Health Care Website and Blog

With more and more people losing their health insurance, more than 25,000 people, mostly Americans, hop a jet or ocean cruise ship and head south for medical care in Costa Rica every year. And, increasingly, folks take vacations to Costa Rica that include medical tourism. Why? Because they are onto the fact that medical care in Costa Rica is now equal to that of the best hospitals in the U.S. but at a fraction of the cost. It is shameful that the richest country in the world treats its citizens so shabbily but at least there is now a viable option.

Ever hear of Joint Commission International (JCI) Accreditation? It is what the cream of the crop hospitals seek. There are thousands of hospitals in the world but only the top hospitals are certified and have Joint Commission International Accreditation, providing assurance that they meet the most rigorous international benchmarks for patient care and hospital standards. A JCI accredited hospital in Europe, Asia, and Australia is every bit as good as a similarly accredited hospital in Boston.

Three Costa Rica hospitals are certified and have Joint Commission International Accreditation. Those hospitals are Cima, La Catolica, and La Clinica Biblica, all in or very near to San Jose. Each provides a wide range of surgical services and Board Certified doctors.

American health care costs are skyrocketing. Increasingly out of reach for many people, they are threatening not only men, women, and families, but the country itself. American health care is the most expensive in the world—by a huge margin. And, for the nearly fifty million Americans without health insurance, injury is added to insult because virtually all hospitals charge uninsured patients much more for services than their neighbors fortunate enough to have good insurance. This is where Costa Rica medical care comes into play. While American politicians dither and the country slides downhill, thousands of suffering American travelers are becoming Costa Rica medical tourists because they want to get great care and save money. Many save up to 65% in Costa Rica for the identical surgical care they would receive in the United States-if they could afford it.

Here is one example that illustrates the cost savings experienced by many Americans. For patients who do not have health insurance, total knee replacement surgery in the United States can cost them $25,000-$35,000 or more. Often, that same surgery at Clinica Biblica Hospital with a board certified surgeon is less than $12,000.

Lasik eye surgery that can cost up to $5,000 in the U.S. is often under $2,000 in the little Latin America country. The accredited hospitals of Costa Rica and many board certified physicians—many who have studied and trained in the United States and at other world renowned universities-typically charge about $3,200 for breast augmentation. Increasingly, women desiring aesthetic surgery are medical tourists. Instead of getting a facelift for $10,000, they pack their bikini, shorts and sun tan lotion and board a plane for Costa Rica where for about $3,000 or so, they can have the same surgery as back home while recuperating in a tropical paradise on a Costa Rica vacation. Then, as an added bonus, they go home with money in their pocket. And remember the rule of Costa Rica: what happens here stays here!

In addition to the three JCI accredited hospitals, there are three San Jose clinics accredited by the American Association for the Accreditation of Ambulatory Facilities. They are UNIBE (Universidad de Iberoamerica) which offers ambulatory and surgical care; a dental clinic called Sonrise Por Todo (Smiles for Everybody providing dental care; and Pino Plastic Surgery Clinic.

Aesthetic surgeries account for about-% of all Costa Rica medical tourism and about a third of all Costa Rica medical tourists come for dental care. Implants costing up to $3,000 in the United States are between $500-$750 in Costa Rica. Periodontal surgery that is at least $2,500 in the U.S. is about $400.

Like everywhere else, costs, of course, vary by provider so compare. Clinics in more upscale neighborhoods with lots of Americans may have different unspoken pricing tiers than clinics typically catering to the local population. And, always inquire if there is a cash discount if you pay in dollars, not via credit or debit card. Finally, consider this. Many medical and dental insurance companies pay for dental or medical care in Costa Rica so, check with your carrier and Costa Rica service provider before getting a procedure.

Victor Krumm writes about sunny Costa Rica in his beautiful Costa Rica Vacations site. Before vacationing, check out Costa Rica Beaches