Many Americans without health insurance are faced with the prospect of joint replacement surgery, but do not have the means to pay the high rates in the United States. Both knee replacement surgery and hip replacement surgery can cost upwards of $70,000 in the United States — a significant cost by any measure.
As osteoarthritis continues to afflict a growing number of Americans, more and more patients are seeking alternatives to the extraordinary costs in the United States. It is estimated that osteoarthritis afflicts upwards of 20 million Americans, most of whom are over the age of 45. In addition to this, there are over 40 million Americans who do not have health insurance. Since the only long-term treatment to osteoarthritis is total joint replacement, many Americans are left with few options for surgery.
Medical tourism provides a solution to the millions of Americans afflicted by osteoarthritis who have no insurance. By traveling overseas for medical care, patients can experience a savings upwards of 75%. For example, knee replacement surgery in Taiwan can be obtained for less than $10,000. Even after the price of flights and accommodations, many medical travelers find themselves saving tens of thousands of dollars by traveling overseas for their medical procedures.
Uninsured and underinsured Americans have been a topic of much discussion in the healthcare debate. For the thousands of Americans who cannot afford the expensive medical care in the United States, medical tourism offers a low-cost alternative. The standard of care in many medical tourism destinations is as high or higher than that in the United States, and in many cases the doctors are U.S.-trained and educated.
Patients who are considering delaying or forgoing knee replacement or hip replacement surgery, medical tourism is an option that should be considered. Instead of living with pain and reduced mobility, thousands of Americans are traveling overseas to receive much-needed joint replacement surgery at affordable prices.
