For Insurers

Challenge

As healthcare costs in the U.S. continue to rise exponentially, health insurance companies and employers are challenged to provide employees with healthcare while trying to control costs. By being able to provide patients with non-urgent medical treatment performed in an international accredited medical facility by a highly skilled doctor or surgeon, insurance companies can now save up 70% to 80% on medical procedures. When working with international hospitals and medical facilities, Insurance companies do, however, have issues to consider such as quality of care, preoperative and postoperative care, liability, language and cultural barriers, and the scalability needed to accommodate the high volume of patients. This is where MedCareLink can help.

Solution

MedCareLink can help insurance companies minimize the cost of healthcare expenses and maximize savings through Medical Tourism.

The U.S. is starting to see a growing number of employers seeking alternative healthcare solutions for their employees through Medical Tourism. Medical Tourism is a win-win situation for all parties involved. The employer pays less, insurance companies pay less, and the employee receives the desired medical treatment.

The world has changed significantly over the past decade. Healthcare is becoming more and more balanced. Many countries have the same or higher level of medical care as the U.S. In fact, countries such as Thailand, who has become a leader in international healthcare, has aggressively sought out and received international accreditation for many of their hospitals. Thailand was the first country in Asia to achieve JCI accreditation in 2002, and 15 hospitals are now accredited. India is another example. Estimates show that nearly a half a million medical tourists travelled to India last year to seek medical treatment. Most estimates claim treatment costs in India start at around a tenth of the price of comparable treatment in the U.S. or the UK. Like Thailand, India is also aggressively seeking and acquiring international accreditation for many of their hospitals. Since English is the common language in India, it is becoming more and more attractive to western tourists.

Because of this parity, companies today see the advantages of seeking medical treatment abroad for their workers. Most importantly, companies must educate their employees about the advantages of Medical Tourism. They have to show that low cost and high quality healthcare abroad does exist and is a viable option for them and their families.

Companies are also seeking domestic Medical Tourism for their employees as well. A case in point is Lowes Companies. They implemented a partnership program with Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland Clinic was ranked the 4th best hospital in the U.S. and the first best hospital for Heart Surgery. They are able to provide costs that are well below the national norm. Employers today need to take advantage of such opportunities.

As healthcare reform takes hold in the U.S., insurers today must be creative in seeking alternative healthcare solutions for their clients and their clients’ employees. MedCareLink can assist Insurers in building a viable Medical Tourism package for their clients. Call us at MedCareLink to learn how we can help. 

If you are in the USA or Canada, call us toll free at 1.888.832.2089. If you are calling from an international location, please dial us directly at 1.949.783.6827. You can also click on CONTACT US in the menu above and submit your information in the contact form.