In this tight economy, we all look for ways to cut costs. Healthbase Online, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is among a new breed of companies helping to locate hospitals that can provide specialty surgeries at less than traditional costs through what is called medical tourism.
The patient is often uninsured and must pay up front for costs, and must travel to the hospital that can provide a special procedure for less than perhaps his local hospital could. Healthbase also provides international medical tourism for patients who can travel overseas.
Medical tourism is the practice of a patient "outsourcing" healthcare services to an area outside of his/her home country. Medical travel is becoming more popular, as more people realize its benefits. The main benefits of health tourism include getting the opportunity to travel to an exotic destination and reaping potentially big monetary savings. Many common operations overseas cost a fraction of what they might cost in the United States. For instance, the average cost of rhinoplasty (or nose job) in the U.S. is $6,000; the same procedure in Costa Rica costs only $1,500 (Source: Wikipedia). The savings of $4,500 is more than enough to cover your travel expenses, and you'll get to travel to a new destination.
From: Medical Tourism Guide
For more information:
Medical Tourism, online resources