Ironically, it is the influx of international patients seeking lower-cost health care that will be an important driver for the development of hospitals and the retaining of health professionals in nations such as Thailand, India, Hungary, and many Latin American countries.
Health plan administrators are struggling to figure out ways to do business without borders. The challenges are daunting, said UnitedHealth Group's Ori Karev.
Speaking specifically of coverage for Americans obtaining care outside the United States, he noted, “There are a lot of complicated issues involved in this: transportation issues, authorization issues, tax issues in terms of the ways in which the IRS will treat medical travel expenses.”
As countries such as India, Thailand, China, Brazil, and others become more affluent, their health care spending will increase, as will the number of risk-sharing plans.