IL Postcard

Save Thousands of Dollars With Surgery in Panama

Date: 05/19/2008

Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Panama City, Panama

Read more about health care in Panama in International Living Postcards—your daily escape

Tens of thousands of medical tourists visit Bangkok, Singapore, and India every year. These patients are mainly European, but now many North Americans are beginning to follow this trend. Previously, if you needed top medical attention, you went to the U.S. Now patients are seeking the same excellent care abroad. Foreign countries are recognizing the need to provide medical care that is equal to, or surpasses, what is available in the U.S.—but at a much lower cost.

Panama is one such country. Pana-Health is an organization in Panama City that caters to tourists coming to Panama for cheaper medical care.

Pana-Health, which works hand in hand with the Panama Ministry of Tourism (IPAT), has gathered a membership of nearly 100 physicians, collectively specializing in: assisted reproduction; cardiology; dental implants; dermatology; endocrinology and diabetes; gastroenterology; general and oncologic surgery; general dentistry; geriatrics; internal medicine; ophthalmology; allergies; periodontics; plastic surgery; prosthodontics; psychology; urology; and speech and language.

The physicians in Panama are bilingual. They received their specialist training abroad, mostly in the U.S., where many are also board certified.

Because of Panama’s historically long association with the U.S., potential patients find the country Americanized and especially friendly to visitors. Also, all the medical equipment and medicines come from the U.S. and Europe, and is top of the line.

Panama has many hospitals and clinics scattered throughout the country, but the top four private ones are in Panama City. All four hospitals measure up to the highest U.S. standards in terms of quality of care, sophistication of medical procedures and equipment used, and up-to-date technology.

You may find that some medical procedures are less expensive in Bangkok, Singapore, or India...but when you compare the difference in airfare prices and long travel times, Panama becomes a far more reasonable alternative. Continental, Delta, and American Airlines fly non-stop to Panama from the United States. So does Copa, the national airline of Panama, which has daily non-stop flights from L.A., San Francisco, Houston, Miami, New York, and Washington, D.C.

Of course, when choosing medical or dental procedures, always ask a lot of questions and devote much thought before making your decision.

Pana-Health can coordinate your doctor appointments and consultations, hospital or clinic services, hotel or apartment arrangements, airport pickup, and mountain, beach, or rainforest vacations. It also provides a 24-hour hotline for all your medical questions and guidance while in Panama. After you explain the procedure you want, Pana-Health provides a complete quote of anticipated medical charges to include expected hospital time (if needed) and when you can plan on traveling.

Take a look at how much these patients saved through Pana-Health:

• A 28-year-old traveled to Panama for a gastric bypass. The total bill was $14,716, which included the surgeon’s costs, surgical assistants and nurses, anesthesiologist, all hospital fees, lab work, and medications. Average U.S. cost: $25,000
• A 33-year-old woman traveled to Panama for in-vitro fertilization. She paid $5,250, which covered hormonal and follicle monitoring, anesthesia, follicle aspiration, oocyte recognition, all lab work, semen preparation, embryonic transfer, and hormone profiles. Average U.S. cost: $9,000 to $18,000
• Another patient came for cataract surgery using a monocular lens at $2,500 per eye. The price included the surgeon’s fees, anesthesiologist, and lab tests as an ambulatory outpatient. Average U.S. cost: $5,000 to $6,000 per eye.

Catherine McCabe
For International Living

Editor’s note: Panama’s health care is known for its quality and convenience, but there are many more places where health care is cheap. Glynna Prentice will tell us all about the low-cost health insurance options in Mexico in the June issue of International Living magazine.

Read related articles:

- Save $2,500 on Eye Surgery in Panama

- The Mexican Answer to U.S. Health Care

- If You’ve No U.S. Health Insurance…No Problem