Jan 20, 2021 - Health

Medical tourism survives pandemic

Marisa Fernandez

Illustration of a medical mask with a hundred dollar bill on it crumpled on the ground — Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Americans are still traveling to other countries for medical procedures, despite safety concerns and travel restrictions brought on by the pandemic, The New York Times reports.

Why it matters: Medical tourism took a hit last year, but not a fatal one, especially after the pandemic cost millions of Americans their jobs and their health insurance.

The big picture: Pre-pandemic, millions of Americans traveled to other countries for savings of between 40 to 80% on medical treatments, according to the global medical tourism guide Patients Beyond Borders.

The state of play: Some countries that have closed their borders to tourists still allow essential travel, which includes medical procedures.

Mexico and Costa Rica have become the most popular destinations for dental care, cosmetic surgery and prescription medicines.
Thailand, India and South Korea draw in patients for more complex procedures including orthopedics, cardiovascular, cancer and fertility treatment.

Go deeper: Even insurers will sometimes foot the bill for "pharma tourism."

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Medical tourism survives pandemic

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