Plastic surgery, dental implants or a replacement hip in Lima. It’s a must-have destination for thousands of Americans who are seeking medical care out of the country because of the lack of health insurance and the high cost of health care.
It is a secret for nobody, the bounty that means taking quality medical care in the United States. In South Florida, even though there is a public hospital with access for the least-resourced, such as Jackson Hospital, the bills are also high for those without health insurance. I heard about a friend who had a fractured wrist. He was taken to the hospital; they gave him painkillers, put a cast on him and sent him to his house. A month later he got a bill of US$1,800 plus 300 of the greens for the use of a private ambulance.
No one has the exact figures, but the West Palm Beach based Medical Tourism Association (MTA) estimates that thousands of Americans are packing up to travel to Latin America for the most comfortable prices and high-quality care. It is what is called “medical tourism”, one of the great economic opportunities for these countries to become centers of health services for millions of Americans.
The MTA estimates that about 180,000 Americans travel to other countries each year for medical procedures, such as knee replacements, hip operations, regular checkups, or dental surgeries. The reasons for this exodus of American patients are simple: about 50 million Americans lack health insurance, and another 35 million have health insurance with insufficient coverage. Also, many of those who have health insurance go abroad to undergo cosmetic surgeries that are not covered by their insurance in the United States.
Travel Numbers speak for themselves. The cost in Miami to perform extensive dental work, which includes an implant, a root canal treatment and replacement of fillings, costs between US$11,000 and $ 13,000. In Lima, Peru, the same treatment goes for about US$ 3,500. And if more complicated surgeries are involved, a “gastric bypass” that costs about US$ 30,000 in Fort Lauderdale, you pay about $ 7,000 for in Lima, not including travel costs, by the way.
The most important question then, is this: Is Lima Peru well prepared to offer First World medical services? From many studies, the answer is an unequivocal yes.
So, if this exodus of patients and US health professionals is booming, then the doctors and nurses should offer a good, much more personalized service than can be found in most US hospitals. Good medical care with personal warmth is a great attraction for millions of North American health tourists, and Lima, Peru is the latest destination to offer great quality healthcare, excellent doctors and wonderfully modern clinics with all the gizmos, gadgets and technological advances you’d expect at a top clinic in the US or Canada.
Surgery in Peru offers different medical treatments in Peru, like breast enlargement and sleeve for weight loss. If you want to book a consultation or ask any questions, please fill in our contact form.