Thanks to Medical Tourism, 
                                      a good prognosis for Costa Rica

Costa Rica Medical Costs vs  U.S. Costs:
Tico Times This post was written by admin on December 28, 2009 
Cost of Medical Treatment in Costa Rica can be a 70% saving
from that of the U.S.
With the cost of medical on the rise, medical tourists from the United States, Canada and Europe should definitely compare the cost of medical treatment in Costa Rica to what it would cost at home. You can reach Costa Rica from just about everywhere in the U.S. and Canada in 12 hours or less; from Europe in well under a day. Costa Rica has eminently qualified doctors, excellent hospitals, attractive recovery centers, affordable costs, and provides an opportunity for a memorable vacation. Places like Costa Rican Medical Tours offer package deals for both vacation and treatment.
Here are just a couple of reasons why Costa Rica is becoming a desire place to have medical treatment.

• The cost of medical treatment in Costa Rica can range from a third to even a fourth of what it can cost in the United States and Canada.
• As required by law, medical practitioners carry liability insurance at all times, giving patients protection and coverage from malpractice.
• Language will not be a barrier because, along with the doctors, the hospital staff, recovery center staff and tourist industry personnel, as well as a surprisingly high number of Costa Ricans, especially those in their teens, 20s and 30s, can speak English

Rush Limbaugh praises Costa Rica's socialized medicine  By Stephen C. Webster Tuesday, March 9th, 2010   www.raw.com 
During a recent broadcast, he vowed to "go to Costa Rica" if President Obama is successful in passing his health reform legislation. Most assumed he meant the statement in the vein of his promise to leave New York City over its tax rates, which he did. Now Limbaugh is saying he will not leave the U.S., as in, move away.
Instead, Limbaugh claims that he will simply "go to Costa Rica" for his medical care.  Interestingly enough, even as the Republican icon has made many a dollar damning proposals for public health care in the United States, his future hospital bed in Costa Rica will be watched over by the same "socialists" he's so known for deriding.
Costa Rica, you see, has socialized health care operated by a government insurance monopoly, which provides a remarkably high quality of service for a fraction of the costs routinely seen in the United States.
"Costa Rica’s public health insurance system, commonly known as the Caja, is available country-wide to all citizens and legal residents," the Costa Rican government's Web site explains. "There are ten major public hospitals – four in San Jose, including the Children’s Hospital – affiliated with the Caja. For non-emergencies and everyday medical care, small clinics, known as EBAIS (pronounced ay-vy-ice), are located in almost every community."
Prior to the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), all health care in Costa Rica was paid for under a single payer system and the country developed a global reputation as a prime destination for medical tourism due to the high quality of care at very low costs. After CAFTA, Costa Rica began accepting international private insurer's policies, though they are made available through a government-operated insurance monopoly.
"Most plans cover dental work, optometry, and cosmetic surgery in the case of an accident, and neither pre-existing conditions nor annual check-ups are included," the Costa Rican government claims. "Prescription drugs, certain medical exams, sick visits and hospitalization are covered at 70% cost, and surgeon and aesthetician costs are covered at full cost. Currently, private medical insurance costs about $50-$100/month per person, depending on age, gender and other factors."
"I said if doctors here are not permitted to form private practice little clinics with individuals paying a fee, a retainer, and for services, then I'll go to Costa Rica to get major medical health care. I didn't say I would move there." This is the second time Limbaugh has unwittingly praised the very type of health care system he claims to despise.

Costa Rica Offers Good-Quality Health Care 

Costa Rica has universal health care, one of the best health systems in Latin America. As always with nationalized health care, expect red tape and long waits, but the quality of Costa Rica's health care is excellent. Private health care is also available, very affordable, and high quality. Many doctors speak English and have received training in Europe, Canada, or the U.S. There are three large, private hospitals that most expatriates use: CIMA hospital in Escazú, Clinica Biblica in San José, and Clinica Católica in San José-Guadalupe.

Statistics from the World Health Organization frequently place Costa Rica in the top country rankings in the world for long life expectancy, often even ahead of Great Britain and the United States, even though the per-capita income of Costa Ricans is about one-tenth that of the U.S. and the U.K. Arguably, one reason for this is the slower pace of living in Costa Rica. And, of course, the healthy, fresh, non-preservative-laden foods found there, and the welcoming tropical climate. Costa Rica just seems to be a healthy place to live.

