As the cost of living continues to rise, many of us are looking for any opportunity to save money. Data shows that millions of Australians are putting off medical appointments due to cost, while in an effort to further stretch their finances, more people are travelling to countries such as Thailand and Turkey in recent years in search of cheaper medical, dental and cosmetic procedures – this is known as medical tourism.
“Australia is facing a healthcare cost crisis alongside a cost of living crisis that is making it a little more expensive and a little more unreasonable to provide a lot of care at home, both in terms of health service delivery, Medicare funding and the cost of private health insurance,” Finder insurance expert Tim Bennett said.
The prospect of faster access to treatment is also causing Australians to look elsewhere, says Professor Mark Frydenberg, chair of the Royal Australian College of Surgeons’ (RACS) committee on health policy and advocacy. “There can be very long waiting times for some elective treatments in the public system, and paying for them privately may be perceived as quite expensive for some people.”
“We are in fact seeing an increase in the number of people seeking treatment abroad rather than receiving treatment locally.”
You could save thousands of dollars, but beware of unexpected costs
Medical, dental and cosmetic procedures can cost thousands of dollars less in other countries, but Bennett says the exact cost depends on the type of procedure you get, where you get it, and how much excess you have to pay if you have private health insurance in Australia. “In many cases you can certainly save money, but you’re not paying 10 per cent of the total cost,” he says.
“A surgery that would cost $30,000 here might cost $10,000 in Turkey.”
The main reasons Australians become medical tourists are to save money and avoid long waiting lists at public hospitals. Credit: Getty/Petrangela/Getty Images
Beyond the cost of surgery, accommodation and flights, Bennett says you also need to consider the costs you’ll have to pay if things don’t go as planned. “Most likely, travel insurance won’t cover you if something goes wrong while you’re traveling,” he says.
“If there are complications during surgery, it’s not necessarily related to the quality of the surgeon, but your body may have a certain reaction, which is not covered by travel insurance… so the costs can add up.”
The risks of medical tourism
As with costs, the risks associated with medical tourism vary depending on the type of treatment and where it is received. Mr Frydenberg said there could be “very significant differences” in the quality and standards of care in Australia and other countries. “Some of the surgeons and facilities overseas where medical tourism takes place may be perfectly adequate. They may be well-trained surgeons, good facilities and provide very high quality care,” he said.
“The problem is, not much is known about it.”
Mr Frydenberg warned that even in countries with similar regulations to Australia, problems could arise. “For example, if you have surgery and then have something like a heart attack, do you have a team of cardiologists who can actually deal with the problem? Do you have an intervention team who can quickly insert a cardiac stent if there is a problem?”
“Obviously, we hope that this never happens to any patient undergoing surgery, but unfortunately these things do happen from time to time. You want to be as sure as possible that wherever you have your surgery, they’re equipped to deal with those unforeseen issues.”
Medical tourism is not without risks. Credit: Getty/HalfPoint Images
Frydenberg added that leaving the country where you had your surgery doesn’t necessarily mean you’re free of potential complications. “One of the risks after surgery is deep vein thrombosis, which is a blood clot in your leg that can travel to your lungs,” he said. “That’s a life-threatening complication. That’s also a complication on long-haul flights, so really, when you combine the two, it increases the risk. And if you do get an infection on your way back home, you need to understand who’s going to deal with those complications because your surgeon is in another country and he’s not seeing patients here,” Frydenberg said. Australian authorities are restricting medical tourists.
According to the Smart Traveler website, with your permission, the government can contact family members in your home country and provide you with a list of local English-speaking hospitals, doctors and lawyers.
But the government can’t recommend the right hospital or surgeon for your surgery, represent you in court or intervene in local legal proceedings. The government also can’t pay your medical, evacuation or legal costs, and can’t bail you out of trouble or jail if you can’t pay your bills. Bennett said he personally wouldn’t take the risk. “If you’re only going to save a few thousand dollars by getting dental work done overseas, I think it’s probably not worth it,” he said. “If it’s $20,000 to $30,000 savings, a lot of people can save that much, but with a probably bigger project, you’re paying a lot more and the surgery is probably a lot more extensive, so there are other risks involved.”
“To me, the savings just don’t seem worth it, but the calculations will be different for different people.”
Mr Frydenberg acknowledged some patients were caught in the middle. “I don’t want to say ‘don’t do it’,” he said.
“For example, I think some people are waiting a long time to get things done and that results in a lower quality of life. But as a university, we’re concerned.”
Are you still planning to go? Get ready!
Both Bennett and Frydenberg said it was essential that anyone still considering medical tourism be as careful as possible. “You need to exercise some caution and an abundance of caution,” Frydenberg said. “You definitely need to check the experience and the qualifications of the surgeon who is going to perform the procedure,” Frydenberg said.
“We need to make sure that appropriate pre-operative consultations have taken place and that they are indeed appropriate, that patients are actually undergoing surgery in the first place, and that patients feel that they have been given enough information about the risks and benefits to make an informed decision about whether or not to undergo surgery.”
Bennett said comparing different providers was key to lowering the risk. “You’re basically going out on your own. You can’t get travel insurance or health insurance. You’re in charge of your own life and your own possessions, so at the very least you owe it to yourself to do all the research you can,” he said. Smart Traveller recommends speaking to an Australian doctor about your travel plans and seeking advice in advance.
They also recommend getting a medical check at least six weeks before traveling, having someone with you to support and act on your behalf if anything goes wrong, and making sure your will is up to date.
