With four black belts in his closet and a mountain bike worth more than the car in his garage, Alan Hesker never dreamed a hip disorder would sideline him at age 46. The single father also never imagined that, with a good job and health insurance, the out-of-pocket expenses for the surgery he needed to get back in the bike saddle would be more than he could afford.
Destination: USA"I think that will continue to happen," Meyers said. "I think one of the things you'll see in the future in health care is more consistent pricing and more transparent pricing. As they become more transparent, then hopefully marker, forces will drive prices down."* VEHICLE CRIME - Meltham, May 15. Black Sym Jet motorbike stolen. Reg no HF53CEA. Honley, May 16. Vandal used spray paint to graffiti back door of vehicle with the letters GVS. Netherthong, May 16. Thief got into car by unknown means and stole book, digital camera and ipod. Holmfirth, May 16. Blue Honda CBF 600 motorbike reg YS57MYT stolen. * IMMOBILISE VALUABLES -Create a FREE private and secure portfolio of all your personal property. If your phone, bike, computer or any other registered item is lost or stolen, use Immobilise to instantly tell police, insurers, and the second-hand trade. These actions help greatly to recover property and catch thieves. Immobilise helps police identify the owner of lost and stolen property thousands of times each day. Loss and theft updates are immediately available to the police nationally. Combat the sale of stolen gadgets and valuables. Alert the second-hand trade and publicly checkable stolen goods database. Check MEND if an item goes missing. Simplify insurance claims and police reports with certificates of ownership. There are great member offers from Immobilise's numerous supporters, often helping support provision of Immobilise. These features are unique to the Immobilise service. Go to: http://www.immobilise.com/ CONTACT: Dave Whitteron, Neighbourhood Watch Liaison, Kirkburton Police Station, Telephone: 01484-436840 or email: dw368@westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk or call Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111The company has launched an aggressive marketing campaign, working with such players as the Colorado Tourism Board and the Mexican Consulate, to put Colorado on the medical-travel map. "Whether it's a hospital in Aurora or Steamboat Springs, it doesn't make any difference," Meyers said. "We should be able to attract some of that market share."He put the surgery off for more than a year, until the pain finally pushed him through his human-resources director's doors. But she had yet another surprise for Hesker: If he were willing to hoard a plane for another state, she told him, he could have his hip replacement without paying a dime, travel expenses included.BridgeHealth has also contracted with Denver CyberKnife. and Loveland Surgery Center, and MedVoy has signed on CereScan in Denver and Denver Cosmetic Surgery in Lone Tree.The Lafayette resident became one of the hundreds of thousands of Americans joining the medical-tourism trend each year. But rather than traveling to a faraway foreign country to save a few dollars, or finding a beach resort to recuperate on, Hesker was able to have his surgery closer to home.Lazzaro's company, one of the first to take an aggressive domestic approach, has gained some national attention, as some industry experts predict the niche could become a bigger attraction for U.S. employers and health-care insurers slow to jump on the international travel bandwagon. "Even though the savings aren't as great, I think it's just the peace of mind of staying in the United States," Lazzaro said of the attraction to domestic packages.Both BridgeHealth and MedVoy have launched efforts to expand in Colorado, which turned out to be a bonus for Hesker, whose hip surgery was arranged by BridgeHealth. Initially told he would have to fly to San Diego or Houston, Hesker was offered a change of plans at the last minute: He had his surgery at OrthoColorado Hospital on the new St. Anthony Medical Campus in Lakewood."We think the future in medical travel, particularly in Colorado, is inbound," said Meyers, who co-founded MedVoy in 2009. A professor at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Meyers said the state is rife with world-class medical centers that already attract patients from around the world. "There's no reason Colorado couldn't be a destination location."Some of the obstacles that are holding international medical travel back disappear or become less intrusive with the domestic approach, such as a need for passports, long travel times, language barriers, medical-emergency concerns, follow-up-care logistics and fear of lawsuits.Today, BridgeHealth has 3 million-plus members, with about 140,000 employer members and 30 domestic providers across the country. The company supplies employers with a network of health-care providers who offer medical procedures at a flat, reduced rate."Companies are still sitting on the fence, waiting to see what happens with some of these issues," said Kuzin, who has had little success in his marketing attempts with Colorado companies. "One problem is doctors don't want to handle these, patients when they come back to the United States because of the risk of being sued."Frank said he believes another barrier to medical travel--the doctors left behind--could be partially to blame for the lack of participation. Doctors might not want their patients to travel for treatment, for many reasons, he said, including their own business interests. "There's a financial motivation for the doctor not to recommend travel for the patient. Unfortunately, that's the brutal truth."* THEFT - Holmbridge, May 8. Large stone coping stones stolen from top of wall at side of house."I still would have been left holding a bill for three or four grand," said the father of twin 11-year-old girls. "It might not sound like much to some people, but when you're a single dad, that's a lot of money," said Hesker, an employee of MDC Holdings in Denver.Hesker was ready to pack his bags.At least three Denver-area medical-tourism companies launched between 2007 and 2009, when predictions were that the industry was set to explode. All are still sending U.S. patients overseas, to such countries as Mexico, India, Costa Rica and Panama for everything from dental crowns and tummy tucks to weight-loss surgeries and in-vitro fertilization. But at least two of them are responding to the slower-than-expected growth with a change of direction.If the business ventures are successful, all Coloradans could see health-care prices come down. Meyers said, something medical-tourism's short history has already shown. Some U.S. providers, responding to international pressures when the industry began to take hold, lowered their fees, according to the National Center for Policy Analysis report.Still, Frank said he's optimistic that medical travel will overcome the barriers and take off in Colorado, with its Rocky Mountains and other attractions. And CyberKnife, despite the slow business so far, would sign on with other medical-tourism companies, he said. "On the flip side, there's really no other work on our end besides the initial setup. We'd definitely be open to working with other companies."* BURGLARY - Meltham, May 16. Raider forced open back door of dwelling to get inside and stole laptop computer and spirits. New Mill, May 7. Two flats in complex entered and mountain bike stolen.But Lazzaro said his domestic-travel clients save anywhere from 20 percent to 45 percent in medical fees, which can be substantial with surgeries and complicated medical procedures. "We wouldn't be in the business if there weren't enough cost savings.""How fortuitous, right?" Hesker said, adding that he had actually already visited the top-ranked local hospital for a second opinion and liked what he saw. Suddenly, his only concern with the initial - plan travel time - was taken down to a 40-mile ride home.But it might not happen quickly. Denver CyberKnife has had only one contracted patient since signing on with BridgeHealth more than a year ago, which the relatively new cancer treatment center did to expand its scope. "We thought we had a lot to offer patients, not just in the Denver area, but around the country," said Mark Frank, CFO of Denver CyberKnife.Patients who choose international travel reap bigger savings: A September report by the National Center for Policy Analysis compared a $40,000 U.S. hip-replacement fee to $15,000 in Singapore and $8,000 in India. On average, savings are in the 40 percent to 50 percent range, said Taras Kuzin, CEO of MedVacation in Denver, which has maintained its international focus.
Still, Frank said he's optimistic that medical travel will overcome the barriers and take off in Colorado, with its Rocky Mountains and other attractions. And CyberKnife, despite the slow business so far, would sign on with other medical-tourism companies, he said. "On the flip side, there's really no other work on our end besides the initial setup. We'd definitely be open to working with other companies."
Author: Debra Melani
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