people lacking dental insurance.

Why is dental care so expensive?

One of the reasons dental care is so expensive in the United States is insurance. “The number one most complicated aspect of running a dental office, bar none, is dealing with dental insurance.

How many people crossed the border in 2018?

According to US Customs and Border Protection, border crossings of Mexican and Central American refugees — the border crossings Trump and Fox News rage about 24/7 — ranged from 20,000 to roughly 60,000 people per month in 2018.

Where are the US-Mexico border crossings?

The US-Mexico border crossing at Tijuana, Mexico. The US's "dental refugees" flock to Mexico in the thousands every day, seeking affordable care. The Trump administration is trying to convey panic that there’s an immediate crisis on the southern border, pointing to caravans of desperate people who have traveled thousands of miles.

Is dental work cheaper in Mexico?

Dental work in Mexico is on average two-thirds less than in the US and customers may save 80 percent or more on some costly operations. Those savings derive partially from Mexico’s less expensive real estate and labor costs, but also, Mexico’s dentists don’t graduate with a ton of student debt.

Do dentists accept insurance?

The insurance process is so frustrating, some dentists in the US don’t accept it. If you are paying entirely out-of-pocket, your dentist might give you a discount. Unfortunately, dentists who don’t accept insurance usually demand higher fees. So if you need costly dental care, you’re basically out of options.

Money matters

The biggest selling point of Mexico as a destination for those willing to travel to get medical treatment is that prices are simply lower south of the border.

Quality counts

The second reason that Mexico is building a reputation as a must-visit place within the burgeoning health tourism industry is that it offers excellent quality of care to patients both domestic and foreign in origins.

Proximity takes priority

For lots of Americans seeking medical treatment overseas, a major perk of heading to Mexico over any other destination is that it is simply very easy to reach, whether by air or over land.

Treatment variety impresses

The final talking point regarding Mexico’s health tourism industry and its impact on US patients is that there are simply a large number of different treatments available for ailments of all kinds.

Why do elderly people complain about not seeing the real Mexico?

Some elderly patients, whose entire knowledge of Mexico appears to come from Westerns and footage of illegal border crossings, complain about never seeing the "real" Mexico, because the city they visit has sidewalks and paved roads.

Why are shuttles like Jerry's part of the medical tourism industry?

Shuttles like Jerry's are one part of the medical tourism industry, because no one wants to drive right after surgery (or bring their car to a country they've heard is full of crime).

Can Jerry guess Mexico?

Jerry can generally guess how much a patient knows about Mexico based on where they're from. He'll get people from Texas or New Mexico or Arizona, and they know exactly what to expect from a major Mexican city, especially if they happen to be Latino.

How many people died from heart disease in Mexico in 2014?

Another OECD report found that deaths from heart disease and stroke in Mexico have declined, as well — now at 292 deaths per 100,000 people. In 2014, 252 out of every 100,000 Americans died from cardiovascular diseases, according to a study. Trusted Source. in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

How much do Americans pay out of pocket?

CMS reports that overall, Americans pay only 11 percent out-of-pocket. But healthcare costs in the United States are higher than in Mexico, which is one reason Americans continue to cross the border for medical care.

Does Mexico have health insurance?

Mexico has a mix of public health insurance programs, employer-provided health insurance and private out-of-pocket care. And a number of disconnected social security institutes that provide care. That means Americans traveling to Mexico may only be experiencing one aspect of the country’s healthcare system.

What are the procedures that are required for medical tourism?

The most common procedures that people undergo on medical tourism trips include dental care, surgery, cosmetic surgery, fertility treatments, organ and tissue transplantation, and cancer treatment.

What is medical tourism?

Medical tourism is when a person travels to another country for medical care. Each year, millions of US residents participate in medical tourism. Medical tourists from the United States commonly travel to Mexico and Canada, as well as countries in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. People may travel to another country ...

What are the risks associated with medical procedures?

Infectious Disease. All medical procedures have some risk of complications, those associated with procedure done in other countries include wound infections, bloodstream infections, donor-derived infections, and diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV. Antibiotic resistance.

Why do people travel to another country?

People may travel to another country to get health care for many reasons, including: Cost: To get treatment or a procedure that may be cheaper in another country. Culture: To receive care from a healthcare provider who shares the traveler’s culture and language.

What insurance covers medical evacuation?

Obtain international travel health insurance that covers medical evacuation back to the United States. Before planning vacation activities, such as swimming or taking tours, find out what activities are not permitted after the procedure.

Is antibiotic resistance a global problem?

Antibiotic resistance is definitely a concern and a global problem; however, you are more likely to get an antibiotic-resistant infection in some countries. Highly drug-resistant bacteria have caused infectious disease outbreaks among medical tourists. Quality of Care.

How much money does medical tourism generate?

In 2015, it was estimated that medical tourism generated between U.S. $60 and U.S.$70 billion. It was predicted at the time that health tourism would generate at least twice these revenues by 2020. The market in 2019 however is changing rapidly as new laws come into place and the population in general becomes more accustomed to the idea of medical tourism.

How many medical travelers visited Malaysia in 2013?

After visitors number more than doubling in the last 5 years, Malaysia is also becoming a famous destination with 770,134 medical travelers in 2013.

How many international patients are treated at Bumrungrad Hospital?

In Bangkok's prestigious Bumrungrad International Hospital, over 520,000 international patients received treatment at the hospital. Singapore has been a growing medical tourism center in South East Asia with 850,000 medical tourists arriving in 2012.

How many tourists visited South Korea in 2016?

South Korea has now entered the top ten countries in the world in terms of tourist volume. At the last available count in 2016, 390,000 people travelled to Korea as a medical tourist compared to the overall patient volume of 14 million.

How much money can a foreign patient spend on a trip?

Foreign patients can actually spend up to $6,000 on each trip, bringing the total amount of money generated up to $72 billion. This is no small amount of money and countries in Asia and the Middle East are moving to capitalise on a global business that is worth around 36.9 billion in 2018!

Which countries do Americans prefer for dental care?

Americans prefer Mexico, Thailand, Costa Rica, Philippines or Panama for dental services or cosmetic surgeries due to their proximity. Southeast Asia and India are the choice destinations for orthopedic and cardiovascular cases due to the high quality of healthcare, and a significant number of U.S accredited hospitals and physicians.

Is medical tourism profitable?

This is so lucrative that even American hospitals, such as Harvard, John Hopkins and more have begun founding medical centres and clinics outside of the U.S. Over the last few years, medical tourism has gained popularity among highly industrialized countries such as the United States.

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