Most of us know that health care in the US is in crisis. Health care cost in America is reaching all time high of about $2 trillion per year, which is 16% of the GDP, four times the expenditure for national defense. US is ranked 15th in health care performance by World Health Organization, globally, life expectancy ranks 22nd in world and infant mortality ranks 39th. US leads the most when it comes to health-care insurance spending, when compared to any other nation, yet 46 million Americans are without insurance and this number increases every year. Kaiser Family Foundation reports that between the years 2000 and 2004 the number of uninsured Americans increased by 6 million. The out-of-pocket costs for insured have nearly tripled in last six years and health-care premiums continue to rise at nearly three times the general inflation rate. In addition, unpaid and unpayable healthcare bills account for the majority of all personal bankruptcies in the country.

On the other hand, there has been much news recently about the high-quality care and cutting edge surgery available in countries such as India, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, a growing stream of uninsured and underinsured Americans are boarding planes not for the typical face-lift or tummy tuck but for discount hip replacements and sophisticated heart surgeries. By looking at options outside the American health care system those who lack adequate insurance can get medical care at significantly lower prices which is often referred to as medical tourism, seeking medical care outside the United States is an idea that is taking off at new levels.

Meanwhile, inflow of international patients to India is increasing at the similar rate. While there are several reasons why medical tourism is at increase, the most compelling reason being the cost. Many from United States are seeking treatment at a quarter or sometimes even a fraction (10th) of the cost at home. For example, a heart-valve replacement that would cost $200,000 or more in the U.S. would cost $10,000 in India and that includes round-trip airfare and a brief vacation package. Similarly, a metal-free dental bridge worth $5,500 in the U.S. costs $500 in India, a knee replacement in Thailand with six days of physical therapy costs about one-fifth of what it would in the States, and Lasik eye surgery worth $3,700 in the U.S. is available in many other countries for only $730. Cosmetic surgery savings are even greater: A full facelift that would cost $20,000 in the U.S. runs about $1,250 in South Africa. In Canada, it is often people who are frustrated by long waiting times. In Great Britain, the patient can't afford to wait for treatment by the National Health Service, nor can they afford to see a physician in private practice. For several others, becoming a medical tourist is a chance to combine a tropical vacation with elective or plastic surgery.

Other reasons are, highly skilled and trained Physicians, accredited facilities and advanced technology. There are also several hospitals which are JCI accredited and are affiliated with a branch of the prestigious Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. In a field where experience is as important as technology, Escorts Heart Institute and Research Center in Delhi and Faridabad, India, perform nearly 15,000 heart operations every year, and the death rate among patients during surgery is only 0.8 percent, which is less than half that of most major hospitals in the United States. Apart from the above, in some countries, clinics are backed by sophisticated research infrastructures as well. One among the countries leading in biotechnology research is India. India and South Korea are pushing ahead with stem cell research at a level approached only in Britain.

Also, in addition to the skilled pool of Physicians, many foreign clinics have a higher patient to nurse ratio than in any Western facility, and some clinics provide single-patient rooms that resemble guestrooms in four-star hotels, with a nurse dedicated to each patient 24 hours a day. Above all, medical tourism dates back to thousands of years in history. In ancient Greece, pilgrims and patients came from all over the Mediterranean to the sanctuary of the healing god, Asklepios, at Epidaurus. In Roman Britain, patients took the waters at a shrine at Bath, a practice that continued for 2,000 years. In 18th century wealthy Europeans traveled to spas from Germany to the Nile. Now in the 21st century, relatively low-cost jet travel has taken the industry beyond the wealthy and desperate.