Costa Rica's Government-Run Health Care System 

With a government-sponsored network of more than 30 hospitals and more than 250 clinics throughout the country, the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) has primary responsibility for providing low-cost health care services to the Costa Rican populace. Although sometimes overburdened, this system has worked well for Costa Ricans for the past 60 or so years. Open not just to Costa Rican residents, the CCSS provides affordable medical service to any foreign resident or visitor. Foreigners living in Costa Rica can join the CCSS by paying a small monthly fee--based on income--or they can buy health insurance from the state monopoly Instituto de Seguro Nacional (INS), valid with over 200 affiliated doctors, hospitals, labs, and pharmacies in the private sector.

Ahh, Costa Rica! Pristine coastlines, lush rain forests and cheap hip replacements.

 March 03, 2010 by Mario Correa, Travel Weekly Destination Features  

That's right: You can now add cut-rate medical care to the list of attractions being touted to lure visitors to Central America's most popular tourist destination.

"Costa Rica's health system is one of the best in the continent," Ricardo Benavides, the nation's then-tourism minister, boasted at Costa Rica's Expotur confab in 2009. And efforts to promote medical tourism -- where visitors travel for the express purpose of seeking medical care -- would be central to helping Costa Rica's travel-reliant economy ride out a still-sluggish global tourism market, Benavides added.

To wit: In April, Costa Rica will host the first International Congress on Medical Tourism and Welfare in Latin America, and Promed, a private entity tasked specifically with promoting the nation's medical providers, has been launched.

But although Costa Rica has long competed with destinations such as India and Thailand for Americans seeking lower-cost cosmetic surgeries, it's the market for major, nonelective care -- orthopedics, heart surgery, even stem cell therapies -- where local providers see the biggest growth potential.

"It used to be all about plastic surgery," said Dr. Ivan Kafarela, a physician with the privately owned Costa Rica Emergency Medical Service. "Now it's about necessities."

Indeed, with U.S. medical costs ballooning and health reform efforts in Washington stalled, Costa Rica, which has long benefited from both its proximity to the U.S. and a reputation for friendliness toward Americans, may see an opening.

"Hip replacement here costs $15,000, instead of $30,000 in the United States," said Kafarela, whose service provides private emergency care to foreign visitors and expats. "Gastric-bypass surgery is about $25,000 to $40,000 in the U.S., while it's $10,000 to $15,000 here."

But although the costs of Costa Rican health care might seem cut-rate, the quality of services can be comparable to that in U.S. institutions, added Kafarela.

"Our doctors are generally trained overseas, and we work with the best hospitals," he said.

Several Costa Rican hospitals are frequently recommended by U.S.-based "medical tourism facilitators," and they offer resort-like accommodations for their foreign guests. But it's the affordability of care, not the luxurious rooms or free phone calls home, that is piquing interest in the States.

"The policy would say, 'If you choose to have your procedure overseas, there will be no copay, no deductible, and we will pay for you and a companion to fly to your destination and stay for two weeks,'" said Joel Bragen, COO of the New York-based Medical Tourism Partners. Bragen's company aims to craft health insurance policies for U.S. employers that contain lower-cost options for overseas care. (A number of major insurance carriers, including Blue Cross Blue Shield and United Healthcare, are conducting their own pilot programs along these lines.)

Harry Bandinel, the Canadian entrepreneur behind Costa Rica Emergency Medical Services, said insurance inducements like these are a chief reason why Costa Rican providers are upbeat about the prospects for their industry.

"We've seen an increase in medical tourism in the last year and a half," said Bandinel. "There are no hard numbers, but we estimate that between 25,000 and 80,000 people came to Costa Rica [in 2008] expressly for health care."

Medical Tourism Partners' Bragen, on the other hand, cautioned that it's too early to bet on the success of Costa Rica or any other nation in the medical tourism business. His company, he said, has struggled to convince American patients that overseas medical care is both safe and reliable.

