US Medical Tourism

Inbound Medical Tourism to the US is where hundreds of thousands of patients from other countries travel to the US for healthcare. Servicing foreign patients can be a profitable line of business for US hospitals, especially when dealing with non-insured cash paying patients. Patients traveling to the US for healthcare are either cash paying patients or covered by a global health insurance policy. While in the past many patients were cash paying, more and more foreign patients traveling to the US for medical tourism are coming through health insurance policies. The growth of global health insurance policies is driven by rising middle and upper classes in emerging countries, the awareness of the high quality, advanced medical treatment and care, and the transparency of US hospitals.

With the rapid globalization of healthcare and the demand for high quality healthcare growing globally, many countries are seeing massive investment in the healthcare sector; health cities and modern high quality hospitals and healthcare facilities are being built in every country around the world. These hospitals are being built to keep local patients from traveling abroad for healthcare and to also to attract foreign patients across borders. With the global economic crisis, many foreign patients who traditionally may have traveled to the US are finding healthcare solutions locally or in other countries as more and more hospitals are being build and seeking international accreditation. In the future, this could significantly reduce the number of patients traveling to the US for American hospitals which do not continue to market, promote and deliver their brand in overseas marketplaces. Therefore it will be essential for these facilities to develop new strategies for marketing and attracting new sources of patient flow.

Now, and even more so in the future, it is more challenging for hospitals to stand alone on their reputations as more hospitals enter the global marketplace. More affiliations and academic relations are emerging and more internationally accredited and recognized hospitals increase the competition.

US hospitals are also facing the challenge of patients which were previously cash paying, no having foreign health insurance policies. In many cases, the foreign insurance company is renting major US health insurance companies networks, such as Aetna, United Healthcare, etc, thereby significantly reducing the revenue and profits US hospitals received from these foreign patients. Besides the reduced revenues, these foreign patients are expecting the same high level of service they received when they were cash paying patients.
US Hospitals now more than ever need to market themselves, increase their global brand, create new relationships with overseas Hospitals and Doctors for cross-referral of patients, and develop new relationships with insurance companies, governments and facilitators.

Current and Future Challenges for US Hospitals & Inbound Patients

• Previous foreign cash paying patients now accessing US Insurer PPO discounts
• Shrinking pool of patients as more US hospitals compete
• International hospitals being built, keeping patients in their home country
• Big US insurers acquiring international insurers, and now accessing their US networks
• Large US insurers renting out their US PPO networks to governments and others around the world.

How can the Medical Tourism Association help US Hospitals?

• Provide Education about the international marketplace and growing sources of competition
• Introductions and new connections to hospitals, doctors, governments, facilitators and others in foreign countries
• Create connections for academic affiliations and exchanges
• Provide training and assistance in developing International Patient Centers
• Provide Certification for international patient services
• Patient referrals and leads

Special Higher Level Membership Benefits (Starting at $20,000 Annually)

• Trade Missions. Travel with the MTA on trade missions to emerging countries to meet with Government officials from the Ministry of Health, Health Authorities, Hospitals, Doctors and Facilitators. (Value - Priceless)
• Healthcare Introductions. Develop affiliations with international hospitals and doctors. (Value - Priceless)
• Insurance Introductions. Develop relationships with Global Insurance Companies through MTA’s networks and its affiliation with the Global Benefits Association (Value - Priceless)
• 1 Page Ad for 1 year in Medical Tourism Magazine (Value - $24,000)
• 2 Passes to MTA’s Official Annual Event and Regional Events (Value - $10,000)
• Feature Advertising and Listing on MedicalTourism.com in Translated Languages (Value- $20,000)
• Guaranteed Speaking Opportunities at MTA Annual and Regional Events (Value - Priceless)
• Exhibition Booth if desired at MTA’s annual event (Value - $7,500)
• Access to Ministers Summit at MTA annual event (Value – Priceless)

For more information on our US Inbound Medical Tourism Program, please contact Renee-Marie Stephano, President of the MTA at Info@MedicalTourismAssociation.com or US 561-791-2000