What do you think about Americans heading overseas for elective surgeries?

[pammer]

A whole new industry in health care is springing up as Americans go to other countries for treatment, especially surgical procedures. Not only is it considerably cheaper to have surgery in other countries compared to what it would cost in the US, but those who go often get to recuperate in a vacation atmosphere. This trend is known as medical tourism.
What are your thoughts? Would you go outside the US to have surgery that was much cheaper than at home? Would you advise a patient or family member to go overseas? Why or why not?


see more at http://www.medpagetoday.com/tbprint.cfm?tbid=6404&topicid=159

[Grandma]

I recently saw a program about this,they even tell you which countries are safest for which procedure.I don't know enough about it to decide if it's safe or not but I couldn't help wondering would I really feel up to a long plane ride and getting home from the airport a few days after surgery and what if something happens either while travelling or after you get home? Who had your records?Who do you see?I think that for me personally I'd rather stay with the Dr's I know and close to home.The people I saw on the show were talking about elective surgery although apparently earlier in the show there had been someone who went to another country for a transplant.It seems dangerous to me but I guess if it was something like a transplant and you couldn't afford it here you wouldn't have any other choice but to go somewhere else.I just pray I'm never in that position.