Doctor Bill Hennessey, founder of Pratter, Inc. a corporate claims tool that shows companies how much they are spending per procedure at each facility, steps into Dr. Luke’s Waiting Room: The Healthcare Authority Podcast to discuss saving companies and employees thousands annually on healthcare
Ever heard two experienced healthcare executives who are also social media influencers together on one podcast? Tune into the latest episode of Dr. Luke’s Waiting Room: The Healthcare Authority Podcast to hear how both Dr. Luke and guest Joy McAdams, VP of the Georgia Drug Card, shot from less than 5,000 followers to more than 38,0000 LinkedIn Followers in less than a year. They both used a similar formula to build a loyal following and create a niche.
In part 1 of this two-part series discussing traveling to get medical care, or medical tourism, we discussed the considerations for traveling within the United States for routine medical care. In this article, we talk about going to other countries to obtain medical care.
Yes, you can leave the country, see new things, and fix a problem at the same time. Many times, you’ll save thousands.
You’ll find the most common procedures people seek out are dental surgeries, cosmetic surgery (breast augmentation and reduction tops this), fertilization treatments, hair implant surgery, cardiac surgery, cancer treatment, and holistic treatments. But there is a lot more to the decision to look elsewhere for more affordable, quality care.
Over the past ten years, more and more people are leaving the United States to obtain healthcare, prescription medications, and elective surgeries than ever before. Patients Without Borders shows that the medical tourism industries in Mexico and Canada have increased every year over the past ten years.
Very few regulations exist to govern leaving the country for medical care. Often, your doctor at home may not recognize the work done if you leave the country. Standards vary in different places, so you have to be careful about where you choose.
It’s not all bad news, however. For the most common elective surgeries, like knee surgery, many people find they save money by going to a different country. For example, in 2012, a person could travel to France ($700), obtain a hip replacement surgery ($12,000), and spend two weeks recovering in a grand hotel with meals delivered ($5,800) for half of what it would cost to obtain hip replacement surgery in the US ($42,000).
Pricing has changed and become more obscure, so more current figures are challenging to obtain. Sometimes, the correlation isn’t even comparable. For example, for fertility and cancer treatment, US doctors are limited as to what they can recommend and prescribe. However, in Europe, dozens of natural treatments work together. Several cancer centers base their treatments on minimal chemotherapy and place emphasis on detoxification, herbal supplementation, and other traditional modalities.
Imagine going to a resort to obtain a fertility treatment, relaxing and taking care of yourself, rather than forcing your body into submission with powerful medications. Can you see why some people choose this route?
Sometimes, paying out of pocket for an out-of-network provider, or traveling out of the country sometimes is less costly than the deductible and out-of-pocket costs of sticking with your local doctor. Of course, you do need to factor in what the insurance pays, but you won’t know that real cost until you get the bill.
Two top organizations exist to help patients find quality physicians and high standards of care. Patients Without Borders and the Medical Tourism Associationwere both established to provide regulations and requirements for the doctors and facilities the handle the increasing medical tourism.
So many people in the United States are shocked at the standards that exist in foreign countries in both good and bad ways.
For example, in the famous Harry Potter movies, the medical facilities were filled with long rows of beds. While the atmosphere the movie suggested this was set up sometime in the early 1900s, many Americans who find themselves in need of hospitalization in the UK find this is actually normal, standard care. Private rooms are only now becoming more popular in Europe and Asia.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Japan has increasingly modern and private facilities. Their cleanliness practices and respect for privacy outshine the strictest American standard.
So, who decides what good quality of care is?
Facilities reviews by Patients Without Borders and the Medical Tourism Association meet specific standards for cleanliness, professionalism, and success rates. Beyond that, you need to ask the following questions:
· Do the doctor and staff speak English, or your native language, fluently? If not, will a translator be available? If not, may I bring my own?
· What are your requirements for follow-up care?
· What do I need to do before the procedure?
· How many nurses or systems will you be using?
· What can I expect at your facility?
· Can I talk to some of your previous patients? Especially those who came from out of the country?
· What will happen in an emergency?
