American Insurer Wellpoint Offers Option for Surgery in India

The health insurer Wellpoint is testing a new program that gives covered patients the option of going to India for elective surgery, with no out-of-pocket medical costs and free travel for both the patient and a companion.

The program is being tested at Serigraph, a printing company in Wisconsin whose managers have been looking for ways to curb rising health care costs, said Dr. Razia Hashmi, chief medical officer for national accounts for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, which is affiliated with Wellpoint.

"This is a first for us," Dr. Hashmi said. "We will be monitoring every aspect of this very closely, to make sure everyone is satisfied and there are good clinical outcomes."

By the year 2010, more than 6 million Americans annually will be seeking medical treatment abroad , according to the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, a consultancy. The potential savings are significant. Knee surgery that costs $70,000 to $80,000 in the United States can be performed in India for $8,000 to $10,000, including follow-up care and rehabilitation, Dr. Hashmi said. Similar savings could be achieved for such common procedures as hip replacements and spine surgery .

If other insurers follow Wellpoint, Dr. Hashmi said, the trend ultimately may pressure on United States hospitals to be more competitive in their pricing.

Critics say that's unlikely.

"There have been some reports of hospitals that have been willing to match the prices, but I don't know how they're doing that," said Howard Berliner, a professor of health policy and management at State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn. "The reality is there's just no way that most hospitals can respond to this. It's just like any service that's outsourced - the price is so cheap abroad that there isn't much an American company can do about it."

At the same time, he said, the program could potentially siphon off the healthiest, most profitable patients from a local hospital.

Dr. Hashmi predicted that the program would appeal primarily to people who have traveled abroad. Many employees of Serigraph, which has offices in India, are familiar with the country.

"The quality is comparable" to care provided in the United States, Dr. Hashmi said. All the physicians speak English, and patients can share their medical records and consult with a surgeon in India before making the trip, she said.

The pilot program arranges for patients to be picked up at the airport and provides special meals to prevent food-borne illnesses. The program complies with the American Medical Association guidelines on medical tourism and uses hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission International.

Dr. Hashmi said it had actually been easier to evaluate the quality of medical care abroad than in the United States. "There is a lot more willingness to share data about complication rates, the total number of procedures and the outcomes," Dr. Hashmi said. "We're able to get detail per hospital and per physician."

In addition to saving out-of-pocket costs for surgery for patients, the program could potentially help keep insurance premiums affordable, Dr. Hashmi said.

More at: NY Times

For information about affordable surgery overseas, visit Healthbase.

Healthbase helps uninsured American get double hip resurfacing surgery through Medical Tourism in India

Healthbase has helped an uninsured American patient get double hip resurfacing surgeries in India. The high cost of Birmingham hip resurfacing surgery in the United States plus the lack of expertise in this procedure in the country continues to drive scores of Americans to India.

Nov. 21, 2008, Boston, MA. Healthbase Online Inc., an award-winning medical tourism facilitator based in Boston, Massachusetts, helps an Arizona-based former ballet dancer treat her hip osteoarthritis in India. 53-year old Katharine Frey who had arthritis in both her hips traveled to Apollo Hospitals, Chennai to have her hips resurfaced and availed of the 85% discount on the cost of the surgery.

"I have appreciated everything we have experienced and received at the Apollo Hospitals . Everyone has been very kind, supportive and helpful," says Katharine after her hip resurfacing surgery last winter. She was so happy with the quality of care she received at her overseas hospital that she went back a few months later to have her second hip resurfaced.

Being uninsured, the $60,000 required to have a single hip resurfaced in the US seemed out of reach for Katharine. This led her into researching her other option - surgery overseas - and contacting Healthbase who coordinated both her surgeries in India for $8,000 each. The price included doctor's fees, physical therapy and a week in the hospital.

