Insurer Offers Option for Surgery In India | Arthritis Information

 

The program is being tested at Serigraph, a printing company in Wisconsin whose managers have been looking for ways to curb rising health care costs, said Dr. Razia Hashmi, chief medical officer for national accounts for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, which is affiliated with Wellpoint.

“This is a first for us,” Dr. Hashmi said. “We will be monitoring every aspect of this very closely, to make sure everyone is satisfied and there are good clinical outcomes.”

By the year 2010, more than 6 million Americans annually will be seeking medical treatment abroad, according to the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, a consultancy. The potential savings are significant. Knee surgery that costs ,000 to ,000 in the United States can be performed in India for ,000 to ,000, including follow-up care and rehabilitation, Dr. Hashmi said. Similar savings could be achieved for such common procedures as hip replacements and spine surgery.

Joie, a friend I work with had a brother that went to India for spine surgery, he had a verterbral replacement. She told me it went very well. Excellent care, no infection, clean, great food, just nothing bad to say, top notch surgeon. They were thrilled, got to see another country, try new food, and it was all paid for.

I'm happy for folks that cannot afford medical care in the US to have had successful, positive affordable medical treatment in other countries.  The issue this article raises for me is that now we are outsourcing health care?  This relates to the need for health care reform.  Because of the financial crisis, some feel we don't have the money to improve the delivery of health care, but if we do nothing, the cost of health care will escalate and more and more Americans will not have access.  Okay, getting off my soapbox now.  I'd stay there if I were you.  This is oursourcing and it's scary.  I mean its good that they're only doing the 'elective' surgery but they're going to start doing that for 'real' surgery.  You'd think the AMA would be up in arms about this.

NOw I've heard of people going to Brazil for plastic surgery because they do so much more of it there than we do here. India? In India you can sell your kidney for money to someone who needs a transplant. And they are talking about elective procedures, not open heart surgery. I've also heard of people going to Eastern European countries for dental work because it's so much cheaper there.My friends brother did not go there as an outsourcing of care. The surgeon that did his surgery, invented the procedure he had done. He could have had it done here, but wanted the best of the best and the best outcome. I guess I should have stated that. I do think some of us feel that care is inferior in other countries. That is not always the case. That is the point I was trying to make. In all actuality, it was cheaper, including airfare and all for him to have it done there. That to me is the sad part. It is because of the cost that many people go elsewhere. I've read other articles about people having medical procedures performed in other "developing" countries like India.  These medical facilities are accredited by the Joint Commission International so quality of care is comparable to care in the US. 
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