Topic: Americans go to Mexico for medicals to cut costs. - page 2. (Read 1022 times)

I always used to wonder why generic medicines in the United States cost 10x to 100x what they cost across the border in Canada and Mexico. Here in India, one vial of insulin costs as low as $1.25. The same vial (with exactly the same composition) costs $100 in the United States. And it is not like insulin is covered by any of the medical patents. When Frederick Banting discovered insulin back in 1923, he refused to put his name on the patent. He could have made billions of USD from it, but he selflessly refused it and made sure that patients receive insulin at cheap rates. 100 years have passed and Banting will be turning in his grave after witnessing how the criminal pharma companies are fleecing diabetes patients in the United States with their super-expensive insulin.   

Health insurance and expenses are really expensive in the US, but when it comes to opportunities as well as finding a job, there are a lot of them, but again, it is not enough for those like minimum wage earners in that country. Also, not only in the US but also in other countries, their surgical operations are expensive, which is why they are flying to other countries to get them done.

That is a good piece of information shared and I have reletive who travel to their home town becasue they think America is way to expences

do you lived in US? most of the news I've heard is that they are really fast in actioning those things like giving birth or any emergencies but the only problem is that it is very expensive that even the middle class people cant afford it which is why they venture to other countries but again those cases like giving birth is that they don't have a choice that is why they save a lot of money just for giving birth even it is a normal delivery.

Americans go to Mexico for medical treatment is because that medical care in Mexico can be significantly less expensive compare to the medical expenses in the United States. Some medical procedures that are not approved or covered by insurance in the United States may be available in Mexico. Some people may choose to go to Mexico because they feel that they can receive higher quality of care or a more personalized experience. If I live in America i will do the same, I will go to Mexico to have a quality health care that is more cheaper than in the United States.

I disagree - Americans are in the best country but they go through the natural process - for example in our country if there is any delivery case they would go for c section in 4/5 hours but in states they would wait for whole 2 days to for the normal delivery

america is the super power and they are the best in everything but having high price for the things are making life difficult for them.
But there is no harm in going to Mexico if you get good facility for less money

I agree that the Americans are not in the best country for medical services, because the cost of medical tourism is high, and they would probably find the best doctors to treat the patients. Because the cost of health and the cost of physical health is high, people will definitely go to their country for cheap, and their costs would be so much lower. The cost of living is high, but we don't think that most people would use medicine for this, because they will be able to afford it in the end.

we have spent the COVID attack at home once I took my mother to hosp and we didnt get up for aprox 10 days. Its better to take self medication when there are minor issues

Sure. People are living in a flat world thanks to the internet, the development of communication and medicine.
Medical companies are inherently swindlers, earning the highest possible profit on the health of their patients. This has been condemned for many years. There are many medical-related cases. Most recently related to the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

I don't know if traveling accross the world gig still a funny joke or a reality anymore, but there are stuff you could literally move across the globe, live in some other nation for a whole year, get treatment, come back to USA and still pay less than what you would have paid in USA. This was a joke about hip replacement as far as I can remember but that is the reality they live in. In Turkey we have both private and public hospitals, a great way if you ask me, if you are a poor person you go to the public one, our taxes pay for it, and everyone gets nearly free, something tiny like a few bucks last I checked (17 lira, literally less than a dollar) for the appointment, and medicine is free too, well not free but once again, about a dollar, nothing. But if you are rich, we have world class hospitals too ,places you can get every bit of you checked if you are willing to pay for it. The difference is that I took an appointment for MR at a public one, they gave me appointment for 42 days later, obviously I said screw that and went to private one which cost me just 80 dollars, but our healthcare system is amazing compared to USA, or even UK, one of the few things I would say perfect levels, we may lack many things, but healthcare system is top notch. USA? You would spend 5k just for root canal to a single teeth, I am sorry but if you can't fix that, then you don't want to fix it, because anyone who wants to fix it, could do that in a second. As long as American politicians get bribes from medicine industry, they will not work towards ever fixing it.

According to the statistics of the World Health Organization, the healthcare system in Mexico is ranked among the most advanced in the world. The private hospital centers in Mexico are similar in quality and level of health care to those in the United States. This mainly includes accommodation and post-treatment care.
And during my research on the subject, I was able to deduce some of the reasons that encourage Americans to go to Mexico for treatment :
- Medical treatment costs in Mexico: which are very low compared to their counterparts in America, amounting to more than 50 percent less. For example, in plastic surgery, a facelift costs up to $18,000 in America, while it does not exceed $4,500 in Mexico, with an average savings of close to 70 percent.
- Convergence of cultures: since they are two neighboring countries and all Mexican doctors are fluent in English.
- Insurance coverage: Insurance companies provide coverage for travelers coming from outside Mexico at differential prices to encourage more turnout.