The doctors who have higher standards of care will gladly provide this information. Nearly every practice that takes in medical tourism patients has a website that highlights their facilities. Of course, it’s always your right to leave any of the facilities up to your standards.
Additional concerns arise when looking at foreign facilities, especially one that you don’t have the opportunity to visit before you make your appointment.
First, you have to talk to your doctor to see if you’re healthy enough to travel. You can’t go away if going away is going to cause more problems.
Certain medical conditions preclude traveling, flying, or long-distance car rides. Many blood conditions, bleeding disorders, and clotting factors prevent airplane travel. Additionally, many types of surgery will require you to stay grounded because of the risk of blood clots. In the case of hip surgery, you may be required to remain an extra 2 to 6 weeks in a foreign country because of this risk.
As we discussed earlier, standards around the world are not the same as they are in the United States. In some cases, they’re much better. In some cases, we would question the safety of the facility.
Make sure all your doctors have available allof the information about various prescription medications you take. In some countries, that information is not accessible, or the drug may be unknown. Doctors in foreign countries might not understand the mix of prescriptions you’re on, which could cause dangerous interactions.
On top of that, you may be prescribed medications in foreign countries that are not available locally. In Germany, doctors have thousands of herbal and alternative medications available that are banned in the US (but are often sold as supplements). If you don’t check before surgery, you could be without a part of your recovery treatment.
This is the grip the pharmaceutical companies have on the doctors and hospitals. Between controlling what the doctors see for new treatments and lobbying in Congress and the FDA, they were able to get thousands of supplements, herbs, and other alternative medicines banned. Now, doctors aren’t aware of over half of the medical knowledge that exists in the rest of the world!
You can learn more about these historical trends leading to skyrocketing healthcare costs while decreasing services in my book Health-Wealth for You: 11 Steps to Save Big & Live Healthy.You’ll also find money-saving tips for the most common medical procedures and visits.
Every country has vaccine requirements that you must follow before you’re able to travel to that country. In some cases, that means you need a certain number of vaccines administered in a specific time frame. In other cases, having received a vaccine, such as a flu vaccine, actually may prevent your entry into another country or prevent you from acquiring the medical services. (Were you ever told that the flu vaccine requires you to avoid medically compromised individuals for two weeks after getting the shot?)
Finally, specific medical procedures have been restricted in certain countries. Recently, the UK prohibited elective surgeries for over 20 different standard surgeries, among these includes our example of hip surgery, breast reduction, and surgeries to reduce reproductive pain. Some facilities may accept you on a cash-only basis and allow you to get the treatments that natives cannot. However, you’re more likely to be passed over in favor of local patients.
As you begin to look at the various options for traveling to another country to obtain medical services, keep in mind a series of questions, make sure this is the correct decision for you. Additionally, be sure to discuss the options with your regular physician. They may have concerns specific to your medical needs that would be beneficial for you to ask the new facility.
If your doctor is against you traveling for medical treatment to another location in the United States or even out of the country, be sure to listen to the reasons why. Some doctors may take offense do you traveling to obtain the surgery, while others may have justified concerns. You will have to decide if your doctor is looking out for your safety.
Here’s a list of questions that you need to answer fully before seeking out medical treatment in a foreign country.
· Are you healthy enough to travel?
· Can you speak the language or will you have an interpreter?
· Is it something your doctor would support?
· How will you handle recovery and follow-up appointments?
· What will your loved ones and family do during this time?
· Are you protected from theft and violence?
· Is this a vacation or medical trips?
Finally, keep in mind the cost of the treatment. Since your insurance will not be covering the medical aspect, you may be expected to provide payment before the procedure. Very few foreign hospitals or doctors will bill you for service.
On average, you can expect to spend $4,000 to $6,000 per visit to obtain simple medical procedures. This can include travel costs, food, and lodging. These costs increase dramatically as you have family members traveling with you, or you have to leave employment to obtain the medical procedure. Having enough savings to cover your medical costs and time off of work is essential.
Unlike obtaining medical procedures in the United States with your approval of your doctor, you may not be able to receive the Federal Medical Leave Act (FMLA) benefits. Employers may see this as a voluntary cosmetic procedure and may not approve the time away from your job. Remember, FLMA requires paperwork to be submitted by your doctor to obtain benefits. Without your doctor’s support, you have no support.
