Finding Affordable Health Care

The Center for Disease Control produced a report called Health Care in America. One of the factored noted was the determinants of health care utilization, why people use or don't use health care. The report documented that people who cannot pay for health care services, either out-of-pocket, through private or social health insurance (such as Medicare), through public programs such as Medicaid, or through some other means, may not receive needed services in the United States. This problems increases as we head deeper into a recession, and people are fired, retired, laid-off or cut back.

The United States has developed a new type of patient what's known in the health care world as a "medical tourist." No longer covered under former employer's insurance and too young to qualify for Medicare. Some people can afford private health insurance policy, but when faced with a steep $10,000 deductible, for a $14,000 operation in the U.S.,the patient goes overseas. The patient would rather take the $14,000 and recuperate in a five-star resort. They end up in countries like Costa Rica. At least 85,000 Americans choose to travel abroad for medical procedures each year, according to a recent report by the consulting firm McKinsey & Company.

In 2006 the American Medical Association developed guidelines. The AMA ethics called for all medical care outside of the U.S. to be voluntary. They address financial incentives, insurance coverage for care abroad and care coordination. The principles also call for patients to be made aware of their legal rights prior to travel and to have access to physician license and facility accreditation information prior to travel.

By 2008 domestic medical tourism appears to be on the rise as medical travel facilitators continue to hunt for the best deals for patients willing to look beyond their hometowns for care they think is better and less expensive. The Lisle, Ill.-based company Global Choice Health Care changed its name to Healthplace America to focus on domestic, rather than international, medical tourism. Jon Edelheit, president of the Medical Tourism Assn., a trade group for those involved in medical tourism, said that he has seen the increased interest in domestic medical tourism.

Orlando, FL, already well-established as a vacation destination, is launching a citywide effort to promote itself as a medical tourism center. The move is tied to the creation of a 7,000-acre complex called Medical City, which will be anchored by the new University of Central Florida Medical School. The University of Central Florida College of Medicine was established in 2006. The Orlando VeteransAffair Medical Center is slated for a new hospital to be built in 2012 to serve nearly 400,000 veterans. The new Orlando VAMC 1.2 million square foot facility will be located in South Orlando (Lake Nona) across the street from the new University of Central Florida medical school.

For patients without the means to travel the U.S. or overseas for health care, there is some budget wise health care in these tough time. Through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides low-income, uninsured, and underserved women access to timely breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services. These services include: Clinical breast examinations, Mammograms, Pap tests, Pelvic examinations, Diagnostic testing if results ars.e abnormal, and Referrals to treatment.

Some city fire departments like Edmonds, Washington offer free frequent blood pressure screenings. Churches and congregations like Elmbrook Church, Brookfield, WI offered free blood pressure checks. Check your local newspapers for health fairs and/or senior screenings that offer blood pressure and cholestrol screenings.

May is skin cancer awareness month. Take advantage of one of the many free skin cancer screenings available throughout this month at various locations. Each year, nearly 2,000 dermatologists in the U.S. offer free skin cancer screenings. Olay and the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) have teamed together and invite you and a friend to get a free skin cancer screening.

Many state and national resources regularly provide aid to people with vision problems. The National Eye Institute's website list programs that assist with free eye care, eye glasses, medications and surgery.