Explosive Medical Tourism Growth for Mexico

Medical Tourism is a Burgeoning Industry

Escalating costs and the appearance of international alternatives has given rise to a robust global medical tourism market that was worth over $37 billion in 2019. Patients book trips to countries for various medical procedures ranging from cosmetic surgery, orthodontics and dentistry, orthopedic procedures, and more, and at much more affordable rates than in their own country. 

It is interesting to note that it is estimated that the worldwide medical tourism market is growing at a rate of 15-25%, with current inbound patient flows highest in places like Mexico, Southeast, and South Asia. 

In this rapidly growing market, medical tourism destinations and healthcare providers around the world find that the competition is fierce. Maintaining a competitive edge requires a combination of factors that collectively drive medical travel by improving their country image and by distinguishing its brand in the medical tourism market.

What is important to you and me, is that ultimately, this competition benefits the medical tourist, as countries and facilities competitively strive to have the optimal combination of the latest technology, most advanced procedures, most qualified doctors, best facilities, in the most desirable locations, and with the best prices.

What Sets A Medical Tourism Destination Apart?

There are quite a few reasons which collectively set a country apart as a top destination for medical tourism. These factors include:

• Significant government and private sector investment in healthcare infrastructure
• A demonstrated commitment to international accreditation, quality assurance, and transparency of outcomes
• The continual growth of their international patient inflow
• The potential for significant cost savings on medical procedures
• Political transparency and social stability
• Excellent tourism infrastructure and desirability as a destination
• A sustained reputation for clinical excellence
• A proven track record of healthcare innovation and achievement
• Successful adoption of best practices and state-of-the-art medical technology
• Availability of experienced medical staff that is internationally-trained, and possessing multi-lingual skills

And there are quite a few medical specialties that, for one reason or another, are the most commonly sought to be performed internationally. These include:

• Cosmetic surgery
• Dentistry (general, restorative, and cosmetic)
• Cardiovascular (angioplasty, CABG or coronary artery bypass grafting, and transplants)
• Orthopedics (joint and spine; sports medicine)
• Cancer (often experimental or last resort)
• Reproductive (fertility, IVF or in-vitro fertilization, and other women’s health procedures)
• Weight loss (laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding or LAP-BAND, and gastric bypass)
• Scans, tests, health screenings, and second opinions

Prospective patients most commonly evaluate the attractiveness of countries for medical travel, using just a few key factors, including:

• A country’s economy and public image
• Healthcare costs
• Quality of care 

These are the most common patient decision making factors that play a role in medical tourism growth for a destination. Still, people do consider other factors such as the desirability of the location as a beautiful place to visit, and also safety and ease of access. In essence, the thinking is to save money, get as good or better treatment as you could get at home, and have a fabulous vacation for your recovery. 

Medical Tourism in Mexico

In Mexico, Medical tourism generated revenues of $3 million in 2015, which grew to over $20 million in 2018 and has been projected to quadruple by 2030. While this started with an emphasis on more discretionary procedures that were less likely to be covered by insurance, such as dental, cosmetic, and bariatric procedures, Mexico’s medical tourism is rapidly evolving and maturing.

And quite honestly, some of these over-the-border procedure centers have had varying results and have been giving medical tourism in Mexico a shaky reputation. But more recently, major medical facilities in Mexico have seen the opportunity and are taking an earnest approach towards being a world-class medical tourism destination with a particular emphasis on specialties like: 

• Cardiac surgery
• Plastic surgery
• Ophthalmology
• Oncology
• Dentistry
• Gastro-surgery
• Traumatology 
• Bariatric surgery
• And more…

According to Patients Beyond Borders, a medical tourism resource, Mexico is one of the world’s top destinations for travelers looking to have medical and dental work done (especially for those in the US and Canada). It is not uncommon to find that savings for a medical tourist who visits for surgery or other medical treatments in Mexico are between 35% and 85% compared to what is available in their country of origin.

Mexico has the incomparable competitive advantage of having the main recipients and providers of medical tourism in the world as their neighbors: the United States and Canada. Because of this, great health care advances have been possible. Mexico is no longer simply recognized for offering orthodontic or cosmetic surgeries to bordering cities; rather, they have become a global center for quality medical attention.

Some of the reasons why Mexico has become a top choice for Medical Tourism are: 

• International demand for quality services
• Certified doctors
• Optimal geographic location
• Advanced technology
• Cutting-edge scientific approaches
• Connectivity
• Hospital infrastructures

Data from the Planning and Tourism Policy Undersecretariat shows that currently, the most prominent states for medical tourism are: 

• Baja California
• Sonora
• Chihuahua
• Nuevo Leon
• Tamaulipas
• Jalisco
• Quintana Roo
• Yucatan
• Mexico City
• San Luis Potosi
• Puebla

Given this information, the Ministry of Health states that “The competitive prices of medical services in our country allow substantial saving for various treatments and surgical procedures, as well as reduced waiting times.” For example, rhinoplasty is 56% cheaper than in the US, while cardiac valve replacement can be as much as 89% cheaper.

Besides the attractive prices paid by medical tourism consumers, the abundance of highly trained specialists represents an advantage Mexico has over its competitors. The ratio of medical specialists to general practitioners in Mexico is 63.4 percent, higher than the average 57.7 percent in the countries listed in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Implications for Ex-Pats in Mexico

This growth in medical tourism is very beneficial for ex-pats living in Mexico, as it has always been a challenge to find the right health care solution. Every solution has a different mix of cost, accessibility, quality of care, and risks.

• Keeping your Medicare while living outside the US is a common practice, but you have to return to the US to use it, so you would be well advised to have medical evacuation insurance.
• International health insurance might be too pricey for some. The same can be true for private health insurance in Mexico.
• Accepting Mexico’s IMSS can leave something to be desired.
• Being self-insured has an obvious financial risk. 

But one thing is for sure, the huge growth in medical tourism also affects more and more accessibility to the sort of health care Americans are accustomed to, and yet, at the amazing price point afforded by being in Mexico, with savings of 35%-85% of what the cost would be in the US. 

So with the continued growth of medical tourism in Mexico, ex-pats can expect increasing accessibility to very high-quality health care services and at the sort of value pricing which they have come to expect in Mexico.

Senior Care Tourism?

Taking this one step further, and playing off of what has been presented so far regarding medical tourism in Mexico, it is clear that Mexico is becoming a very attractive choice for many major healthcare-related services, not only from a cost perspective but also regarding the quality of care. With that said, it is not much of a leap to understand why senior care in Mexico (meaning independent living, assisted living, memory care, and hospice) has also become a great alternative to what may be available to seniors in their country of origin. Some of the key benefits include:

• Cost savings of 35%-60%
• Quality of care (warmth, authenticity, and dignity)
• Much better caregiver to resident ratios
• Full-time medical professionals on-site, including Doctors, Psychologists, and Physical Therapists
• Very desirable weather, food, and lifestyle
• Beautiful accommodations, facilities, and grounds
• Continuity of care from fully independent living to hospice

And if these seniors need medical care, the more basic GP sort of treatments are typically performed by the on-site doctor, and other treatments benefit from the cost and quality advantages that have been present earliere