"People are so fearful of going under the knife in a foreign country," he said. "We've found that it is only when people are desperate that they are willing to consider going overseas."

An Interview with Hospital Clinica Biblica’s Brad Cook 
By Sarah Martin published online: Mar 9, 2010

Hospital Clinica Biblica is one of the most well known hospitals in Latin America. Brad Cook is one of the major reasons why the hospital has been receiving the lion’s share of international patients to Costa Rica.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I was born in Costa Rica at Hospital Clinica Biblica of US parents. I had quite an adventurous childhood growing up between Costa Rica, the United States and Brazil, never quite knowing where home was. After finishing High School in Costa Rica, I moved to Michigan where I not only managed to survive the harsh winters but received my degree from CalvinCollege. After graduation I was not quite sure where to call home and finally concluded I would be best served avoiding another Michigan winter and returning to Costa Rica where my parents and siblings had settled down.

I spent my first three or four years there running and developing a scuba business with a business partner before finally settling down at Hospital Clinica Biblica. After a few years of business development, I was able to develop my own company within the hospital running all the International Insurance Billing and developing the Medical Tourism Project for the hospital as the Director of the International Department.

Please explain your role at Hospital Clinica Biblica in Costa Rica.

My company runs the International Department for the hospital and our duties include assisting foreign patients, billing all the international insurance claims for the hospital and doctors and coordinating and developing the hospital’s Medical Tourism project.

What kind of growth have you seen in Medical Tourism in the last few years?

We were quite concerned initially that the financial crisis would have a negative impact on the number of patients visiting our hospital and even though there was an initial decrease things quickly returned to normal and are now on the upswing. Overall there seems to be quite a bit of momentum building in regards to medical tourism as we have seen increased interest from insurance companies and employers to research and implement Medical Tourism. I think the financial crisis and health care debate raging in the US have brought heightened awareness to medical tourism and are acting as a catalyst that could catapult the entire industry forward.

What do you see as one of the biggest growth potentials for medical tourism in the future?

Due to the high costs for healthcare in the US I see the biggest potential growth coming from US insurance companies and employers as they look to lower costs by taking advantage of the huge savings and high quality available at top hospitals overseas. Gradually, the barriers to traveling overseas have been coming apart at the seams and I believe it is only a matter of time before large insurance carriers and employers include an international component to their plans. Tell us why there is so much potential growth for medical tourism in Latin America.

The most obvious reason initially is our proximity to the United States and the overall comfort level visitors feel, along with the familiarity with the Latin American culture and its beauty. More important however, is the fact that we truly have some great hospitals and healthcare systems in our region that offer exceptional care at a fraction of what you would pay elsewhere. Add to this the fact that our culture is much more relational which means that doctors, nurses and recovery hotel staffs invest the time and energy necessary to build relationships and trust with patients.

HCB has a reputation of treating patients like royalty. What does HCB do that is different and sets itself apart?

There is not one thing that sets us apart but a combination of a lot of little things that have a huge overall impact on the patient’s experience.

We definitely pride ourselves on making our patients feel special and the key to this has really been having a process in place so every detail is covered and the patient can arrive, relax and focus on their surgery and recovery. We have put together an exceptional International Patient Program that walks the patient through the entire process from their initial email all the way to the follow up that occurs once they return home. Key in all of this is responding to the prospective patient quickly and with the proper information that allows the patient to make an informed decision.

Our team includes a phenomenal group of physicians that speak English fluently and are committed to lavishing extra attention on our patients to ensure that they are truly comfortable with the entire experience. On top of this, our patient coordinators support the patient with rapid responses to their emails and phone calls and by ensuring they are available for questions through the entire process. They often become like extended family for the patient during their medical visit.

We also have an association of recovery retreats and inns in Costa Rica that provide amazing options and amenities for the patient to recuperate in after their surgery. It is also encouraging to international patients that most of our staff are from the United States or have at the very least resided there at some point in their life, so they not only speak the language but are familiar with the North American culture and the high expectations of American patients.

There seems to be a disconnect, where some hospitals are doing really well attracting foreign patients, while other hospitals or clinics are not having the same success. Where are these other hospitals going wrong?

Obviously there are many internal and external factors that influence whether or not your hospital is successful at attracting foreign patients.