According to Saroja Mohanasundaram, CEO of Healthbase , "Our clients prefer going abroad for Birmingham hip resurfacing because it is a fairly new procedure in the US but has been in use, say, in India, for many years. Being a major procedure it demands years of practice on the surgeon's part to gain proficiency. The fact that Katharine went back to have her other hip resurfaced in India speaks volumes about the high level of satisfaction with our service and that of our partner hospitals and surgeons."

Katharine returned to work merely two and a half weeks post operation and to teaching ballet twenty days post operation. Katharine actively participates in swimming, yoga, hiking, paragliding, and cross-country road trips. "She has no pain in her hips and is moving and functioning like a normal human. I am so grateful and am enjoying watching Katharine return to life," remarks Scott Martin, Katharine's husband.

Katharine was operated upon by Dr. Vijay Bose and his team. Dr. Bose, a specialist in Birmingham Hip Resurfacing, Joint Replacement and Sports Medicine, has over a thousand BHR surgeries under his belt.
"Beyond the cost savings, the attention given was remarkable. Dr. Bose and his qualified staff will always be remembered for this," adds Katharine.

Impressed by the high quality of care in India, even Scott, who accompanied Katharine to India addressed some of his periodontal issues through dental scaling and crowns at Apollo Hospitals while Katharine recuperated after her second Birmingham hip resurfacing surgery.

"It has been a positive life changing process for both of us. Thank you, Healthbase, for being so receptive, supportive and professional," acknowledge Katharine and Scott.

Healthbase connects patients from across the globe to health care facilities in India, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Philippines, Turkey, Belgium, Hungary, Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil, Mexico and United States. Healthbase has over 45 providers on its network.

About Healthbase Online Inc.:

Healthbase, an award-winning Boston-based medical tourism and dental tourism facilitator, is a one-stop source for global medical and dental choices, connecting patients to leading healthcare providers around the world. Healthbase coordinates over 200 procedures in various categories like orthopedic, spinal , cardiac, bariatric, urology , oncology , dental , cosmetic and general surgery . Some of the common procedures offered are Birmingham hip resurfacing , total hip replacement , knee replacement , ACL repair , rotator cuff surgery , spinal fusion , spinal disk replacement, heart bypass surgery , lap band , gastric bypass , cancer treatment , liposuction, dental implants, crowns, bridges, etc. for a fraction of the cost in the US with equal or superior outcomes. Healthbase's partner healthcare facilities are located in Thailand, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Turkey, Belgium, Hungary, Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil, Mexico and USA, and are expanding to Canada, UK, Jordan, Taiwan, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, El Salvador and Guatemala. To ensure that patients receive the best care possible, Healthbase works mainly with hospitals that have international accreditations like JCI, JCAHO and ISO. Healthbase caters to the needs of individual consumers, self-funded businesses, insurance carriers, benefit consultants, insurance agents, and third party administrators seeking affordable medical travel and dental travel options. To learn more, call 1-888-691-4584, email info.hb @ healthbase.com or visit http://www.healthbase.com.

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FAQs on Total Hip Replacement Surgery

What is a total hip replacement?
A total hip replacement surgery or THR (also known as total hip arthroplasty, full hip replacement and complete hip replacement) is a procedure performed in order to treat:
• osteoarthritis of the hip joint (bone on bone)
• severe pain in hip joint
• loss of motion in hip joint
• deformity of the hip joint
• hip injuries
• rheumatoid arthritis
• bone tumor
• bone loss due to insufficient blood supply (avascular necrosis - AVN)


What are the components of a hip implant in a total hip replacement?
In a total hip replacement surgery, the painful parts of the damaged hip are replaced with artificial hip parts called a prosthesis, a device that substitutes or supplements a joint. The prosthesis consists of steel components: a socket, ball, and stem.

The outer shell of the socket is usually made of metal and the inner shell consists of plastic, or the entire socket may be plastic. When the metal ball is joined with the socket, the new hip can allow for smooth, nearly frictionless movement.


What are the different hip replacement implant options available?
The materials used in the implant depend on several factors, including the age of the patient, the activity level of the patient, and the surgeon's preference.
Below are brief generic descriptions of some of the most commonly used hip replacement implants.

