In February 2009, Jessica, a 26-year-old woman from San Diego (who only uses her first name for confidentiality reasons), traveled with her mother to San José, Costa Rica to undergo a weight loss procedure through the Satori World Medical program. Below is Jessica’s personal account of her medical travel experience. Jessica says:

I first learned about medical tourism and the Satori World Medical program from my employer. When I discovered how much money could be saved by traveling outside the U.S. to receive medical care, I was immediately intrigued by the option.

After a brief introduction, I enrolled in the Satori World Medical program and within just a matter of time made arrangements to have surgery at one of the top-rate hospitals within the Satori Global Network. With the counsel of one of Satori World Medical’s Nurse Patient Advocates, I chose Clinica Biblica in Costa Rica.

At first, I had a lot of questions but immediately felt at ease upon speaking with my Nurse Patient Advocate. She was extremely knowledgeable and took care of absolutely every detail for me, from helping me select my hospital and transferring my medical records, to scheduling my follow-up care in the U.S. before even leaving the country.

Meanwhile, Satori World Medical’s Travel Care Coordinators handled all travel details for me and my companion, including making all flight and hotel reservations, arranging all of our ground transportation and ensuring the best possible experience from beginning to end. It was wonderful to know that I could have a companion accompany me. It made all the difference. My Travel Care Coordinator also provided us with a detailed travel itinerary so that we knew exactly where to be and when, and exactly what to expect along the way.

Then when I finally arrived on the day of my scheduled surgery at Clinica Biblica, I couldn’t believe how beautiful the hospital was, from the registration area to the patient rooms. Everything was absolutely state-of-the-art and the care I received from their doctors and nurses was more compassionate and personalized than I had ever experienced anywhere.

My hospital room was great – private, spacious and equipped with every amenity, even a flat-screen TV and sofa! But still what stands out in my mind the most was Clinica Biblica’s caring medical staff. They were extremely helpful. In fact my doctor still calls me to see how I am doing.

Looking back, I would not hesitate again to receive surgery through any of the international hospitals in the Satori World Medical program and would certainly recommend it to anybody else who is considering medical travel.

By Steven Lash, President & CEO of Satori World Medical

Last week in South Lake Tahoe, California, Satori World Medical was proud to sponsor The California Association of Joint Powers Authorities (CAJPA) 27th Annual Fall Conference and Training Seminar.  CAJPA, founded in 1981, is the premier organization setting standards for cooperative and fiscally responsible governance enabling California local agencies to work together in the area of risk management.  CAJPA represents public entity Joint Powers Authority’s (JPA) that provide risk management services and insurance programs to cities, counties, school  districts and special districts.  A JPA, is a government-regulated public entity formed by two or more public agencies.  CAJPA members employ over 800,000 people and provide local government services to nearly all California residents.  Despite the current economic climate CAJPA’s annual conference continues to be the largest educational meeting for the risk management pooling industry in the nation.

Today’s skyrocketing costs of healthcare in the U.S. continue to place a tremendous financial burden on California’s public sector entities and their workforce.  At Satori World Medical, we believe in providing innovative solutions to lowering the cost of healthcare for both private and public entities.  Based in San Diego, California, our company was excited to present our global healthcare program to the key decision makers for California school districts, fire agencies, housing authorities and other entities.

Medical travel benefit options are becoming increasingly appealing to more employers, especially within the public sector space.  With the rising cost of healthcare, especially for early retiree populations and the need to lower GASB 45 liability coupled with the current budget crisis in California, there is now more than ever a greater need to find ways to lower healthcare expenses without eliminating choice, quality or benefits.  Through our program, public entities can offer their workforce a 100% new medical benefit at no cost to the organization.  The employer saves real dollars on their claims expense and the employee gets an additional choice as to where to obtain their healthcare and receive an economic benefit.

Through Satori’s Health & Shared Wealth Program™, the individual who selects to go internationally for a covered non-emergent surgical procedure has no out-of-pocket expenses, all co-pays and deductibles are waived.  Additionally, their employer will fund between $5,000-$10,000 into a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) which the employee can then use to offset future medical expenses.  What’s unique about a HRA is the funds deposited are tax-free to the employee and tax-deductible to the employer.  HRA funds roll over annually and can be used toward future out-of-pocket expenses such as co-pays, deductibles, premiums, prescriptions, and more.  Our program is so novel, that we have filed a patent around the business model and method.

The response from the public sector community has been extremely positive.  Employers love our quality programs, our patient centric philosophy and being empowered to give their workforce an additional healthcare option with a direct financial reward to the consumer that ultimately makes the decision.  Our membership with CAJPA and our sponsorship of their annual conference, demonstrates our commitment to providing high quality, innovative healthcare solutions to the public sector space.  We are very excited to be a part of this organization.

By Kevin Poling, Director of Travel at Satori World Medical

The growing realization that high-quality healthcare is available in many parts of the world for a fraction of the cost than within the U.S., has prompted more American patients to become medical travelers. But where are the best medical tourism destinations and why? Below are some of the most recommended medical travel destinations according to Satori World Medical, as well as the most trusted consumer guide to healthcare abroad, Patients Beyond Borders – 2nd Edition, by Josef Woodman.

