It is common for Americans to seek medical care outside

The recent kidnapping of four Americans in a Mexican border town highlights a common practice for many people in the United States: traveling to other countries for medical care because it is not available or costs much less.

The four were abducted during the trip to Mexico, which a relative says was for cosmetic surgery. Two of them died.

Many Americans leave their country to buy prescription drugs, but also to undergo dental procedures, plastic surgery and cancer treatments, experts say. In addition to Mexico, other common destinations include Canada, India, and Thailand.

Here is a more detailed analysis of this practice.

Medical tourism grows

The number of Americans doing medical tourism has been growing for years, according to Lydia Gan, an economist at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke who studies the practice.

Some of the people who resort to this practice the most are those without health insurance or plans that make them pay thousands of dollars before coverage begins.

Even large employers sometimes also send their covered employees abroad for hip or knee replacements, as well as bariatric surgeries. Some also send people to Mexico to buy prescription drugs that are much more expensive in the United States.

Cost is a huge factor. Care in countries like Mexico can be more than 50 percent cheaper than in the United States, according to Jonathan Edelheit, executive director of the Medical Tourism Association, a nonprofit industry trade group.

In addition, US health insurers generally do not cover cosmetic surgeries, such as tummy tucks, which cost thousands of dollars.

Sometimes patients also travel because they can get quicker access to some type of medical care outside of the United States. They may also want treatment from a doctor who speaks their language or comes from the same culture.

Millions of trips

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says millions of residents travel abroad annually for medical care.

Researcher Arturo Bustamante estimates that before COVID-19, around 400,000 people traveled from the United States to Mexico each year to receive care. The professor of health policy at the University of California, Los Angeles maintains that the number decreased due to the stay-at-home orders due to the pandemic, but then quickly rebounded.

Most of the people who visit Mexico for care are Mexican immigrants or Latinos living in the United States, he adds.

Non-Latino patients cross the southern border primarily to get dental work, buy prescription drugs or plastic surgery or receive some cancer treatments that are not covered in the United States.

Weighing the risks

Patients residing in the United States can take steps to reduce the risks of receiving care in another country.

First of all, they should pay attention to the travel advisories the US government publishes about their intended destinations, warns Edelheit, the director of the Medical Tourism Association.

The safety of a trip can also be improved if the patient works with a medical tourism agent, notes economist Gan. Hospitals or health care providers often have someone pick up patients at the airport and take them to their medical appointment or hotel.

Patients should also investigate quality of care before focusing on prices, Edelheit recommends. They should know where their potential doctor received training and look for their accreditations or certifications. “They really need to make sure they go with the best of the best,” she adds.

There are also risks for patients after the procedure. If someone has complications after returning home, it can be difficult for their doctor in the United States to learn the details of care received while traveling.

In the event something goes wrong, patients may also find it difficult to sue their doctor or hospital in Mexico, Bustamante points out.

“Navigating the system is often complicated,” he warns.

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