Yesterday I had a visit from Channel 7, the NBC affiliate for PCB. We did an interview about my going to India for 'medical tourism'. It ran at 6 & 10 PM, the text part from their web site is below and I added the additional comments also on their stations web site
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Panama City Beach Man Traveling Overseas for Surgery
Posted: 5:12 PM Aug 23, 2007
Last Updated: 10:06 PM Aug 23, 2007
Reporter: Kristy Wolski
Email Address: kristy.wolski@wjhg.com
Local Man Heads to India for Surgery
Bill Harris will soon be heading to India for an urgent medical procedure. Doctors recently told him he needs a heart valve replacement within six months.
A Time Magazine article on "medical tourism" peaked his interest in an overseas surgery, and for uninsured people like Harris, price is a major factor.
"It looks like now I can get the operation in India. A single heart valve replacement for probably 15,500 and that's 10 percent, 10 percent of what it would cost here in the states. You can't beat that."
The surgery here could cost up to $200,000. His price includes a 12 day trip, consultation, actual surgery, and recovery time. But of course, there are some risks.
Harris found a company online called Health-Base, which acts as an intermediary between him and the doctor in India, but according to cardiologist Hashem Mubarak, finding a competent doctor isn't the only factor to consider.
"You want to make sure that the whole team is very good, not just the surgeon, but the operation room team, the medical doctor, the whole facility, the hospital."
But Harris says with his condition, he's willing to take the chance.
"Five weeks from now it will all be over. A good functioning heart valve, or I'll be dead, so the problem ends five weeks from now."
Harris is now waiting for his passport to arrive. He expects to get it within the next few days. He hopes to be in India in about a month.
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Time magazine of May 29, 2006 had an interesting 4 page article on medical tourism which compared prices for 9 procedures.
For my heart valve replacement is showed US retail costs as:$159-230,000 with Singapore at $13,000, Thailand at $10,500 and India at $9,500.
Below is the web site for the US company I am using for my trip and the 2nd site is for the hospital group in India that I will be using. The savings is between 90-94% on my $15k costs.
http://www.healthbase.com
http://www.apollohospdelhi.com
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My renewed passport has been sent on to the Indian Consulate in Houston for a Visa and when it comes back I will arrange for the flight. I will travel up to the house Atlanta and leave from there for a 2 week trip.
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