President’s Blog, Renee-Marie Stephano

In a recent survey conducted by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, alternate care options seem to be increasing.  As unemployment rates continue to rise, one in five Americans chose not to seek medical care for recent illnesses or injuries with the primary factor in this decision being revealed as high cost.

Paul Keckley, Ph D., executive director of the Deloitte Center for Health stated, “As the burden of care continues to be shifted to the individual, and more Americans lose their jobs and their health insurance, we expect this trend will continue.  It will be interesting to see what happens in 2014 when the individual mandates requiring Americans to purchase health insurance kick in. Will we see a significant spike in visits to the doctor as more Americans join the ranks of the insured?”

As we move forward to 2014, we will continue to see changes in direction for medical care and the consumer’s decision.  To read further on current alternative care options, click here.

The Medical Tourism Association has released an educational White Paper on Healthcare Reform, detailing what positive and negative effects healthcare reform is expected to have on both inbound, outbound and domestic medical tourism.   Healthcare Reform passed into law in March 2010 and has both immediate implications and those to go into full effect in 2014. Many expect the reform will continue to raise healthcare and health insurance costs in the United States. 

As healthcare costs and health insurance costs rise in the United States this will push American patients to choose to travel domestically for medical tourism, a new term coined towards the provision of more affordable healthcare services within the US, or to leave the United States to travel abroad for medical care.
As stated by Devon Herrick of National Center for Policy Analysis, USA, “The recent Health Reform legislation contains virtually nothing to encourage patients and providers to control costs.  By contrast, medical tourism represents global competition in health care, where providers compete on price and quality. Medical tourism is our best opportunity to encourage competition within the health care industry.”
The Healthcare Reform white paper is meant to give guidance and understanding on how the different aspects of healthcare reform will interact with medical tourism. The Medical Tourism White Paper can be read in the Healthcare Reform Updates section of the Medical Tourism Congress website. http://medicaltourismcongress.com/en/healthcare-reform-updates.html
“We have released this white paper in order to provide insight into healthcare reform and its different provisions, projecting how it may affect medical tourism. Many people around the world do not understand the lengthy healthcare reform document passed in the US and mistakenly think that it provides more affordable healthcare to Americans and that it will lower healthcare costs.  Costs will likely go up under healthcare reform and this was reaffirmed in the recent medical tourism survey the MTA conducted with almost 100 insurance companies and employers, where almost 100% of respondents found that they believe costs will rise,” said Jonathan Edelheit, CEO of the Medical Tourism Association.
The healthcare reform and medical tourism white paper will be available at the MTA’s annual conference, The World Medical Tourism & Global Healthcare Congress, which will have a large focus on Healthcare Reform this year in Los Angeles, California from September 22-24th. The conference will focus on how healthcare reform affects employers, insurers, insurance agents, healthcare providers and patients and will peel back the onion of the thousands of pages of healthcare reform bill to look at how different aspects of health care reform will really work. www.medicaltourismcongress.com 

The Medical Tourism Association also conducted a survey of over one hundred US insurance companies and US employers on the effect medical tourism will have upon them.  The survey, “Healthcare Reform Survey Among Industry Stakeholders Discovers Similar Concerns,” July, 2010, shows a sample of the future growth potential of the medical tourism industry. 71 percent of insurance companies and employers felt healthcare reform was extremely positive for the medical tourism industry and more Americans would travel overseas under the new law. Employers and insurance companies know that healthcare reform will increase costs and medical tourism is one of the few ways to lower those costs. http://medicaltourismmag.com/article/healthcare-reform-survey.html
The Medical Tourism Association (Medical Travel Association), also known as the Global Healthcare Association, at http://www.MedicalTourismAssociation.com  is the first international non-profit association comprised of the top international hospitals, healthcare providers, medical travel facilitators, insurance companies, and other affiliated companies and members with the common goal of promoting the highest level of quality of healthcare to patients in a global environment. Our Association promotes the interests of its healthcare provider and medical tourism facilitators members. The Medical Tourism Association has three mission-driven tenets: Education, Communication and Transparency.

Just wanted to let all of you who are coming to LA know I am really excited for this year and to see you again. It is going to be a great event. We have some amazing speakers, and still am amazed at how we do it each. The exhibit hall is filling up, and our buyers of healthcare VIP program is working amazingly, from bringing in insurance companies, employers and today we have 4 people registering who run a caribbean country’s ehatlhcare program for all the state workers. We will also have participation from countries who previously have not entered the market before.

But best of all and why I am writing is to share a quote I received today from a really dynamic person in US health insurance (and a great person) , Armando Polanco from Texas Benefit who is working with their employer clients to implement medical tourism for their employees. The quote is below…

“The World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress continues to dominate as the forum to attend in the process of education and social networking. Attending will help bring legitimacy in ones profession within Medical Tourism and can catapult ones understanding and credibility at the same time.”

