Domestic Medical Tourism

Domestic medical tourism is the latest concept in the medical tourism industry. It is the practice of traveling from one city to another or one state to another within one's own country for medical care that is either not available in one's own neighborhood or is less expensively available in another neighborhood.

Domestic medical tourism goes by several other names, such as, medical tourism within US, local medical tourism, inbound medical tourism, out of state medical travel, in-country medical travel, etc.

Watch the video below to learn more about this cost-effective way of receiving medical care within the US.

Benefits of domestic medical travel within USA

1. Low cost for elective high-cost major surgeries


2. High quality of care as hospitals are accredited by the Joint Commission (JCAHO)


3. Shorter traveling distance compared to international medical tourism


4. No language or cultural barriers


5. Access of legal recourse

Hospitals offering domestic medical tourism
Healthbase works with several domestic providers of quality healthcare that are spread across the United States. Find out an accredited hospital near you that offers affordable domestic medical tourism.

Domestic medical tourism - saving money on surgery in US

Medical Tourism is no longer restricted to outbound medical tourism i.e. Americans seeking care outside of the country. Domestic medical tourism is gathering pace as more and more Americans are now crossing state borders to take advantage of cheaper prices available for quality health care out-of-state. It's amazing to know that the price differential on healthcare within the same country can be tremendous if only you take the trouble to shop for it.

Recently Healthbase partnered with many health care providers in several states within the United States. The prices on major procedures that these providers offer to Healthbase clients are as low as 10% of the prevailing cost of those procedures in other typical hospitals within the country. Read more about this partnership.

So how can some US providers offer such low rates?
Patients can avail of such low rates if they choose the one-pay option. AARP Bulletin Today recently covered the story of Rodney Larson, an uninsured Minnesota resident and a Healthbase customer who had his triple bypass surgery at a heart care hospital in Kansas.

According to the bulletin,

As a father to nine daughters, electrician Rodney Larson always looks for ways to cut costs. So in 2008 when he was told he needed triple bypass surgery - totaling $80,000 or more - he shopped around.

Larson, 56, of Boyd, Minn., searched the Internet and found a hospital that would do the surgery for $13,200. The facility, Galichia Heart Hospital in Wichita, Kan., participates in a domestic medical tourism program run by Healthbase Online.

Located in Boston, Healthbase is one of a handful of companies reaching out to U.S. hospitals to provide specialty surgeries at much lower costs than traditional providers. The company also offers international medical tourism - in which patients travel abroad for procedures - but is finding a market for U.S. specialty hospitals.

Most patients who use medical tourism companies are uninsured and must pay upfront for procedures. Larson liked the one-pay option.

"They saved me a lot of money, but the point is, it was excellent care," he says.

Source: AARP Bulletin Today

Available procedures
Most major procedures are available at discounted rates within the US through Healthbase. Procedures fall in the categories of cardiac, orthopedic, bariatric, spinal, etc.

Want to know if the procedure you need is available and how much it costs?

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Medical complications insurance for medical tourists

Medical Tourism Facilitator and International Insurer Partner to Provide New Protection for Medical Tourists

Press Release
January 28, 2009

Seven Corners, one of the industry's most experienced specialty travel insurance underwriters, announces a new partnership with award-winning medical tourism facilitator, Healthbase Online, Inc. By combining Seven Corners' experience in underwriting and administering specialty travel insurance plans, and Healthbase's expertise in matching medical tourism patients with a world-class network of internationally accredited hospitals, the companies have developed the industry's first custom benefits package covering medical complications to be provided to all Healthbase clients.

The strategic alliance between Seven Corners and Healthbase is founded on a shared vision to unify patients seeking medical treatments abroad with relevant medical insurance benefits specifically designed for medical tourists. By engaging the companies' unique and expert competencies in their respective markets, the alliance will allow both companies to better serve the unique needs of medical tourists -- ultimately transforming the medical tourism business by reducing patients' medical costs before, during and after treatments abroad.

"We are the only medical travel facilitator to provide a custom insurance program to our clients as a further commitment to providing high quality medical travel services at an affordable cost," said Saroja Mohanasundaram, CEO of Healthbase. "The insurance program enhances our clients' satisfaction in the economic delivery of quality healthcare; whether they are seeking minor procedures like hernia surgery, or major procedures like knee replacement or spinal surgeries."

