1 million medical tourists warned of criminal targets every year
Two of the four Americans kidnapped by gunmen while visiting Mexico for medical tourism last week have been found dead. On the 7th (local time), CNN and others pointed out that one million Americans cross the border with Mexico every year as medical tourists, which could be a target for crime.
Americo Villarreal, the governor of Tamaulipas, Mexico, said two out of four Americans kidnapped by Mexican gunmen were found dead. Earlier, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced on the 3rd that four Americans were shot and kidnapped by a gunman in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, shortly after crossing the Mexican border. Friends of the victims, who requested anonymity, told CNN that one of them was traveling for medical tourism.
As this incident is widely reported locally, the reality of medical tourism in the United States is also drawing attention. The BBC reports that one million Americans visit Mexico each year for medical tourism. Citing an American medical journal, CNN reported that the number of Americans visiting Mexico for medical tourism increased from less than 800,000 in 2007 to more than 1 million in 2017, and that the number of visitors is increasing every year.
The reason they go on medical tours to Mexico and elsewhere is because medical costs in the United States are high and the coverage of medical insurance is weak. According to a 2020 announcement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, American medical tourists can save an average of 40 to 60 percent by receiving procedures in Mexico. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), medical tourists come to Mexico for a variety of reasons, including dental treatment, cosmetic surgery, infertility treatment, organ and tissue transplantation, and cancer treatment.
“The US health care system is unbelievably expensive,” Elizabeth Giamba, a medical tourism expert, told CNN. .
In response, Mexico is building a large hospital in the border area to attract foreign tourists, including the United States. In Tijuana, Mexico’s northernmost city, a large 33-story medical facility was built in November last year. According to the BBC, New City Medical Plaza, which was launched as ‘the world’s best medical tourism facility’, has about 30 hospitals, including plastic surgery clinics, as well as hotels and shopping centers.
Foreign media such as the BBC are warning of the dangers of medical tourism in Mexico. The BBC, citing an announcement from the US State Department, warned that private cars and passenger buses with US license plates could be targeted by criminals in Mexico.
CNN pointed out that complications such as complications may occur because the quality of medical services in Mexico is not guaranteed. “I’ve seen countless bad outcomes[from medical tourism],” said Dr. Nolan Perez, a Texas-based gastroenterologist.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.