• 03
  Jun
  2010

• Medical Tourism Versus Medical Care During Tourism

  
  Filed Under: Blogging
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It is not just India’s spirituality and culture that has tourists flocking to the country in hordes. It is also a hub for medical tourism, with people coming from all parts of the globe to get treated for various ailments. Remember, though, that insurance for Indian tourists will not cover any major medical treatment that you undergo as part of a scheduled treatment regimen.

In fact, a few American companies are now willing to pay patients for their surgeries if performed in India. This involves a lot of paperwork, however, and it must be noted that while medical malpractice and negligence is well insured against in the United States, no effective checks and balances are available in India.

Other countries such as Indonesia are also jumping into the medical tourism fray. But medical tourism is very different from medical care you receive as a tourist. Typically, tourist insurance covers unplanned medical care, which might include inpatient and outpatient care, ambulance charges, emergency evacuation, and even repatriation of remains.

Pre-existing conditions are excluded from coverage. In contrast, medical tourism is mainly for the purpose of treating a pre-existing condition. When a traveler in India, remember to purchase insurance for tourists to India. Even if the costs of healthcare in India are lower than U.S. rates, an accident or evacuation can set you back by thousands of dollars.