The insurance plan provides Healthbase patients coverage for the treatment of common surgical complications such as adverse reactions to anesthesia, stroke, myocardial infarction, deep vein thrombosis, infections and other medical complications incurred during and after their treatment abroad. The insurance plan provides first dollar coverage for medical complications, which further reduces follow-up care and unexpected medical expenses for an uninsured or underinsured patient.

"The cost of the insurance plan is a fraction of the overall cost of the treatment, which in and of itself, is significantly less than the expense of treatment in the United States," said Jim Krampen, executive officer of Seven Corners. "The medical complication benefits we designed for Healthbase clients will provide peace of mind and cover the cost to treat medical complications abroad and when they return home."

About Healthbase:

Healthbase is a one-stop source for global medical and dental choices, connecting patients to internationally accredited providers in 14 countries including India, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Turkey, Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico. Healthbase caters to individual consumers, self-funded businesses, insurers, benefits plan consultants, third party administrators and those using Consumer Directed Healthcare Plans (CDHPs) or voluntary benefit plans. More information at http://www.healthbase.com.

About Seven Corners

Seven Corners is one of the industry's most experienced international travel, expatriate health insurance and trip cancellation providers. For more than 15 years, Seven Corners has served the medical insurance needs of U.S. citizens traveling abroad and foreign nationals visiting the United States.

Seven Corners is a licensed Third Party Administrator as required in certain jurisdictions of the United States. Seven Corners is a Lloyd's of London Coverholder and also enjoys underwriting authority from key AM Best "A" rated carriers, such as Nationwide Insurance Company, The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania (AIG) and Fairmont Specialty Group.

Seven Corners is a member of the U.S. Travel Insurance Association (UStiA), the Medical Tourism Association (MTA) and the International Medical Travel Association (IMTA). More information at http://www.SevenCorners.com.

Cost of surgery abroad

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Septoplasty: How to fix problems of a crooked nose

Brought to you by Healthbase http://www.healthbase.com/ info.hb@healthbase.com 1-888-MY1-HLTH

The surgical procedure to treat problems associated with a crooked or deviated nose, such as chronic sinusitis, inflammation, bleeding, or sleep apnea, is termed septoplasty.

Septoplasty, submucous resection of the septum, or septal reconstruction is a corrective surgery to straighten or repair a deviated nasal septum - the wall between the two nasal passages. Usually the septum is straight and upright, and runs down the center of the nose. A deviated septum occurs when the cartilage or bone of the septum is not straight, thereby narrowing the cavity into which is deviates making breathing difficult. This condition can lead to snoring and sleep apnea, and in certain serious deviations may frequently lead to chronic sinus problems.

Septoplasty is necessary only when the problems associated with crooked nasal septum do not get better without surgery. The surgery may be done along with other procedures to treat chronic sinusitis, inflammation, or bleeding, or to correct sleep apnea. The procedure also may be done to allow access into the nose to remove nasal polyps.

DETAILS OF THE PROCEDURE
The procedure usually involves an excision or cutting of a portion of the cartilage and/or bone surplus. Under general or local anesthesia, the surgeon works through the nostrils, making an incision in the lining of the septum to reach the cartilage targeted in the operation. Often an "L" strut of cartilage in the dorsal and caudal areas (1cm width or more) is preserved for structural support. After excess cartilage and bone have been taken out, the septum may then be stabilized with small plastic tubes, splints, or sutures. The operation takes about 60-90 minutes.

AFTER THE SURGERY
Considerable swelling and bruising can be expected. The nasal cavities may or may not be packed, and a piece of gauze is taped underneath the nose to absorb blood. Postoperative care includes frequent changing of this gauze (roughly every hour or so) and after 1 to 2 days, the excess bleeding normally stops and the inner nasal packing may be removed. The following day, saline irrigations of the nasal cavities are often advised, and the patient may be allowed to gently blow their nose. After 1 to 2 weeks, patients are allowed to blow their nose normally. Patients typically regain about 80% of their energy one week after the surgery.


COST OF SEPTOPLASTY
Login or register to Healhtbase to request a FREE quote for affordable septoplasty surgery.

Healthbase is a medical tourism expert offering over 200 medical procedures and connecting patients to leading healthcare facilities worldwide for low cost high quality medical care. Healthbase also offers affordable medical tourism plans for self-insured businesses looking for affordable healthcare benefits for employees.


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