Businesses May Move Health Care Overseas

Indian doctor Praveen Chandra checks on an Americam patient Greg Goodell from Iowa after a his successful heart operation at a hospital in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2006.With an estimated 45 million uninsured or underinsured Americans, some 500,000 trekked overseas last year for medical treatment, according to the National Coalition on Health Care. Asian hospitals have long been swarmed by medical tourists looking for tummy tucks and face lifts, but now many of the marble, resort-style facilities are gaining reputations for big-ticket procedures including heart surgery, knee and back operations. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) (Manish Swarup - AP)

Blue Shield of California and Health Net of California also both offer lower-cost policies allowing members to seek medical care in Mexico.

In June, David Boucher, an assistant vice president at BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, traveled to Bangkok for a close-up look at Bumrungrad. The Thai hospital began heavily recruiting overseas patients after the 1997 Asian financial crisis. It drew 400,000 foreigners last year _ including 55,000 Americans.

"I was thoroughly impressed," Boucher said. "We're taking a serious look at this as an alternative" for the health plan's 1.5 million members.

In addition, West Virginia lawmaker Ray Canterbury plans to propose legislation next year that would give government employees the option of traveling abroad for necessary procedures, which could save the state up to $2 million annually. He wants to offer incentives, including extra sick leave and 20 percent of the cash saved by going abroad _ allowing workers to actually make money on the deal.

Dodie Gilmore is a rodeo barrel-racing champion who runs a 180-acre ranch in Oklahoma when she's not bouncing across back roads selling farms. Gilmore is a spry 60-year-old who loves the outdoors, but when she could no longer straddle her faithful horse, River, she knew it was time for a new hip.

But how could she afford it? As an independent contractor for a small Coldwell Banker real estate franchise in Durant, Okla., she knew her privately purchased health plan would never pay up to $40,000 for the operation.

So she asked her boss about traveling to India where hip resurfacing alone would cost just $7,000. He not only gave her his blessing but offered to foot the bill, minus travel and hotels _ making Gilmore one of the very first Americans sent overseas for surgery by an employer.

"The doctors were wonderful," Gilmore said days after being discharged, sipping coffee at a New Delhi roadside cafe with her sister, Carol, who was along for whole trip. "The overall care was pretty darn good."

More and more patients like Gilmore _ who had never held a passport or even tasted Indian food before her trip _ are returning home and spreading the word about an alternative to America's ailing health system.

Gilmore's boss, Martin VanMeter, who owns a Coldwell Banker office with about 24 workers, wasn't obligated to pay anything toward the hip surgery. But he sees his employees as family, and if they're too hurt or sick to work, no one benefits.

"I've invested so much money in them," he said by telephone. "All she's got to do is make one transaction for us, and we've got our money back."

But even with the growing momentum, big questions must be asked by anyone considering treatment abroad.