1. Will Medial Tourism force prices down in the US? This is a much more complicated economic reality that it sounds. Its not as easy to just lower prices of medical care here in the US. The major issue causing the high cost is Medical Malpractice Insurance costs and the litigious nature of our society. Before this changes costs can’t come down if hospitals and insurance companies wish to maintain a profit.

2. I don’t know the answer about when Medical Insurance Companies and Businesses feel comfortable enough to send patients overseas in large numbers. This will be interesting to see how this pans out.

One thing you should also become aware of in the medical tourism manner of things is the value a service like ours can give. Though I’m from Colorado I live full time in Bombay (Mumbai), India and am a co-director of America’s Medical Solutions, Pvt., Ltd. (www.americasmedicalsolutions.com). We are a private concierge service that does just about everything for the client coming to India. All three of us are Americans living full time in India.

We have chosen to give our concierge services away. We do pickup and delivery to and from the airport and hotels in the finest of automobiles and with professional drivers. We help negotiate purchases and shopping which would otherwise result in “rip-offs” of the unsuspecting, etc. We make advance reservations at the finest hotels and restaurants or guest houses. We help design and obtain any ticketing desired from professional providers and we’ve even been known to bring a McDonald’s® burger or a Dominos Pizza® into patient’s rooms. We know of long term housing at reasonable rates for those who need IVF or other long term procedures, and the finest private hospitals, doctors and clinics the world has ever seen. Think of a Five Star Hotel room with a hospital bed in it and you’ll get the right picture. There is simply nothing on this scale in the west.

While clients are under no obligation, as in a fine restaurant, we average a 15% ( + – ) gratuity if our client believes our services have been worthwhile. This keeps us on our toes for all the best that India has to offer without any axes to grind. And since we have lived here 24/7/365 for so many years, it’s hard to fool us. We are your bridge to Asia and your wish is our command. It’s also a little hard to fool a patient as to whether our services were appreciated or not.

This is medical tourism par excellence!

Don Wood, Director