Medical and Dental Tourism

[Andrea]

I read so much about traveling to where you can vacation and have your medical needs or dental work done at a fraction of the cost. It sounds almost too good to be true.

Both my friend and I need extensive dental work. Her insurance covers none of it and my insurance covers about an eighth of what I need. We are considering traveling to either Tijuana or Cancun instead of having the work done locally.

I am looking for people that have experienced medical/dental tourism. Was it all you thought it would be? Were you able to enjoy your destination? Any words of advise?

Thank you for any input you have to offer.

[DapperButch]

Interesting topic!

I will say don't try to go to Canada for dental care. Crazy expensive!

Unfortunately, for the citizens, they have to pay out of pocket, as well.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Andrea

I read so much about traveling to where you can vacation and have your medical needs or dental work done at a fraction of the cost. It sounds almost too good to be true.

Both my friend and I need extensive dental work. Her insurance covers none of it and my insurance covers about an eighth of what I need. We are considering traveling to either Tijuana or Cancun instead of having the work done locally.

I am looking for people that have experienced medical/dental tourism. Was it all you thought it would be? Were you able to enjoy your destination? Any words of advise?

Thank you for any input you have to offer.

I know this is a different medical issue, but many trans people go to Thailand and Serbia for their surgeries. The care there is just as good (or better than here).

It makes sense to me that for dental care there are places that have excellent care at low prices. It isn't like the U.S. owns the market on good dental care! You might want to google and see if you can even find forums for people who seek medical care outside the U.S. If so, they would have to have some conversation about dental care, I would think. You just need to make sure you have heard from enough people to trust that a place is good. The longer the place has been around, the better the chance that the care is good.

Alternatively, can you not find a dentist who will do a payment plan? That is what mine is doing...$100 a month for the next two years!

[Andrea]

Originally Posted by DapperButch

I know this is a different medical issue, but many trans people go to Thailand and Serbia for their surgeries. The care there is just as good (or better than here).

It makes sense to me that for dental care there are places that have excellent care at low prices. It isn't like the U.S. owns the market on good dental care! You might want to google and see if you can even find forums for people who seek medical care outside the U.S. If so, they would have to have some conversation about dental care, I would think. You just need to make sure you have heard from enough people to trust that a place is good. The longer the place has been around, the better the chance that the care is good.

Alternatively, can you not find a dentist who will do a payment plan? That is what mine is doing...$100 a month for the next two years!

Yes, my dentist offers a payment plan. I haven't discussed the terms yet. This isn't about how am I going to pay for the work. This is about getting the most bang for my buck.

Thank you for the suggestions.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Andrea

Yes, my dentist offers a payment plan. I haven't discussed the terms yet. This isn't about how am I going to pay for the work. This is about getting the most bang for my buck.

Thank you for the suggestions.

I think I also missed your point...you are hitting two birds with one stone...lower medical costs, plus fun!

[MsTinkerbelly]

Originally Posted by Andrea

I read so much about traveling to where you can vacation and have your medical needs or dental work done at a fraction of the cost. It sounds almost too good to be true.

Both my friend and I need extensive dental work. Her insurance covers none of it and my insurance covers about an eighth of what I need. We are considering traveling to either Tijuana or Cancun instead of having the work done locally.

I am looking for people that have experienced medical/dental tourism. Was it all you thought it would be? Were you able to enjoy your destination? Any words of advise?

Thank you for any input you have to offer.

We have a friend that went to Bangkok for dental work, and they did a beautiful job. If you decide on Bangkok I'll try to get a name for you.

[blueblackbird]

My friend had surgery in Korea and spoke very highly of the experience!

[cathexis]

Michael Moore did a documentary on just this topic entitled, "Sicko." Might be

something to watch. He took a group of people in need of healthcare to Cuba.

Cuba has one of the best healthcare systems in this part of the world, and one

of their major exports to other Caribbean nations and S. America is their

excellent medical care. The people who went, some of which required

extensive medical work-ups, weren't charged anything. They said that there

wasn't even a way to charge people for the care.