As the head of an International Program, you can work to change the perception of your country as an attractive or safe destination; however, you cannot change your location on the map.

The greatest disconnect I see occurs when hospitals claim they are committed to attracting foreign patients but then do not follow through and put the necessary internal elements in place to build and sustain a successful program.

Often, we hear patients and facilitators comment that they chose our hospital simply because we were able to respond to them quickly and effectively in their native language providing the kind of relevant information they were seeking.

This entire process demands time and consistency and requires a considerable amount of commitment on behalf of the hospital. It is vital for any top hospital who wants to be a serious player in medical tourism to have a fully-functioning international patient program or department that understands the market they are trying to attract. In essence the International Department is the face of the hospital when it comes to promoting its medical tourism services. In concert with the International Department the hospital must have several other essential elements in place such as a dynamic team of physicians who are truly committed to the program, a website that can easily be translated into other languages for accessibility to international patients, along with information on your hospital, doctors, procedures and packages. The International Department must also be able to coordinate a variety of concierge type services such as transportation, recovery facilities and interesting, local tours for patients and companions.

In a nutshell you must deliver the total package to your prospective patients because they become your greatest marketing ally once they return home; word spreads quickly in this industry.

About the Author

Sarah Martin is the Global Communications Director for the Medical Tourism Association and is also a Contributing Editor for both Medical Tourism Magazine and Health Tourism Magazine, as well as a regular author for both publications. Although being new to this industry, she is passionate about the idea of a global network of healthcare providers.

 

 

Costa Rica Health Care Making Investments for Foreign Retirees

 

Costa Rica cutting through the red tape of health care developments

The Costa Rican government is promoting a Costa Rica health care assistance plan to help developers build projects centered on Costa Rica health care facilities for foreign retirees. The help is in the form of facilitating the processes at the different ministries involved with health care related property investments.

 

New property developments would offer clusters of Costa Rica health care services, including nursing and research facilities, catering to senior citizens looking for an inexpensive alternative to medical care in their own countries

 

In the wake the global economic slowdown, Costa Rica health care centers are an opportunity for developers to “change strategy,” Minister for Competitiveness and Regulatory Improvement George Woodbridge told La Prensa.

 

Retirement communities generate “two to three times” the revenue of traditional tourism and real estate projects, Woodbridge said. A population of 10,000 retirees could produce 40,000 jobs and $340 million in foreign exchange, the government estimates.

 

Costa Rica Health Care for Everyone

But development for this demographic does not mean the general population will be excluded. While the motivation for investing in the Costa Rica health care infrastructure is based on attracting the US retirement population, all other residents whether on vacation or living here can use the same Costa Rican healthcare facilities for themselves. Once an infrastructure is in place, along with the processes for getting permission from the Costa Rican government to build and offer health care services, many other health related companies will begin investing in Costa Rica. Right now, to open a health care related business the required red-tape process is choking these investments and now it looks that the Costa Rica government will do its part to alleviate this.

 

Last year, medical tourism attracted 30,000 visitors to Costa Rica, according to government data. That number is expected to increase as health care costs continue to rise. The U.S. is expected to generate 1.3 million medical tourists in 2011, according to a report by the DeloitteCenter for Health Solutions, which ranks Costa Rica HealthCare in the top 10 destinations for medical tourism.

 

Until recently, most of the traffic in the past has been young people looking for cosmetic surgery and dental work, not seniors, Deloitte says.

 

“With health care at the center of attention in the U.S. this concept could certainly gain ground if implemented properly,” Panama developer Sam Taliaferro notes in his Panama Investor Blog. “If Obamacare gets legs one area that you can be sure will be left out in the cold is alternative health care practitioners. I bet they will head south with technology and skills.”

(For the record, the World Health Organization ranks Costa Rica’s health care system at 36th in the world, one spot ahead of the United States.)

 

 

Costa Rican Medical Care promotes Health Care Savings June 21, 2010   PRWeb

Lake Geneva, WI PRWEB) June 21, 2010 -- When people think of medical tourism they offen think of major medical procedures, yet just getting a complete physical in Costa Rica can save you enough money compared to the US prices you can take a family of four on a complete Costa Rican vacation.

