November 11th, 2009 by SimpleCare World Health
projects medical tourism to rebound strongly from the effects
of the economic recession in coming years.
The report, entitled “Medical Tourism: Update and Implications”,
says that while outbound medical travel from the United States fell
by nearly 14% between 2007 and 2009 as a result of the recession, it
is predicted to show a strong resurgence as economic conditions improve.
The number of outbound medical travelers could be as much as 5 million
per year by 2017, the report suggests, if the industry continues to grow at
the expected rate of 35% per year.
Paul H. Keckley, executive director of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions,
expects outbound medical tourism to continue its rapid growth despite the
efforts at healthcare reform in the United States. “There is nothing in current
health reform bills that decelerates the cost of care,” said Keckley, “so that
contributes to the appetite that people have.”
Healthcare costs will continue to rise by six percent per year for the next
decade, the report says, making medical tourism an increasingly attractive
option for the aging US population. With medical tourism “offering savings
of up to 70 percent after travel expenses, we anticipate that the industry will
recover from the current economic downturn,” said Heckley. ”Medical tourism
represents an important option for patient populations who need care but lack
adequate out-of-pocket funds to afford a procedure in the U.S., or those who
seek lower prices for purposes of savings.”
Medical tourism represents an important option for patient populations who need care but lackadequate out-of-pocket funds to afford a procedure in the U.S., or those who seek lower pricesfor purposes of savings.
Medical Tourism Blog 