Affordable medical care and  specialized surgical procedures and technologies are available beyond your own borders, if you know where to look. Travelers seeking medical care abroad, affordable heart surgery, anti aging, Ayurveda, cancer treatment abroad, or chronic disease treatment in exotic locations should contact the embassy of the country they wish to visit for list of requirements for documents such as passports and visas. Most countries host representatives and embassies from other countries and are not difficult to find. 

Or, contact a medical facility directly or through PlacidWay.com, a major medical resource for international medical travelers regarding options and locations for the type of medical care you are interested in. Whether you’re looking for cosmetic surgery in Mexico or drug addiction therapy abroad, help is out there.  Fertility treatments, orthopedics surgery abroad, and obesity or bariatric surgery abroad offers you options. Documents you may need include but are not limited to:

• Medical records
• List of currently prescribed medications and their dosage
• Consultation or referrals from your domestic health care provider
• Detailed medical history

Individuals traveling  abroad should also discuss  costs – what are the costs of a medical travel package (accommodations, lab fees, physical exams, consultations, procedure costs) during the stay? Ask about prepayment requirements and how facilities want to be paid. Do they take cash? Will you need to convert your money to a foreign currency? Will the facility take traveler’s checks or credit card payments? Ask for details for prospective treatments. Are you required to make up-front payments or deposits?

Cross border medical travel is the wave of the future. Be informed, prepared and ready.