“In the past few years, Americans are definitely more willing to go overseas and now appreciate that there is quality there,” said Jonathan Edelheit, the chief executive of the Medical Tourism Associationtold the New York Timesin 2013.
In the coming years, we’re going to see more travel to foreign countries and around the United States to obtain specific services. There are many reasons for this, including the decreasing number of doctors, health insurance costs, the exorbitant price of running a hospital, and increasing specialization.
If you choose to leave the country or even your state to obtain medical procedures, be sure to have all of the details that we discussed in these two articles before making your final decision. It can save you money to travel to obtain medical procedures, but there are many logistics you have to look at.
Dr. Josh Luke is a hospital CEO, celebrated keynote speaker, award-winning Futurist, Founder of the not-for-profit Health-Wealth and author of the book series including Health-Wealth: Is healthcare bankrupting your business? andHealth-Wealth for You: 11 Steps to Save Big & Live Healthy (both Amazon #1 Best Sellers). Dr. Luke delivers engaging and entertaining keynotes that teach audiences simple concepts on how individuals and companies can save thousands on healthcare. For more information, please visit www.DrJoshLuke.com.
LinkedIn Influencer and innovative healthcare benefits pioneer Ryan Miller joins the Health-Wealth Podcast to share why the X-ennial (they’re half Gen X and half millennial – who knew?!?) upbringing of he and his wife shaped his desire to bring better healthcare options to American businesses! Many of the stories I share in my book Health-Wealth were originally relayed by Ryan, we just changed the names to protect the innocent! Tune in to hear a few previews of these affordability stories.
Former Trump White House Healthcare team strategist Katy Talento joins the show for a two part in depth interview on the White House’s overall healthcare strategy. She shares the White House’s top healthcare objectives and the one thing she hopes can get accomplished before the end of the term.
Former Trump White House Healthcare team strategist Katy Talento joins the show for a two part in depth interview on the White House’s overall healthcare strategy. She shares the White House’s top healthcare objectives and the one thing she hopes can get accomplished before the end of the term.
Dr. Josh Luke is a guest on the Shift Shapers Podcast with David Saltzman sharing how individuals and families can reduce their #healthcare costs and improve overall health.
Click through to see the original post and subscribe to the Shift Shapers Podcast
The days of trusting your doctor to take care of all of your health care is over.
Between doctors used to Medicare paying everything (which lets them over-prescribe and over-charge) and medications and health insurance cost going through the roof, the only option to save money on health insurance is to engage your employees into make smarter choices.
You need to become partners in this fight!
In my book, we discuss multiple different apps, services, and cost-saving measures that will help you reduce your insurance costs and save your employees some money. See Health-Wealthfor Youfor more information.
The first step in saving money…
Getting your employees to become Engaged Healthcare Consumers.
Being an EHC means your employees know what’s going on with their health. They make informed decisions about medical tests, treatments, and prescriptions, and look outside of the traditional allopathic medicine community for alternative medicines.
It’s about personal responsibility – take care of yourself and your family first!
Imagine being able to talk with a doctor and get all of the options available to you, not just what your insurance will cover. Imagine being able to shop doctors, procedures, and medicine like you would for shoes or a new TV.
As new legislation comes through by executive order and Congress, people will be able to make informed choices and save money. But, like everything else with the government, it’s going to take time to implement, sometimes years.
We want to save money right now.
Start taking these steps to help your employees become Engage Healthcare Consumers. When they see the cost savings, it will be easier to implement bigger and better strategies with their full cooperation. And, some of these will help save you thousands of dollars on your health care costs.
1. Discuss Health Insurance Premiums with your Employees
You and I both know that for every employee you insure, it cost you between $1,100 and $1,500 per month. How much are you having your employees contribute? 5%, 10%?
Chances are, your employees have no idea how much their insurance plans cost. All they’ve seen is the deductions out of their paycheck and the deductible at the office. And those keep going up – creating resentment.
It’s time to be upfront with your employees and let them know the actual cost of their health insurance. Discuss the different plans and the different costs, and you can get your employees on your side.
They may even have suggestions you haven’t thought of yet!
