Private Surgery in the US: Here is What You Need to Know

If you are planning to travel to the US for your private surgery there are a couple of things to plan and keep in mind. Even though the US is very similar to Canada, such as people speaking English and doctor’s getting their education in a similar manner, some things are different, especially when it comes to healthcare.

Most healthcare in the USA is private

This one is very known to Canadians. It is impactful and requires knowledge about how American people pay for their medical care. They are covered by private health insurance. Their particular insurance negotiates pricing for all kinds of health care and then the end user, or regular American person, pays deductible and co-pay, depending on the level of coverage they selected with their insurance company. This can be an issue for Canadians since they will not have this coverage and finding pricing without insurance can be daunting and exhausting. You will need to talk to billing at hospitals and explain that you are a self-pay patient. Even then, it may take a long time and no certainty can be given as to what the actual price may end up being.

Doctors in the USA get the same education and pass the same requirements and exams to become highly qualified specialists

This fact is also known to many Canadians. However, what many do not realize is that unless you live in Ontario where the population is large, many Canadian doctors see fewer patients per particular disease or surgery. In the USA, where the population is greater, doctors can become highly specialized and get more experience by doing the same surgery many more times than their Canadian counterparts. We work with an orthopedic surgeon in New Hampshire who exclusively does joint replacements and nothing else. Such narrowing of his surgeries allowed him to see many cases of joint replacements and become more efficient and more experienced in it. What that means for you, is that your outcomes will be better with someone who is specialized.

The US is an excellent choice for traveling to get private surgery

Similarity and proximity are important when considering where to go to get private surgery. If you choose the US, your medical records do not need to be translated, your operative report will be in English, so you can easily bring it back to your family doctor in Canada and you do not have to endure a long flight to get there. Flights over 4h increase your risk of DVT and thus when traveling back home, one has to be careful. Cost is very important too. Health Vantis works with a few ambulatory surgical centers in the US and is able to provide you with bundled price, without you having to spend hours calling and following up.

If you need assistance planning your medical travel, Health Vantis can help. Contact us toll-free at 877 344 3544 or info@healthvantis.com and we would be happy to assist.