Medical Tourism Argentina

Argentina has two major benefits, other than cost. First and foremost, its cosmetic surgeons are among some of the best in the world. Only this weekend, Buenos Aires hosted an international symposium on "21st-century plastic surgery". On the agenda were workshops on third-generation ultrasonic liposuction and periorbital (around the eyes) rejuvenation.

Argentinian plastic surgeons have good reason to be so skilled: domestic demand for breast implants, laser surgery and nip-and-tuck treatments is sky high in this style-obsessed country.

Medical Tourism Argentina became a highly desirable destination following the collapse of their currency (the peso) in January 2002, which had previously been pegged to the US dollar. This collapse resulted in extremely favorable exchange rates for US citizens visiting Argentina.

In recent years, Argentina has followed Columbia's lead in bolstering its status as an international medical provider. The incentive to attract and please foreign patients has lead to the development of an impressive infrastructure of medical equipment and facilities that meet and often surpass international standards.

Cosmetic surgery is the most popular operation sought in Argentina. First-rate procedures performed by highly trained professionals, many of whom were educated in the United States and abroad, can be purchased at a fraction of the cost of the same procedures on US soil.

Argentina has medical professionals of first level recognized internationally due to its excellent formation. Its warm professionalism facilitates the contact and it allows them to offer to his patients an optimal and customized service. In addition, the rate of at the moment very favorable change, makes available of its American and European customer the most complex and sophisticated surgeries (With all the expenses including, the intervention will be from 50 to a 60% economic than in its country of origin, and still more in the case of combined interventions).

Argentina has been widely cited as one of the top spots for US medical tourism, according to the NuWire Investment group. Though medical tourism is not a new phenomenon, it is gaining steam due to increasing US medical costs and elective procedures which are not typically covered by insurance companies.

Falling ill while abroad seems like the worst sort of traveling nightmare. Yet, for growing numbers of travelers, the lure of combining affordable medical care with attentive room service is a chief draw for packing a suitcase and boarding a plane as part of a new craze. Medical tourism, as the practice is known, is rapidly becoming the top choice for consumers who grapple with hefty medical bills.

Medical tourists fly away because of long waiting times and overburdened health-care systems, but the real attraction is often simply price. Cosmetic surgery savings are impressive: A full facelift that would cost over $15,000 in the U.S. runs about $2,995 in Argentina. Whenever approved by their surgeons, many patients eagerly combine procedures for even greater savings: combined full body liposuctions and tummy tucks can be had for less than $6,995 in Argentina, 1/3 of what it costs in the USA - and this includes weeks of deluxe holidays with private pampering and relaxation activities!

While prices are clearly motivating patients, questions remain: how can patients choose which overseas hospitals are best suited for their specific procedures? How can they ensure that they will be perfectly safe?

Indeed, some critics argue that surgeries in countries like Argentina or South Africa cannot possibly be as good as the ones available in the United States or Europe. Yet, the hospitals and clinics that cater to international patients are among the best in the world, with many staffed by physicians trained at major medical centers in the United States and Europe.