Medical tourism has always been a slightly daunting, yet highly cost-efficient, way of obtaining needed health care. The idea is simple: patients travel to a different country for medical treatment or health care, at significantly lower costs. As the idea became more popular, most major US health insurance carriers have started offering larger provider networks, including overseas hospitals. Many times, specific treatments or surgeries can be done in other countries at far lower costs than in the United States. But while it might save you a bit of money, is medical tourism really worth it? Taking a trip out of the country certainly cannot be easy, or the least bit enjoyable, when you’re sick or in pain.

And that’s how domestic medial tourism made its debut. Today, employers are becoming increasingly interested in health care networks that allow their employees to access hospitals all across the United States. Geographically, there is a significant variation in health care costs across the country. As crazy as it might sound, for a large employer, it may make actually save them money to send an employee to another state for cheaper health care treatment.

And the employee benefits from the travel as well. Many employers are offering incentives to employees willing to travel for health care, such as a lower health insurance deductible or lower out-of-pocket expenses. Plus, the employer will typically pay all travel costs.

Today, many hospitals and medical facilities are now responding to this new idea by making it easier for those who travel for health care.

• The M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas owns a hotel (operated by Marriott) for patients and their families. There is a nurse on site to draw blood, and the two facilities are connected by a walkway.
• (Washington) Seattle Cancer Care Alliance is also planning a new hotel-type facility for patients and families.
• (Ohio) Cleveland Clinic offers medical concierge service, and will arrange medical appointments, transportation, and hotel rooms.

We’re interested in hearing from anyone who has traveled out of their area for health care treatment. Was it a smooth process, or did it make things more difficult?

And for those of you who haven’t had the opportunity, would you be willing to try medical tourism and travel out of your state for health care? Do you think it’s an important option for your health insurance plan?

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