US Insurers Warming to Medical Tourism

If you’re in need of high-priced surgery, your insurance company might have a plane ticket for you. Insurers are starting to warm to “medical tourism” for the same reason uninsured Americans are: Surgery is significantly cheaper overseas. At least 150,000 Americans go abroad for medical procedures every year; insurance typically covers just a handful, but the number is rising rapidly, MSNBC reports.

With analysts predicting savings at $20 billion a year, “I think the initial incentive will be for patients to avoid out-of-pocket costs and for employers to begin lowering their medical benefit costs a bit,” said Blue Cross rep. “But I am confident that what we will see is a steady stream of patients returning to the US as true disciples of this opportunity.” (More health insurance stories.)