Contact Information: Contact: Ed Emerman 609-275-5162 eemerman@eaglepr.com
National Business Group on Health Releases Issue Brief on Employer-Provided Medical Tourism
NBGH Offers Employers Tips to Evaluate Whether to Provide Medical Tourism Coverage
| Source: National Business Group on Health
WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - July 15, 2008) - With the view that medical tourism may be an
innovative approach to expanding access to lower cost, sometimes higher
quality health care, the National Business Group on Health, a non-profit
association of more than 300 large U.S. employers, today released an Issue
Brief on Medical Tourism to inform and guide employers in their evaluation
of this option for their organizations.
The NBGH's Issue Brief on Medical Tourism comes at a time when a growing
number of U.S. employers, consumers, and other stakeholders are
investigating the benefits of going abroad for non-urgent medical
procedures. Estimated at $60 billion in 2006, the size of the worldwide
medical tourism market is projected to reach $100 billion by 2012.
"As U.S. employers continue to explore cost-effective health care options
for their organizations, medical tourism will continue to garner
considerable attention and investment," said Helen Darling, President of
the National Business Group on Health. "While robust media attention and
key stakeholders continue to tout the significant cost differentials
afforded by offshore care, and drive interest in this innovative approach,
employers should have a clear understanding of the critical issues involved
in medical tourism."
The Issue Brief defines medical tourism and provides statistics about the
current marketplace; identifies those procedures most commonly performed
abroad; lists most frequented destination countries and evaluation of
destination country standards, and explores the key drivers of current
interest in/use of medical tourism. The Issue Brief also examines the
critical issues necessary to effectively evaluate inclusion of medical
tourism coverage, which include: quality of care, patient suitability,
benefit coverage components, care coordination, legal/liability issues, and
the potential versus actual cost savings of medical tourism. An employer
case study and the results of a 2008 medical tourism survey of Business
Group members are also included.
"There are a number of significant reasons -- expanded access,
cost-effectiveness, competitive pressures on U.S. providers, and safe
health outcomes -- for employers to consider adding coverage of medical
tourism to their benefits package," said Ms. Darling. "However, prior to
facilitating treatment abroad, it's essential that employers undertake a
comprehensive due diligence process to ensure that inclusion of this
benefit is worthwhile for their organizations."
Attention Editors: For a copy of the Issue Brief, or to arrange an
interview with Ms. Darling, please contact Ed Emerman at
eemerman@eaglepr.com or 609-275-5162.
About the National Business Group on Health
The National Business Group on Health is the nation's only non-profit,
membership organization of large employers devoted exclusively to finding
innovative and forward-thinking solutions to their most important health
care and related benefits issues. The NBGH identifies and shares best
practices in health benefits, disability, health and productivity, related
paid time off and work/life balance issues. NBGH members provide health
coverage for more than 50 million U.S. workers, retirees and their
families. For more information about the NBGH, visit
www.businessgrouphealth.org.