• Metal and Plastic Implant
These are the most commonly used hip replacement implants. Both the ball and the socket of the hip joint are replaced with a metal prosthesis, and a plastic spacer is placed in between. The metals used include titanium, stainless steel, and cobalt chrome. The plastic is called polyethylene.

• Metal-on-Metal Implant
In this case there is no plastic piece inserted in between. Metal-on-metal implants do not wear out as quickly as the metal and plastic materials.

• Ceramic-on-Ceramic Implant
Ceramic bearings are available in 2 configurations: a ceramic femoral head (ball) with a polyethylene liner, or a ceramic femoral head (ball) with a ceramic liner. These are designed to be the most resistant to wear of all available hip replacement implants and they wear even less than the metal-on-metal implants. Ceramics are more scratch resistant and smoother than any of these other implant materials.

• Metal and Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene
One of the more commonly used implants are new types of plastic that are designed to be more resistant to wearing out. These so-called highly crosslinked plastics are manufactured in a way that they wear out less quickly than the traditional plastics. However, since these implants have been available only for a few years, no long-term data is present to establish how well they work compared to the traditional plastic implants.


How is the implant affixed in the body?
This is achieved in one of three ways:
• Bone Cement: A special type of bone acrylic cement may be used to secure some or all of the implant components to the bone. If used, the bone cement takes about 15 minutes to set.
• Press-Fit or Cementless: The implants may be "press-fit" into the bone. Press-fit components may have a special porous coating that allows bone tissue to grow up to it for fixation.
• Combination: Depending upon the implant components and condition of the pelvic and thigh bone, a combination of cement and press-fit attachment may be used.


Who are some of the hip replacement implant manufacturers?
Some of the hip replacement implants manufacturers are:
• Johnson & Johnson DePuy
• Stryker
• Biomet
• Zimmer
• Smith & Nephew


What activities can I do or not do after receiving a hip joint replacement?
• Typically, patients are advised to avoid high impact sports such as jogging, basketball, racquetball, gymnastics, etc.
• Safer activities may include walking, golf, swimming, and bicycling.


What is the MIS (minimally invasive surgery) approach in total hip replacement surgery? What are its benefits?
The MIS approach (also known as "keyhole surgery") in total hip replacement (THR) is an alternative to the traditional total hip replacement surgery. Traditional surgery involves a long incision and the surgeon has to cut muscles, tendons and ligaments to access the hip joint. The more tissues that are cut, the longer it usually takes patients to heal. The MIS approach is a less invasive approach of doing a hip replacement surgery in which the size of the cut is reduced. Newer surgical techniques and tools allow MIS surgeons to place the same hip implant in a manner that allows muscles and tendons to be avoided or separated, rather than cut. This makes rehabilitation faster and less painful and causes less scarring.

Some of the potential patient benefits of the MIS procedure are:
• A single, smaller incision
• Less tissue trauma
• Spares muscles and tendons, allowing for the possibility of a faster recovery
• Faster and less painful rehabilitation
• Shorter hospital stay
• Smaller scar
• Reduced blood loss and less need for pre-surgery blood donation
• Faster return to work and daily activities


Is there an alternative to total hip replacement?
Hip replacement is usually considered for patients who are older than 60. For younger active patients, a different surgery called Birmingham hip resurfacing is a better alternative. Compare hip replacement with hip resurfacing.


How much does a total hip replacement surgery cost?
Check out:
• Hip replacement in India
• Hip replacement in Belgium
• Hip replacement in Mexico


Who are some of the well-known surgeons who perform the hip replacement surgery?
• Dr. Vijay C. Bose
• Dr. Kaushal Malhan
• Dr. Yash Gulati
• Dr. Raju Vaishya
• Dr. Sanjiv KS Marya
• Dr. Koen De Smet
• Dr. Dario Garin


Check out patient stories here.


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Medical Tourism comes to town i.e. to the US

What we mean is now you can get medical tourism type price and quality for procedures done in the US.