2. Provide Apps & Services Directly
In my book, we discussed several services and apps designed to help people take charge of their medical care.
One of the apps you can provide your employees is called Calm. It helps people with frustrations, emotional upsets, and provides basic counseling. When you provide this app to your employees free of charge, they can engage with low-level counseling that will save hundreds of dollars in insurance costs.
Another option is paying for life coaching, massage therapy, and other holistic medicine out of pocket. Healthy, happy employees work harder and cost less. Providing free 10-minute chair massages from a licensed massage therapist costs significantly less than an insurance claim for a wrenched back.
In 2005, a study showed that back pain sufferersneed $2,580 more in medical care per year and nearly 80% of all people will suffer back pain. Plus, time off, lost labor, and reduced productivity cost you money.
Compare that to a 10-minute chair massage once per week costing $520 per year. It may save you over $2,000 per employee!
3. Discuss Your Employees Health Issues (Legally)
Imagine if you knew your employees had a potential health problem before they caused problems? What if you could make a few minor changes and reduce them taking time off, visiting doctor after doctor, and driving up insurance costs?
It’s illegal to ask about employees medical conditions prior to hiring unless it interferes with their work and safety. It’s also a touchy area legally to discuss it after they’re hired.
But, if you ask them to share with you any medical problems to resolve right now, you may be able to work through some of them, make adjustments, and provide a better working environment. Just be sure to let them know that it is not a requirement they do so.
Pregnant and breast-feeding women have one of the most significant challenges in today’s workplace. The top discrimination lawsuits are from pregnant women over some really ridiculous reasons..
Let’s take for example a woman who is pregnant with her first child. She will see a doctor every couple of weeks, need more frequent bathroom breaks, and may require a different chair to accommodate her growing size and ability to move. For most businesses, that’s a really easy solution and makes you and the new mother happy.
If you start a dialogue with her early on in her pregnancy, you can communicate different services you can offer to help manage her needs during pregnancy long before they become a complication.
By being open and honest about your employee’s needs and what you can do, you avoid bad feelings and potential lawsuits.
4. Provide Options for HSA, Alternative Medicine, and Self-Care
The fastest growing area in healthcare is Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Set to exceed $10 billion in out-of-pocket payments, people are taking full financial responsibility for different healthcare options, like massage, acupuncture, and supplements.
Massage therapy is the largest provider of alternative medicine. It’s also one of the easiest to get and cheapest to provide. As Ken Lee, owners of Kenneth Mark Mobile Massage, who specializes in taking massages to the people homes and offices, says: “Employees love massage day [from their company]. It give them a chance to de-stress, reset, and even just a few minutes in the massage chair can make their day better. A clear headed and refreshed employee returns to work feeling renewed.”
Your various options for self-care go way beyond just massage. You can provide a Health Savings Account for your employees to use for nutritional services, supplements, and other medical expenses not covered by your insurance. Not only is this a benefit for your employees, but it’s also the tax write-off for you.
5. Negotiate with Local Doctors and Hospitals for Direct Pay Care
A growing alternative to traditional insurance is negotiating payments directly with doctors and hospitals. You pay for a certain amount of services or have a set fees for services to pay the doctor directly. By eliminating the headache of insurance paperwork and delayed payments, you can get significantly lower costs.
For one of my clients, we recently negotiated with a large health system to cover basic medical care, routine appointments, and some of the most common surgeries their employees obtained and ended up staying close to $3 million a year in insurance costs.
I don’t think you need to be a large company to save this money. Small businesses of all sizes are negotiating with different providers for services of care. If you would like more information, please call or email me directly.
Conclusion
The top principle of lowering your healthcare costs is getting your employees engaged. This means you need to talk with them and let them know what is going on with their health insurance and various costs. You need to get your employee to take responsibility for their health and work as partners to save money and time.
Engaged Healthcare Consumers are healthier, harder working, and save themselves and you money.
Husband, father of 3, keynote speaker, best-selling author, and futurist Dr. Josh Luke shares his expertise on how to achieve health and wealth for your family.
Dr. Luke talks intentional parenting & how both health and financial management fit into that role on the Daddy Saturday podcast with his pal Justin Batt