Uninsured look to medical treatment abroad
Surgeries performed at a fractional costKGO By Carolyn Johnson
Nov. 8, 2007 (KGO) - More than 45 million Americans are without health insurance.
When faced with a catastrophic illness or serious medical condition, many are now looking overseas for help.
But is it a dangerous choice?
A Bay Area-based medical tourism company recently facilitated the first ever liver transplant of an American in India.
"I was dying, I remember very clearly and I don't want to ever feel like that again," said Kevin Stewart, liver transplant patient.
Stewart's liver was failing. Doctors told him he had just months to live.
"Going over his history and following him for several months, it was evident that his liver disease was progressing and it was not going to improve, and the only available therapy for prolonged lifespan would be a transplant," said Neal Rakov, MD, gastroenterologist.
Gastroenterologist Neal Rakov referred him to several transplant centers, but as a self-employed landscaper, Stewart does not have health insurance.
"I got a price from them that was prohibitive. I couldn't do it," said Stewart.
The cost of surgery alone was $330,000.
Stewart's sister in Canada suggested medical tourism.
He lives in the Florida Keys, but his online research led him to Bay Area-based WorldMedAssist.
Stewart sent an email saying he needed a liver transplant.
"When I saw that request come in, I had some hesitations. It's a very serious surgery regardless of whether it's done in the U.S. or abroad," said Wouter Hoeberechts, WorldMedAssist CEO.
Wouter Hoeberechts is CEO of WorldMedAssist.
His connections led to a renowned transplant surgeon in India.
"I contacted the hospital and found out more about the credentials of this doctor and within a matter of days, I had all those credentials and found that his record for liver transplants is better than what the Mayo Clinic in the U.S. can provide," said Hoeberechts.
The procedure would cost less than $60,000, a fraction of the normal cost, for his surgery and that of his sister, who was his living donor.
WorldMedAssist charges a flat rate of $300, and also gets a percentage of the medical costs from the hospital abroad.
"We had to prove the relationship between the brother and sister. We had to follow Indian laws in that area. But in a matter of weeks they were on a plane," said Hoeberechts.
So, what did Dr. Rakov think?
"I had no knowledge of the physician in India, what his qualifications were, what their success rates was. However, it was obvious in speaking with Mr. Stewart, this was about his only alternative," said Rakov.
Dr. Rakov agreed to provide all follow up care once Kevin returned home.
"The communication between myself and the surgeon in India has not been a problem," said Rakov.
WorldMedAssist acknowledges patients traveling abroad have limited legal recourse if something goes wrong.
Patients must abide by the laws of the country in which the surgery is performed, which is often a different set of legal principles than in this country.
"Medical treatment is not like buying a loaf of bread," said Kenneth Light, MD, orthopedic surgeon.
Orthopedic surgeon & spine specialist Kenneth Light urges patients to think very carefully before traveling abroad for complicated procedures.
"It's not the actual technical part of the operation that makes the difference all of the time. Some of the time, it's the judgment of the surgeon, and it's very difficult to control the judgment of each individual surgeon," said Light.
"I think the truth of the matter is that a lot of people in the U.S. they decide to have medical treatment before they even meet their doctor. And when they are presented with a doctor, they take that at face value," said Hoeberechts.
It's been four months since Stewart's transplant. He believes without the surgery in India, he wouldn't be alive today. His doctor agrees.
"I think its important that people know that there are options. We have great doctors and facilities here, but there's others in this world. It's a big world," said Stewart.
For Stewart, his life-saving solution was found on another continent - a solution made possible through WorldMedAssist.
In two weeks, WorldMedAssist will send a second patient to India for a liver transplant.
The patient this time is a doctor himself.
For more details on medical tourism, check out my Back Story.
Resources:
WorldMedAssist
Wockhardt Hospital
Kenneth Light, M.D.
1700 California, Suite 340
San Francisco, CA 94109
415.673.8200
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=edell&id=5751811
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