“The premise for Medical Tourism in the United States was always surrounding the topics of Quality of Care with Low Cost. Now in the midst of healthcare reform a new dominating factor of Access to Care will provide a new driving force for the growth of patient migration. “
Armando Polanco, Texas Benefit

http://www.medicaltourismcongress.com

Jonathan Edelheit, CEO ~ Medical Tourism Association

Medical Tourism City, The Largest Medical Tourism Social Network Announces Over 1,000 Active Members

Medical Tourism City, the Largest Medical Tourism Social Network, announces that it has over 1,000 members from over 40 countries actively participating. The members of Medical Tourism City include international insurance companies, health insurance agents, medical tourism facilitators, hospitals, clinics, governments, doctors, healthcare providers, consulting firms, pharmaceutical companies, medical supply companies and more.  http://www.medicaltourismcity.com/.

Medical Tourism City is a social media outlet that connects its users through an online, integrated Global Healthcare Community.

 “The Medical Tourism Association has three tenets: Transparency, Communication and Education; all these values are clearly reflected in the creation of Medical Tourism City. This social network is a model as to how we encourage transparency, by allowing members to share their views and experiences through an open forum. It also creates a communication podium by allowing members to exchange news, develop an educational platform through webinars, forum and blogs,” said Renee-Marie Stephano, President of the Medical Tourism Association and Editor of Medical Tourism Magazine Publications.

Members of Medical Tourism City express how this social network has impacted them. One member states, “There are many things that can be learned from MTC and there are many experienced people who are sharing their thoughts and comments on this site. That’s why, assuredly I can say that MTC is the ultimate choice for networking and education of Health [and Medical] Tourism”

Another active member says, “Medical Tourism City has taken networking for industry leaders to the next level. Its members are able to share information on their destinations, services offered, up to date industry news and learn about other viable destinations for Medical Tourism. It’s social media at its best for the Medical Tourism Industry.”

With real time updates, social networks are a steadfast medium for conveying important information extensively and quickly. Medical Tourism City is a growing network with over 1,000 members, 2,000 shared photos, 450 blogs, 400 discussion forums, 150 groups and 100 videos.

The Medical Tourism Association continues to be a leader in the healthcare industry and a global trend setter for medical tourism. http://www.medicaltourismcity.com/.

 The Medical Tourism Association (Medical Travel Association), also known as the Global Healthcare Association, at http://www.MedicalTourismAssociation.com is the first international non-profit association comprised of the top international hospitals, healthcare providers, medical travel facilitators, insurance companies, and other affiliated companies and members with the common goal of promoting the highest level of quality of healthcare to patients in a global environment. Our Association promotes the interests of its healthcare provider and medical tourism facilitators members. The Medical Tourism Association has three mission-driven tenets: Education, Communication and Transparency.  http://www.medicaltourismassociation.com/en/index.html

Gaby Vicuna

US 001.561.791.2000

gaby@medicaltourismassociation.com

www.medicaltourismassociation.com

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA July 20, 2010 ~ The Medical Tourism Association, known for setting trends in the industry, announces new strategic initiatives under the theme progress in motion for global healthcare stakeholders, allowing them to discover & learn about intense topics of medical tourism, extending networking opportunities enhanced by dedicated sessions and creating knowledge sharing possibilities between government, insurance, healthcare and tourism professionals during THE World Medical Tourism & Global Healthcare Congress, taking place in LA from September 22nd – 24^th. To read the whole article, click here.

Medical Travel Today ~

Worldwide Medical Partners (WMP; http://www.wmpmedical.com/), a medical tourism facilitator in Florida, has filed a temporary injunction against a suspended staff member, Veselin Gitchev, in the Florida courts.Gitchev, formerly an executive director of WMP is alleged to have diverted business and revenue away from his employer to a side company he created in Canada.  It is alleged that Gitchev diverted funds from his employer and is also involved with the creation of a for-profit association in medical tourism with several other individuals in the medical tourism industry. This new association is called Coalition for International Patient Advocacy (CIPA).  Now WMP has filed an injunction against Gitchev and is suing him for damages. The injunction in this legal action is also against the newly formed CIPA.  This new association is specifically a for-profit owned by several shareholders including Gitchev for diverting funds from his company.
 
Gitchev has been ordered to return to WMP its notebook computer and portable electronic storage devise, which contains confidential information about medical providers, insurers, and hospital vendors. Gitchev has also been ordered to stop using WMPs contacts with Teva Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, and Novartis as it is in violation of the non-competition clause in his employment agreement. The order goes on to terminate “all efforts and work-related efforts to divert actually or prospective relationships, opportunities and assets from WMP to access, defendant Coalition for International Patient Advocacy (CIPA).”  The injunction is to protect trade secrets, assets, and opportunities misappropriated by its executive director (Vitchev) in violation of the express terms of his employment.

