Why is Health Care Cheaper in India?

A $175,000 heart surgery in the United States goes for about $10,000 in India. What is up with that? Indian doctors practicing in the United States charge more than if they were in India?  Seems logical that one should consider going to India for surgery to save money. In fact, an employer would do well to encourage it. If employee Jones needs heart surgery, why not offer him the option of traveling to India with his wife, free of charge, pay 100% of all expenses, including medical expenses, and hand employee Jones a check for $20,000.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/27/india.medical.travel/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

Senate Takes on Out-Of-Network Issues

Next Tuesday a Senate hearing will be held to highlight medical out-of-network issues. The issues include the contention that insurance companies are low-balling out-of-network reimbursement and leaving the consumer to pay more than they should.

Editor’s Note: It is frustrating to watch Congress delve into areas they have no business delving into. They should let free market forces reign. This is another example of why PPO networks drive costs up, not down and have become nothing more than a smokescreen to allow providers to inflate their fees. The only thing that a PPO guarantees is the promise of no balance-billing. But, we have found a solution to the balance billing issue which defuses the fear mongering tactics used by medical providers, insurance companies and PPO network salesmen.