It has been many years
coming, but the government's medical tourism initiative is finally happening,
with a more realistic approach. Originally it promised thousands of new jobs,
and thousands of new tourists.
The latest target, although still based on
little more than guesswork, promises up to 3,000 jobs in the next four years,
during this four-year term, about 50% less than what some officials had
hoped.
Puerto Rico is a self-governing territory of the USA, with a
population of 3.7 million. Tourism is an important money-earner; the island
receives up to three million visitors each year and is a port-of-call for cruise
liners.
Being a United States territory, no passport is required for
travel for US citizens, and the cost of treatment is less than half of that on
the mainland. It has a few medical centres offering cosmetic surgery, cancer
treatment and a full range of medical treatment. But the public healthcare
system is overstretched and there is little investment in private healthcare.
American medical travellers have the same legal recourse as they do in the U.S.
The administration is hoping to do deals with US health insurance plans
and target markets where there are significant Latino populations. It is not
exactly a sophisticated strategy. And the politicians have not even agreed to
spend money to set up a medical tourism promotion board, so a strategy based on
a new body to promote the region could again fall at the first hurdle.
There is a significant US military contingent at bases in Puerto Rico,
but the US Military health system (TriCare) sends
its troops and dependents home to the mainland for medical care of any
significance - even maternity care because basic obstetrical care is
insufficient to meet TriCare standards.
coming, but the government's medical tourism initiative is finally happening,
with a more realistic approach. Originally it promised thousands of new jobs,
and thousands of new tourists.
The latest target, although still based on
little more than guesswork, promises up to 3,000 jobs in the next four years,
during this four-year term, about 50% less than what some officials had
hoped.
Puerto Rico is a self-governing territory of the USA, with a
population of 3.7 million. Tourism is an important money-earner; the island
receives up to three million visitors each year and is a port-of-call for cruise
liners.
Being a United States territory, no passport is required for
travel for US citizens, and the cost of treatment is less than half of that on
the mainland. It has a few medical centres offering cosmetic surgery, cancer
treatment and a full range of medical treatment. But the public healthcare
system is overstretched and there is little investment in private healthcare.
American medical travellers have the same legal recourse as they do in the U.S.
The administration is hoping to do deals with US health insurance plans
and target markets where there are significant Latino populations. It is not
exactly a sophisticated strategy. And the politicians have not even agreed to
spend money to set up a medical tourism promotion board, so a strategy based on
a new body to promote the region could again fall at the first hurdle.
There is a significant US military contingent at bases in Puerto Rico,
but the US Military health system (TriCare) sends
its troops and dependents home to the mainland for medical care of any
significance - even maternity care because basic obstetrical care is
insufficient to meet TriCare standards.
Medical tourism news09 May 2014
Related linkTriCare
New medical tourism initiative in Puerto Rico
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