This site presents useful data on the state of health services in Mexico, which is encouraging not only for Americans, but for almost the entire population of the continent : https://www.health-tourism.com/

Nobody knows the human body system finished. That is why there are some incumbent president in the world also died from diseases upon all the wealth of the nation. I was also thinking the same with the OP that American has the best medical facilities to cure any disease but from what OP is say that is not true again. And as for the cost I know that Medical services in America is more higher than other countries across the globe. And another reason which I also thought that is making the Americans to visit other countries for medical services because the Americans government do not carry along the poor class (the average) in the mind. That is why cost of living is high. And those who can not afford the bills have to travel out for proper care.

It's not a new or particularly unsurprising phenomenon and takes place in many regions across the world. The fact is that there are massive cost disparities across borders which means that medical staff, facilities and supplies of the same standard can be much cheaper. It happens in Europe with people travelling to places like Turkey for surgery. However there can be some more lax standards in general so you really need to understand the quality of the service you'll get or it can be disastrous for your health.

In this era of globalization, people carefully review their expenses in any activity. In which area expenses are lower, demand for everything is high. Even tough America is the most sufficient countries in the world but it is very natural that people will go elsewhere to meet their expenses. I would agree with you that there are many people in the world who come to Asia for medical treatment. On hand their good treatment and on the other hand reducing the cost of money can be the main motive of that particular people.

Most likely, it will just be done to reduce expenses. People are looking for alternatives that give the same quality but at a lower price due to the rising cost of goods. Due to the extremely high cost of international flights in my country, the same behavior may be seen even among residents who visit other nations to book foreign flights. Even though they perceive no significant differences between the services provided by the two parties in relation to one having a higher cost than the other, people frequently experience increased tension when they are aware that something is cost-beneficial.

People aren’t just insinuating. The US state department has a do not travel advisory warning to its citizens not to travel to some states in Mexico. If you would read the OP, you would note it was mentioned that Americans who crossed over to Mexico for a medical procedure were kidnapped and unfortunately, two from the lot died. If that’s not dangerous, I don’t know what is.

Kidnapping as well as other violent crimes carried out by drug gangs and cartels in a certain areas does not make those places safe for the citizens not less foreigners coming in for either work or pleasure or both.  Insecurity would always hinder tourism in any locale and medical tourism isn’t left out.
Just a few states in Mexico are deemed dangerous and generally, I think Mexico could be considered safe. You’ve just got to avoid certain areas.

There are too many expenses in the hospital and can make a person bankrupt overnight. Going to another place closer and easier like Mexico will save a lot of money. That is smart thinking.
A one-time cure does not necessarily improve health immediately, it is a process. Many people choose countries in Asia to be treated by traditional methods.

If product costs X in your country and 5X in the USA, it doesn't mean that your local company sells it 5 times higher. I would even say that middleman companies may buy it in cheaper price from your local company and manage all the staff to sell it expensively in the USA but that's a different task.

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Standards are very high in Switzerland, Germany, France and in some other European countries too, like Spain, Italy, UK. Do you know that actually according to 2018's study, it costs roughly $2 to $4 to produce a vial of analog insulin? Do you know that pharmaceutical companies spend billions of dollars to make sure that cheaper generics don't get produced? Check this article of Vox. Do you know that republicans blocked cap on insulin costs?

I quite understand you, but it's you that didn't understand me, you are actually not following this in the part of economics. The first thing you should consider is that if the US is exporting expensive things, they are equally importing expensive things (e.g. Of the one I know, my country sells goods to the US in the value of how they sell it in the country (US), not the value of what it worth in my country. Sometimes, they will sell it 5 times more), which could be traced to their standard of living and the strength of their currency. Generally, the power of the US currency and their living standard are like a two-edged sword for them, it could be seen as both advantageous and disadvantageous, especially when dealing with external countries, you are only seeing it in the disadvantageous view which can't balance the scenario. Every country has their standards, while some are better or worse than the US in some cases.

Also, think of where the medical and pharmaceutical equipment is being produced, if it's majorly within the US, then there is no way it will not be costly because of their standard. And thankfully, insurance is working well in the country, the government has thought well on this, which is why their "Medicaid" is fully functional.

It's the external people that would need to plan their medical tourism which I don't see as a by-force to come to the US for it.