Many countries have built excellent healthcare infrastructures on low budgets, which allows them to deliver care very cheaply. As a result, medical tourism has become popular among travellers who wish to prioritise their health with access to countries that offer high standard quality care at lower costs.
Many countries worldwide are making the most of medical tourism by promoting less expensive healthcare to potential foreign visitors from developed countries where health care is through the roof. Some examples include Asia, South America, and Eastern Europe.
In addition to affordable health care, many of these countries have highly trained, English-speaking doctors just as good as, if not better than, the ones found in the UK.
This article discusses five of the most popular countries for medical tourism.
Turkey
According to statistics, Turkey ranks among the top 10 medical tourism destinations in the world. The significant benefit of receiving treatments in Turkey is the immediate access to very affordable healthcare, saving tourists a lot of money. Turkey is particularly well-known for eye health specialists. It’s worth noting that all UK citizens are entitled to register for a GHIC card. This provides all UK citizens with access to state-funded healthcare on all temporary stays in EU countries. You can apply for a global health card online. Should there be a reason to pay for treatment, then Turkey is one of the most popular options in the EU.
Singapore
The World Health Organisation ranks Singapore’s health care system as sixth globally and the best within Asia. Cancer treatment is a top speciality here, making it a popular choice for cancer patients wishing to save money on treatment. Singapore is one of the most developed destinations in Asia, meaning you will pay more here than in Thailand. However, it’s still much cheaper than the UK and US.
India
India is probably one of the most surprising destinations for medical tourism. India can create a billion-dollar industry serving patients overseas, given the number of individuals travelling there each year. Healthcare costs are remarkably cheap in comparison to the West. India is most famous for bone marrow transplants, eye surgery, hip grafting/replacement, and cardiac bypass surgery. There are also no language barriers for English-speaking patients as their doctors speak good English. Another plus is that the Indian government is easing restrictions on citizens of many countries, making it easier to travel for medical treatment without a visa.
Mexico
One of the main reasons Mexico is a popular destination for medical tourism is the crossover in medical training Mexico shares with the US. This means the standard and quality of care is nearly the same level as the US – the only difference is that Mexico is a fraction of the cost! One of Mexico’s primary treatment focuses is dentistry, with many patients travelling for various procedures.
Brazil
Due to the country’s image-conscious culture, Brazil is one of the leading destinations for plastic surgery medical tourism. Due to the insane demands to look and feel good among nationals, the country is home to far more cosmetic surgeons than anywhere else in the world. Costs for treatment can be up to 60% less than those in Western countries.
It doesn’t hurt to save yourself money when it comes to health care. Other popular countries for medical tourism include Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Malaysia, Thailand, and Panama. The question is, would you travel for cheap healthcare?
