Medical tourism has been growing in popularity as medical costs in America soar without an accordant rise in income or insurance benefits. Many who don’t have insurance or who have conditions that won’t be covered by their insurance are left with few options when a procedure becomes necessary: go into debt or seek treatment elsewhere. More and more people are choosing the second option, as facilities around the world are offering high quality health care at reasonable prices. For those who need a knee replacement, having surgery in India can be a way to get the operation needed to restore mobility while not draining savings and putting patients in debt. Here are just a few of the top reasons why having the procedure done in an Indian hospital can be a smart choice.

• Lower cost. The average cost of a knee replacement surgery in the U.S. is a staggering $53,000—much more than most families have on hand. In India, the same surgery would only cost around $9,200. That’s a huge difference in price, one that many families struggling to pay medical costs can appreciate.
• You can go through a larger company. Going to have surgery in a foreign country doesn’t have to be an ordeal. There are a wide range of companies out there that will make all the flight, operation, and housing arrangements for you and even schedule tours, get you interpreters and all the other necessities.
• It can be a vacation as well. Depending on your health, you may be able to do a little sightseeing while you’re overseas as well, letting you not only tend to your health but to see another part of the world and experience a whole different culture.
• High quality care. Many people worry that when going abroad that they won’t receive the same quality of care as at home. India has some of the premier medical facilities in the world, great surgeons and a hand in creating some of the newest technologies used in the medical field today. The standard of care is just as high as that in the U.S., so patients can rest assured that they will be well take care of.
• Even American doctors go for it. It’s not just normal people who are heading overseas to get new knees. Even some American doctors have made the journey to get their knee replacements done, citing lower costs and quality of care as their main reasons for doing so.
• Follow up afterwards. You won’t just be left out in the cold after your surgery. Most medical tours arrange for a sufficient recovery period and for check ups with a doctor back home once you return.

The author is a consultant Orthopedic surgeon in Chennai and offers affordable Joint replacements for Indian and overseas patients.
Visit http://www.kneeindia.com