The most recent opponent of Healthcare Reform in the US?  Business owners, both large and small alike, backed by the IRS.  What is their beef with the Healthcare Reform Bill?  Simply stated, it is the extensive new tax reporting regulations, which most businesses will not be able to comply with.  There is a provision in the bill that requires all businesses file a 1099 form stating all purchases from any vendors that have sold over $600 of goods to the company.

 According to the article, the “National Federation of Independent Businesses states it would be a ‘crippling’ burden for small business. The Taxpayer Advocate agrees that the new reporting scheme could have ‘distortionary effects’ on taxpayer behavior, pushing businesses toward larger vendors at the expense of smaller local suppliers.”  The provision is being fought by the IRS to help protect businesses, especially smaller ones. 

Read more about it here.

As more and more businesses globalize, increasing the size and scope of their international or multinational operations, demand fires up for more robust expatriate healthcare benefit options and increased demand for quality travel insurance. 

Expatriate Healthcare, Travel Insurance and Global Health Insurance Conference http://expatriateconference.com will be the first international event that unites employers, international insurance companies and international government bodies involved in the purchasing and provision of expatriate health insurance coverage and travel insurance for their employees. This conference is dedicated to only the highest level executives involved in these industries.

Jonathan Edelheit, Editor of the Expatriate Healthcare and Travel Insurance Magazine said, “Today, everything in insurance is globalized. More and more employers are expanding operations offshore. These international employers now need to provide healthcare coverage for their foreign employees, plus expatriate coverage to their management which help run their offshore offices and operations. As a result, new international insurance companies are emerging while domestic insurance companies create international health insurance policies” to cater to the demand of their customers who require global options for medical care with the option to travel to the best hospital of their choice anywhere in the world.”

As global travel advances, so does the demand for high quality travel insurance policies and for new and innovative travel insurance policies. Not to mention new hospital and provider options made available under travel insurance policies for emergency evacuations also ramps up the demand for better global options.

To learn more about this conference and the speakers in attendance, please click here.

Hospital Angeles Tijuana, part of Grupo Angeles, a network of multifunctional hospitals in Mexico, has instituted an integrative approach to cancer treatment. They have combined holistic therapies with traditional therapies in an effort to battle cancer more effectively. In fact, they have a name for this type of treatment and they’re calling it a functional oncology treatment program and it is part of their medical travel program. Specialists in internal medicine, nutrition, chiropractic, biological dentistry, Functional Medicine, and Psychology are all part of this functional team and work together to target cancer cells while sparing healthy cells. This is unique because traditional cancer treatments in the US and other countries as well typically include radiation therapy, surgery and chemotherapy, all of which may damage healthy cells and tissue and cause irreparable damage. This affects a patient’s quality of life. At Hospital Angeles Tijuana, they believe in maintaining quality of life while also treating and destroying cancer cells. To read more about this alternative cancer treatment, please click here

This webinar is addressed to those companies that are interested in exhibiting or sponsoring the upcoming World Medical Tourism and Global Healthcare Congress, September 22nd-24th, 2010 in Los Angeles, CA where up to 2,000 attendees will be gathered with hundreds of healthcare buyers.

The presenter of this webinar will be Jonathan Edelheit, CEO of the Medical Tourism Association. Mr. Edelheit will cover all of the exciting updates regarding the conference including the new expanded agenda, top notch speakers from around the world, confirmed VIP buyers of healthcare attendees, insurance companies and employers who will be in attendance as well as the newly designed networking meeting schedules destined to bring you return on your investment. Mr. Edelheit will explain why this year’s conference is even better than before and why the VIP Buyers program is generating a tremendous amount of success. Mr. Edelheit will also discuss the changing climate in medical tourism and how in the US marketplace, the cost of healthcare and health insurance is increasing. He will also explain how more insurance companies and employers will look to medical tourism due to rising costs and because of the implementation of healthcare reform. This is a webinar that cannot be missed!

There will be two presentations; one on Wednesday, July 28^th and a second on Thursday, July 29^th, in order to accommodate our international audience. Registrants may select their preferred meeting. Time and dates are as follows:

Webinar Option A: Wednesday, July 28^th

10 AM US Eastern Standard Time (EST)

4 PM Central European Summer Time (CEST)

11 PM Korean Standard Time (KST)

To register, please click here:

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/227683379

Webinar Option B: Thursday, July 29^th

9 AM Central European Summer Time (CEST)

4 PM Korean Standard Time (KST)

To register, please click here:

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/582013066