Insurance Reimbursements

Presently, only a few major American health insurance carriers will reimburse for procedures done outside the country.  Boomer Health Travel has the most experience in the Medical Tourism industry with reimbursements by Aetna, Blue Cross-Blue Shield, Cigna and United Healthcare.  You must have PPO coverage to qualify.  The big four will reimburse for a very limited number of hospitals abroad.  Usually, you must pay for your treatment and file for reimbursement upon return home.  Health insurance carriers are slow to catch on.  Many want their competitors to take the plunge first.  They ignore that most insured American patients have no reason to seek more affordable, better treatment abroad when the insurance company is paying.  Those insurers who will pay for overseas healthcare do not reimburse the travel and lodging components, just the hospital-surgeon package.  If you have Medicare, we know of no instance in which Medicare or Medicaid will cover the cost of overseas treatment.   Our preferred providers could save the Treasury several billion dollars a year; and private health insurers’ substantial amounts as well.  The private insurers could  pay for travel, lodging and the medical treatment and still save $20,000 to $50,000 per patient per surgery over US costs.