WellPoint officially announced a new global medical tourism pilot product that will allow its members to benefit affordable plastic surgery and other common elective procedures at designated health facilities in India. Starting in January 2009, the pilot program will be carried with Serigraph, Inc., a Wisconsin-based global provider of printed decorating solutions.

Dr. Razia Harashmi, chief medical officer for national accounts for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, which is affiliated with Wellpoint said that, “This is a first for us, we will be monitoring every aspect of this very closely, to make sure everyone is satisfied and there are good clinical outcomes.”

Affordable plastic surgery in India is considered top rated in medical tourism reviews and according to patient testimonials. In fact, plastic surgery in India and its healthcare market is growing at over 30% every year. The majority of patients flying to India are from the United States, Canada and Europe where healthcare cost is very expensive.

Plastic surgery cost in India is 50% - 70% cheaper compared to prices in the United States. A knee surgery that costs $70,000 to $80,000 in the United States can be performed in India for $8,000 to $10,000, including follow-up care and rehabilitation. Employees and workers will greatly benefit from the program and medical expenses plus plastic surgery cost will be reduced to a fraction of a dollar. In addition, WellPoint’s pilot program may create a reverse pressure on American hospitals, thus creating a pressure on their overwhelming plastic surgery cost, according to Dr. Hashmi.

Plastic surgery in India has the greatest potiential in the medical tourism industry. Local medical facilities in the country that promotes affordable plastic surgery have demonstrated international excellence in all specialties with major cost advantages for people from overseas. WellPoint’s pilot program to outsource patients to India may be the first step for India’s medical tourism evolution.

To know more about plastic surgery in India, please visit GoSculptura India and get your free surgeon consultation and a free preview of how you will look like after the surgery. Gosculptura offers medical vacation packages and will take care of all your primary needs in India.

Source: WellPoint to launch medical tourism pilot program

0 comments