That's where I am considering going for the extensive dental work that I need.

In the US, if you have Medicare, but don't qualify for Medicaid there's no

coverage for dental. My disability was over the cutoff for having the double

Medicare/Medicaid by 13 dollars...$13.00! What's that going to buy at the

dentist's office? The bib they put on you.....maybe...if you're lucky!

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by cathexis

Michael Moore did a documentary on just this topic entitled, "Sicko." Might be

something to watch. He took a group of people in need of healthcare to Cuba.

Cuba has one of the best healthcare systems in this part of the world, and one

of their major exports to other Caribbean nations and S. America is their

excellent medical care. The people who went, some of which required

extensive medical work-ups, weren't charged anything. They said that there

wasn't even a way to charge people for the care.

That's where I am considering going for the extensive dental work that I need.

In the US, if you have Medicare, but don't qualify for Medicaid there's no

coverage for dental. My disability was over the cutoff for having the double

Medicare/Medicaid by 13 dollars...$13.00! What's that going to buy at the

dentist's office? The bib they put on you.....maybe...if you're lucky!

Good information to share!

That sucks by $13! I assume that you aren't working at all? If so, decrease your earnings.

Some state Medicaid plans do not even give dental. Which is ridiculous. Our teeth is connected to our health. There is some state financing so people can get cheaper dental care, at least (if you qualify). But, I believe that is with programs connected to dental schools. Just like a person can get cheaper hair cuts and such at hair stylist school.

[MsTinkerbelly]

Originally Posted by cathexis

Michael Moore did a documentary on just this topic entitled, "Sicko." Might be

something to watch. He took a group of people in need of healthcare to Cuba.

Cuba has one of the best healthcare systems in this part of the world, and one

of their major exports to other Caribbean nations and S. America is their

excellent medical care. The people who went, some of which required

extensive medical work-ups, weren't charged anything. They said that there

wasn't even a way to charge people for the care.

That's where I am considering going for the extensive dental work that I need.

In the US, if you have Medicare, but don't qualify for Medicaid there's no

coverage for dental. My disability was over the cutoff for having the double

Medicare/Medicaid by 13 dollars...$13.00! What's that going to buy at the

dentist's office? The bib they put on you.....maybe...if you're lucky!

I guess it depends on what plans are available where you live, but with my HMO Humana (through Medicare) I can pay a few $$ more and have a good dental and a vision plan. I have vision and dental through my Kasey's employer, so I declined the option from Humana.

Yes, a PPO gives you more options to see providers, but for my recent hospitalization with heart cath, I will only pay $225 total for the 3 days they consider me as admitted. I thank God I went with the HMO when I enrolled with Medicare.

[Andrea]

Bumping to see if I can get more input.

[Kelt]

This is a link to a 5 year old article that is still pretty relevant from KIP.

The US healthcare system has undergone many changes since then, but overseas less so. One of the links in the article is to Patients Beyond Borders which may be helpful.

So far as anecdotal experience, I know several folks who will only get dental work done in Mexico, I chose Canada for my own eye surgery 15 years ago, and my best dentist ever worked in CA but was trained in and transplanted from the Bahamas, no cost savings but far superior work.

I am thinking very seriously of abandoning the American "Medical Industry" (no healthcare involved) in the next year or two for myself and will likely opt to do an annual health tune-up and testing rounds trip out of country. I will use the findings to choose what kind of insurance to buy each year. I am very much afraid that the data from routine checks will be used against US citizens in the near future and the advantage of outsourcing would also be privacy until/if I wish to disclose.

For both cost and quality I have transferred most of my mothers care to private providers here in the states (it's cheaper and better!).

ETA: Don't forget currency exchange rates, it can really add to the savings when the dollar is strong like it is now.

[Kätzchen]

Bumping Andrea’s thread for a friend ….