1. Costa Rica: According to Patients Beyond Borders, some 15 percent of Costa Rica’s international tourists visit this small country for medical services, which are predominantly cosmetic surgery and dental care. Costa Rica is one of the top five countries most visited by Americans for medical treatment. Costa Rica has hundreds of board-certified physicians, surgeons, and dentists, mostly practicing in or near San José. Costa Rica is also becoming increasingly popular for eye surgery and other elective procedures, such as bariatric surgery (for weight loss) and orthopedics. For medical travelers heading to Costa Rica for surgery, CIMA/San José, Hospital La Católica, and Clínica Bíblica are among the medical tourism industry’s top picks.

2. India: India’s medical travel industry, also according to Patients Beyond Borders 2nd Edition, is growing at an annual growth rate of 30 percent per year. Largely responsible for that growth is the increasing number of Americans, Canadians, and Europeans seeking treatment there. Particularly, India has become a hub for patients seeking cardiac and orthopedic surgeries, which are on average 80 percent less expensive when compared to the cost of treatment at home, based on estimates from Satori World Medical. In particular, India offers among the best cardiac care in the world with Centers of Excellence, such as Wockhardt Hospital (Mumbai), Apollo (New Delhi and Chennai), and the Asian Heart Institute (Mumbai) at the top of the list.

3. Turkey: For surgical procedures, ranging from orthopedic and cardiac, to cosmetic surgery, Turkey is an excellent choice. In fact, Turkey now has more than 30 Joint Commission International (JCI)-accredited hospitals and healthcare facilities. JCI is the international arm of the U.S. hospital accrediting body, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), ensuring the highest standards in quality and patient care. Prices in Turkey are very competitive, and the quality of healthcare is consistently outstanding. Two of the top-rated hospitals in Turkey that are highly recommended are Acibadem Healthcare Group and Anadolu Medical Center.

4. Mexico: More and more American patients are opting to travel to Mexico for plastic and cosmetic surgery, dentistry, weight loss, and orthopedic surgery. Mexico is popular for medical tourists because it offers high-quality healthcare services within close proximity to U.S. and Canada. For U.S. patients who appreciate shorter flights and travel time, Mexico is an ideal choice. According to JCI, there are now eight JCI-accredited hospitals and medical facilities in Mexico. For patients seeking surgery in Mexico, two hospitals that Satori World Medical recommends are Christus Muguerza and Hospital San José Tec de Monterrey.

5. Singapore: According to Patients Beyond Borders, Singapore has been an international healthcare destination since the 1980s. In 2006, more than 400,000 international patients visited Singapore. The country offers 13 JCI-accredited hospitals and centers, specializing in a variety of practice areas, from orthopedic and spine surgery, to cardiac care and women’s procedures. Medical travelers considering Singapore as a destination will receive high quality care at any of the JCI-accredited hospitals throughout the country. Among them include National University Hospital and Parkway Group Healthcare, Asia’s second largest hospital network.

Regardless of where medical travelers choose to go for their surgical procedures, they should always first contact a professional global healthcare company, such as Satori World Medical, to coordinate every step of their trip and ensure that all important details are taken care of.

By Conni Nelson, Satori World Medical

A few weeks ago, I discussed the financial burdens of America’s escalating healthcare costs on today’s early retirees and the employers funding their health plans into retirement. This has become an increasingly pressing issue for the 3.8-million early retirees in the U.S., between the ages of 55 and 64, who do not yet qualify for Medicare and are being forced to now carry a greater portion of their own medical expenses into retirement.

One promising solution to this problem, which I discussed in my previous blog post, is medical travel, whereby patients travel internationally to receive quality healthcare at a fraction of the cost than in the U.S. So, now I’d like to delve into specifically why early retirees are especially ideal candidates for medical travel.

•  Early retirees are more likely to need common surgical procedures, which fall within the specific specialty areas of many of today’s Joint Commission International (JCI)-accredited, international hospitals: It is a well-known fact that as people age, they become more susceptible to health problems. According to the American Heart Association, for instance, U.S. heart disease accounts for nearly $438 billion in medical procedures, and more than 38 million American adults age 60 or higher have one, or more, types of cardiovascular disease. Cost-prohibitive surgical procedures are much less expensive in other parts of the world. A prime example is heart surgery in India. The quality of care and patient outcomes in India’s hospitals are among the best in the world. Yet, the average heart procedure in India costs a tenth of what it would for the same procedure in a top-rated U.S. hospital. An article published last year in Health Affairs offers an interesting perspective on this.

•  Growing prevalence of U.S. employers that are reimbursing their employees for participation in a global healthcare program: Many of the common procedures that early retirees need are also eligible for reimbursement by an employer to the employee through a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA). These funds can then be used to cover the patient’s future medical expenses for years to come. Specifically, under Satori World Medical’s proprietary business model employers will fund a portion of the savings to their employees through a HRA and, as an added incentive, waive all out-of-pocket costs including co-pays and deductibles when an individual selects the Satori Global Network™ for their medical procedure.

•  Early retirees have more free time than other demographics: Medical travel programs are also a good fit for people in early retirement because they generally have more time to travel. Therefore, they are more likely to participate in a medical travel program. Additionally, early retirees are typically on a fixed income and would greatly benefit from the economic incentives available through a global healthcare program which can supplement their existing incomes into retirement.

Unfortunately, the rising costs of healthcare continue to place a significant burden on many early retirees and their employers. However, the good news is that access to high-quality, affordable healthcare is available throughout the world, and for many reasons medical travel is an ideal option suited for Americans entering retirement.