Should Medical Tourism Go Global? July 22, 2009

Moderated by Dr. Arnold Milstein, U.S. Health Care Thought Leader, Mercer
As healthcare costs rise and job losses leave many uninsured, Americans turn abroad for medical care. Each year, at least 85,000 Americans travel for treatment from dental work to bypass surgery, paying as little as one-fifth what they would pay in the U.S. Employers, healthcare providers and insurers are beginning to embrace what was once a potentially dangerous and rare practice, seeking out accredited international facilities, offering guidelines for those seeking care, and covering medical procedures abroad. Is globalized medicine an efficient way to provide care at lower costs? Or are medical tourists still risking their health by traveling to countries with more infectious diseases, sometimes poor follow-up care, and lax malpractice laws? Zócalo hosts a panel of experts—including John A Gillean, senior vice president and chief medical officer of CHRISTUS Health, and Elizabeth A. Martinez, associate professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medince—to discuss the future of medical tourism.
This event is made possible by a generous grant from the California HealthCare Foundation.
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