Medical Tourism  

Medical Tourism India is a developing concept whereby visitors can avail medical treatments in India. Patients going to a different country for either urgent or elective medical procedures is fast becoming a worldwide, multibillion-dollar industry.

The reasons patients travel for treatment vary. Many medical tourists from the United States are seeking treatment at a quarter or sometimes even a 10th of the cost at home. From Canada, it is often people who are frustrated by long waiting times. From Great Britain, the patient can't wait for treatment by the National Health Service but also can't afford to see a physician in private practice. For others, becoming a medical tourist is a chance to combine a tropical vacation with elective or plastic surgery.

India

India is promoting medical tourism-and now it is moving into a new area of "medical outsourcing," where subcontractors provide services to the overburdened medical care systems in western countries.

India's National Health Policy declares that treatment of foreign patients is legally an "export" and deemed "eligible for all fiscal incentives extended to export earnings." Government and private sector studies in India estimate that medical tourism could bring between $1 billion and $2 billion US into the country by 2012. The reports estimate that medical tourism to India is growing by 30 per cent a year.

Western patients usually get a package deal that includes flights, transfers, hotels, treatment and often a post-operative vacation.

Approximate Comparitive Prices - India and USA

S.No Procedure India (approx price in $) USA (approx price in $) Savings(approx price in$)
1

Breast Enlargement (Implants)

2000 - 2500 7000 - 10000 72% - 75%
2 Breast Lift (Mastopexy) 1500 - 1800 5000 - 6000 70% - 70%
3 Breast Reduction 1600 - 2000 5000 - 7000 68% - 72%
4 Buttock Implant 3000 - 3500 15000 - 18000 80% - 81%
5 Cheek, jaw and Chin Implants 1000 - 1500 3000 - 4500 67% - 67%
6 Dermabrasion (Skin Peeling) 500 - 700 2000 - 4000 75% - 83%
7 Ear Reshaping (Otoplasty) 500 - 1000 2000 - 5000 75% - 80%
8 Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty) 1000 - 2000 4000 - 5500 75% - 64%
9 Facelift (Rhytidectomy) 1200 - 3000 7000 - 9000 83% - 67%
10 Hair Transplantation 1000 - 1500 4000 - 10000 75% - 85%
11 Lip Augmentation 500 - 700 600 - 2000 17% - 65%
12 Liposuction (Abdominal) 1000 - 1500 2500 - 4500 60% - 67%
13 Liposuction (Thighs) 1000 - 1500 2500 - 4500 60% - 67%
14 Liposuction (Under Chin) 1000 - 1500 2500 - 4500 60% - 67%
15 Male Breast Reduction (Gynecosmastia) 1000 - 2500 5000 - 10000 80% - 75%
16 Neck Lift 800 - 1500 3000 - 15000 74% - 90%
17 Nose Job (Rinoplasty) 1000 - 1500 5000 - 6000 80% - 75%
18 Tummy Tuck(Abdominoplasty) 1500 - 2000 6000 - 8000 75% - 75%
19 Upper Arm Lift (Brachioplasty) 1000 - 1500 5000 - 6500 80% - 77%
20 Varicose Veins / Spider Veins Treatment (Sclerotherapy) 200 - 400 200 - 500 0% - 20%
21 Hernia Repair 1000 - 1500 2500 - 3500 40% - 57%