Why Go To Thailand For Medical Care?
No matter where you are right now, as you read these words, chances are you know one thing for sure: Thailand’s a good distance away. Why would you want to hop on a plane and fly to Thailand for your medical care?
There are several reasons why Thailand can be the ideal location to have your medical work done, particularly if you’re seeking out cosmetic surgery or any aesthetic procedure.
The most common and obvious reason people seek out medical care in Thailand is one of cost. Many cosmetic procedures, ranging from breast augmentation to face lifts to liposuction and gastric bypass, can be done overseas at a fraction of the price these procedures command in the United States. The procedures are identical, performed by highly qualified medical professionals, yet, due to the lower overhead and other associated costs overseas, the total bill can be up to 90% cheaper than it would be here!
Another reason to consider travelling to Thailand for your medical needs is the range of procedures available overseas. The United States is notoriously tightly regulated — some would say OVER REGULATED — which severely limits the availability of some treatments and procedures. While our litiginous system moves at a snail’s pace, patients around the world, including in Thailand’s hospitals and clinics, have access to procedures we simply do not. This can be impetus enough for those patients who don’t have the time or inclination to wait for slow moving regulatory agencies to get with the program.
Finally, it’s always important to remember that medical tourism addresses more than the physical health of hte patient. It’s important to recognize the value of emotional and mental health, both of which can be buoyed up and supported by spending time in an exotic, beautiful country like Thailand.
Flagging US Economy Makes Medical Tourism More Attractive
In a report issued late last month, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons states that the US recession has led to fewer patients opting to have cosmetic work done. What the report doesn’t address is the steadily increasing number of patients who opt to have cosmetic and aesthetic procedures done overseas, particularly in medical tourism destinations like Thailand.
Many patients, having found that a wide range of cosmetic and aesthetic procedures are available overseas for a fraction of the price they command in the US, are choosing to make the best use of their money. Traveling to Thailand allows the patient to have the same — or even more — work done for far less money: a wise economic decision.
The top five surgical procedures done in the US over the past year include breast augmentation, nose re-shaping or rhynoplasty, liposuction, eyelid reshaping, and tummy tucks. For non-invasive procedures, the five most popular are Botox treatments, hyaluronic acid fillers, chemical peel, laser hair removal, and microdermabrasion.
All of these procedures, both surgical and non-invasive, are available in Thailand and other medical tourism destination locations. Increasing in popularity here in the US are reconstructive procedures, which are increasingly covered by health insurance. This provides new opportunities for the patient; remain in the US and have insurance foot the bill for reconstructive procedures, and make the most out of one’s own out-of-pocket spending by traveling to Thailand for cosmetic and aesthetic procedures. The most popular reconstructive procedures includes tumor removal, laceration repair, scar revision, hand surgery, and breast reduction. Two of these procedures — scar revision and breast reduction — are readily available in Thailand.