Tom Duhr of Commercial Group Intermediaries, Inc. in Chicago wished to experience firsthand what Costa Rican Medical Care offers while attending the Latin American Medical Conference in San Jose, Costa Rica.

'I ordered the Executive Plan physical and the service I received was unbelievable. I was taken from station to station, for my testing, and never had to wait in the hospital", said Mr. Duhr. "When I returned home, I took my complete physical papers back to my doctor and he was impressed with all the tests but more importantly with the report the Costa Rican doctor has provided for my doctor here in the USA. We both figured I saved around $5,000 with all the tests I received, compared to having all these tests done in the states. Costa Rican Medical Care is something that I will be talking with my brokers and consultants as a means for their clients to save money on raising health care costs in the self funded community."

There are many one day medical or dental procures that you can take advantage of before or after you explore the natural beauty that a trip to Costa Rica offers.

Physicals for women and men
Stress Test
Eye Exam
Dental Cleaning, whiting, fluoride treatment
Dermatology

'Health care costs in the United States have exploded in the last few years, but the same procedures are very affordable in Costa Rica. Many people or self insured employers that have to pay for their medical expenses out of pocket don't realize they have other options which can keep them healthy and save money at the same time, said Tim Morales of Costa Rican Medial Care. 'Working with the three JCI accredited private hospitals, physicians, plastic surgeons and dentists in Costa Rica, Costa Rican Medical Care can help people save up to 70% on certain medical care procedures'.

Why not let Costa Rican Medical Care make an introduction for you to the one or more of the many qualified medical providers in Costa Rica. For more information on using Costa Rican Medical Care visit www.costaricanmedicalcare.com or call them at 262-348-1300.
Media Contact:
Costa Rican Medical Care
TIMOTHY MORALES
262-348-1300

Medical tourism expected to increase with U.S. health reform

 March 23, 2010 Tico Times By Chrissie Long  

Even as the $940 billion health reform in the United States will expand medical care coverage to 30 million previously uninsured citizens, there will still be a market for medical tourism, said Renee-Marie Stephano, president of the U.S. - based nonprofit Medical Tourism Association.

“We anticipate medical tourism to increase,” Stephano said in an interview with The Tico Times on Monday. “More people will have access to health insurance (in the United States ), but you are going to see an increase in the underinsured.”

It's these underinsured that have traditionally provided a large client base for medical tourism, Stephano said, as people look abroad for services that United States insurance companies deem “not necessary” including hip replacements, dental care or cosmetic surgery.

Patients are able to find such non-essential services of similar quality but at a fraction of the cost in countries like Costa Rica, India and Brazil, said Michael Quirós, who oversees Latin American operations for the Medical Tourism Association.

However, it's not just the underinsured who will be looking abroad for medical care. With increased strain placed on medical services in the U.S. – because of greater demand – insurance companies will start offering incentives for their clients to receive medical treatment abroad.

“Outside of the United States, medical care is less expensive – in some areas, five or six times so,” he said. “Insurance companies and employers recognize the price differential and will encourage patients to seek attention abroad.”

“I think the health reform is 100 percent positive for the medical tourism industry,” Quiros said.

The reform, which the U.S. Congress passed on Sunday night, will require every American to have health insurance by 2014 and expand Medicaid to cover people who cannot afford to pay for insurance themselves. It will also prohibit insurance companies from discriminating against patients based on their medical history and will lower prescription medicine costs for seniors.

Stephano said the United States system may start to resemble the system in Canada and Europe, where greater demand for health care has increased wait-times and pushed individuals to seek alternatives.

“More people are going to begin using health services, which puts a higher demand on the country's health system,” she said. “The situation may be compounded with the (aging of the) baby boom generation.”

According to a study done by DeloitteCenter for Health Solutions, an estimated 750,000 Americans traveled abroad for medical care in 2007. This number is expected to increase to six million in 2010.

Costa Rica, with its three internationally-accredited hospitals and proximity to the United States, is in a unique position to take advantage of the emerging market, according to health industry experts. In recent years, the country's private hospitals and clinics have buffed up their marketing materials, hoping to capitalize on U.S. clientele.