I just read an article that said that medical tourism will be increasing, and that some insurance companies may even recommend it to their customers.
Hi,
My wife and I were in Costa Rica in January and head to Panama in April for that very reason, to check it out. Right now, let
s say you had a policy with a high deductible and maybe a 75/25 co pay.....and maybe you needed something expensive like a full hip replacement. There are some insurance companies that might well offer to waive the deductible and copay if you go to central America and get it done. Panama and Costa Rica both have world class facilities. Panama in particular has a hospital affiliated with Johns-Hopkins.
Many Americans and Canadians go down there on health care vacations. We found a bed and breakfast in Panama City that specializes in folks who are down there for that reason and the recuperate at their bed and breakfast.
I predict a couple of things. First of all many, many American doctors are likely to migrate in that direction. Also, the insurance industry is not stupid. Won't be long one will offer insurance to the public for folks that want to go down to central America for their health care and the premiums will be a small percentage of what they are today.
The real problem as I see it is this. Not only will health care get expensive, it will be rationed; particularly to seniors due to cost constraints just like most socialized medicine in the world. They are gonna pull the plug on granny, just a matter of time. The real issue is go somewhere else and pay for medical treatment which will not be available in this country.
As Limbaugh said, the greatest health care system in the world has now been destroyed by the democrats.
And finally, if one looks at all the medical breakthrough in the last 100 years, it will likely come to a screeching halt. Who is going to fund it? If there is no financial incentive of huge proportions to find a cure for cancer, or invent the next wonder drug, then the research will stop.
The real caller to Limbaugh who got me today was the guy who said the goal never was to get better health care, even for the poor. Ever since the Roosevelt administration, the real issue has been class envy and now for the libs it is payback time. They will punish the achievers, the workers, but you will not see the lives of minorities, the poor and underprivilidged get the least bit better. All it is now is payback time with the goal of making more folks depenedent on government assuring the democrats are in power forever.
regards,
5412