Medical tourism is a multibillion-dollar, unregulated industry. Medical tourists are motivated to travel for different reasons. Some go after their friends and family have done so and have good results. Others don’t have dental or health insurance or want procedures not covered by insurance, like cosmetic surgery.
Also read: I never expected to retire to Panama — but we are living ‘very comfortably’ on $1,200 a month All surgeries have risks. Patients might get blood clots, stitches opening up, asymmetrical healing in cosmetic procedures, or complications requiring extra surgeries. But medical tourists have a much higher risk of developing infections due to the need for more oversight.
When people in the U.S. have bad results, they can seek legal help with the damages. But this is only sometimes realistic for medical tourists. You might like: Why it’s getting so hard to find a new doctor, and what to do if you end up looking for one.