The four Americans who were
shot at and abducted in Mexico
were reportedly visiting for medical tourism — making them part of a booming industry that is vital to Mexico’s economy.
“Pre-pandemic, some 1.2 million American citizens traveled to Mexico for elective medical treatment,” Josef Woodman, CEO of
Patients Beyond Borders
, told NPR. His firm publishes a guide to international medical travel.
Here’s an update on medical tourism, and the recent tragedy:
U.S. medical travel is rising sharply
“Today, the market is recovering rapidly in Mexico, nearly back to its pre-pandemic levels,” Woodman said.
Nearly 780,000 people were projected to leave the U.S. for health care in 2022, according to
Healthcare.com
, citing data from the medical travel website Medical Departures.
That outburst of activity got a big boost in late 2021, when the U.S. relaxed key border restrictions with Mexico.
Costa Rica is the second-most popular destination for U.S. visitors seeking medical care elsewhere, Woodman said. It’s a particular draw, he added, for people in the Northeast and Southeast.
Most people travel for dental and cosmetic work
Cosmetic surgeries are just one of the procedures that are far cheaper in Mexico — for years, people have been visiting from the U.S. to get elaborate dental work or cosmetic treatments done, or to
pick up antibiotics and other medicines
at favorable prices.
Many people also travel to get orthopedic work done, replacing knees or hips for less than half the cost of such procedures in the U.S.
“North American patients…
Read the full article here