How is that possible?
Because Healthbase has partnered with several US healthcare providers that offer procedures at very competitive prices that are comparable to what American-accredited foreign providers offer.

So now affordable high quality medical care is made available closer to home for patients from the US, Canada and Mexico. Patients from European countries and other nations looking for top quality care in the United States also stand to benefit from this partnership.

According to Saroja Mohanasundaram, CEO of Healthbase,

Majority of our clients from North America are drawn to medical tourism for the cost advantage it offers. However, some may not be able to take advantage of it due to the travel involved. So Healthbase has negotiated with US-based providers to offer the same top US-standard quality of care to our customers at a much reduced rate than what is prevailing. Hence, those who need quick access to top quality healthcare can avail of the low prices right here at home.

We all know that US providers charge a much higher rate to uninsured patients than they do to insured patients or insurers. But not anymore. A heart bypass tagged at over $100,000 (for uninsured patients) can now be had for an 85% discount. Such rates also closely match the lower foreign rates.

Mohanasundaram adds,

Our US providers offer a complete slew of services in all departments of medicine including cardiac (heart bypass, valve replacement, aneurysm repair), orthopedic (hip replacement, total knee replacement), general surgery, diagnostics, and so on

Who to contact for discounts on major procedures conducted within the US?
Healthbase

Further reading:
News release from Healthbase about this partnership


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Most common cancers in American women and men

Cancer, the general name for a group of more than 100 diseases, is responsible for about 13% of all deaths worldwide. Cancer is a condition in which cells in a part of the body begin to grow out of control. Although there are many kinds of cancer, they all start because abnormal cells grow out of control.

Cancer cells develop because of damage to DNA. Most of the time when DNA becomes damaged, either the cell dies or is able to repair the DNA. In cancer cells, the damaged DNA is not repaired.

The 5 most common cancers in women and men in the US are discussed hereunder:


BREAST CANCER
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer amongst women and accounts for 1 in 3 of cancer cases. Breast self-exams (BSE), clinical breast exams by a medical professional and screening mammography may help in early detection of this cancer. Most experts recommend that women age 20 and older examine their breasts once a month during the week following the menstrual period. Women between the ages 20 and 39 should have a doctor examine their breasts at least once every 3 years. After age 40, women should a clinical breast exam every year. Breast cancer is more easily treated and often curable if it is found early. Breast cancer can occur in men as well though women are 100 times more likely to get breast cancer then men.

CERVICAL CANCER
Cervical cancer which attacks the neck of the womb, is the second most common cancer affecting women under the age of 35. Regular pap smears can help detect this cancer in its early pre-cancerous stage which is 100% treatable. A new vaccine to prevent cervical cancer is now available.

PROSTATE CANCER
Prostate cancer is the leading cancer for men in the US. Prostate cancer develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Prostate cancer may cause pain, difficulty in urinating, erectile dysfunction and other symptoms. The cause of prostate cancer is unknown, although some studies have shown a relationship between high dietary fat intake and increased testosterone levels. Early identification is now possible by yearly screening of men over 40 or 50 years old through digital rectal examination (DRE) and PSA blood test.

LUNG CANCER
Lung cancer is the deadliest type of cancer for both men and women. Each year, more people die of lung cancer than breast, colon, and prostate cancers combined. This cancer is more common in older adults and rare in people under age 45. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. So if you smoke, quit. It is never too late to stop smoking. You should also avoid breathing in the smoke from other people's cigarettes, cigars, or pipes.

COLON CANCER
Colon or colorectal or bowel cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Nearly all colon cancers begin as non-cancerous (benign) polyps, which slowly develop into cancer. Colon cancer may be associated with a high-fat, red meat and low-fiber diet. Smoking cigarettes is another risk factor for colon cancer. Colon cancer can almost always be caught in its earliest and most curable stages by colonoscopy. All men and women aged 50 and older should have a colon cancer screening.


FURTHER READING:
Causes and symptoms of cancer
Commonly used cancer treatments
Affordable cancer treatment
Find a cancer specialist


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