What Is Medical Tourism? Benefits, Risks and How It Works

Medical tourism is travel to another country for medical or dental care. Patients seek lower prices, access to specialists or treatment they cannot get where they live. It includes dental work, surgery, fertility treatment and cancer care.

An American crossing into Mexico for a planned dental appointment is a medical tourist, even if they return home that evening. So is a patient flying overseas for a cancer consultation. Neither trip needs to include a holiday.

How is medical tourism different from wellness tourism?

The Global Wellness Institute separates wellness travel from travel for clinical treatment, although services such as executive health checks overlap. Treatment for an unexpected illness on holiday is different from traveling specifically for care. [2][16]

If a resort combines spa treatments with medical tests, ask who orders the tests, who explains the results and who arranges any further care.

Why do people travel abroad for healthcare?

Lower treatment costs

For a patient who cannot afford the local quote, a lower overseas price changes which treatments are within reach. Lower staff costs and differences in how hospitals deliver and charge for care contribute to price gaps between countries.

Shorter waits and access to specialists

Patients also travel to avoid long waits or reach specialists and treatments unavailable at home. The American College of Surgeons identifies both waiting periods and restrictions on access among the reasons people seek care abroad.

Language and family support

The CDC identifies shared language and cultural background as reasons patients choose healthcare professionals abroad.

For someone returning to a country where relatives live, family support also enters the planning: a room to recover in, a ride from the clinic or someone to collect prescriptions.

What treatments does medical tourism include?

Patients travel for hospital treatment, outpatient procedures and diagnostic tests. These include:

• Dental care: crowns, implants and other restorative work.
• Cosmetic surgery: breast surgery, nose surgery and liposuction.
• Fertility treatment: in vitro fertilization, or IVF.
• Orthopedic surgery: hip and knee replacements and other joint procedures.
• Heart care: specialist assessment and heart surgery.
• Health checks: medical examinations and diagnostic tests.

Patients also travel for cancer consultations, second opinions and treatment.

For fertility treatment, check the destination’s rules before paying. Laws on donor eggs, donor sperm and eligibility for treatment differ between countries. The UK’s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, or HFEA, warns that it has no authority over overseas clinics.

Where do people go for medical tourism?

For US residents, Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean are among the destinations commonly visited for medical care, according to the CDC.

Thailand’s hospitals and clinics treat international patients seeking dental care, fertility treatment, joint replacements and heart surgery. In India, private hospital groups such as Apollo and Fortis serve the international patient market.

In Turkey, travelers seek dental care and cosmetic and other surgery. Skin treatments account for much of South Korea’s international patient business: government figures reported by Yonhap show that more than 62% of foreign patients in 2025 received dermatology care.

Check the individual clinic, regardless of the destination’s reputation. The UK Foreign Office warns that standards vary within countries as well as between them.

What do medical tourism statistics actually measure?

South Korea reported 2.01 million foreign patients in 2025, up from 1.17 million in 2024. Its Ministry of Health and Welfare separately reported 2.72 million patient visits for 2025. A count of visits is not a count of individual people.

China and Japan were its two largest source markets.

A 2014 study published through the UK’s National Institute for Health Research traced widely repeated medical tourism figures to weak or missing evidence. When reading a market estimate, check its original source, the period covered and the definition of a medical tourist.

How much does medical tourism cost?

Ask for a written treatment plan and an itemized quote. Check whether it covers consultations, tests, the procedure, anesthesia, medicines and follow-up appointments. For IVF, the HFEA warns that advertised prices sometimes exclude fertility drugs and essential tests.

Add flights, accommodation, local transport, insurance and lost earnings. If someone is traveling with you, include their expenses. Budget for an extended stay or a return trip if recovery or further treatment requires one.

If you have insurance at home, compare your expected personal payment with the full overseas bill. Comparing an uninsured hospital price at home with a package abroad can exaggerate the saving.

Get the cancellation terms and exclusions in writing, including for packages advertised as “all-inclusive.” Ask what you’ll owe if the doctor changes the treatment plan after examining you, or if you need extra nights in hospital.

Is medical tourism safe?

Surgery carries risks at home and abroad. Overseas treatment adds questions about travel during recovery, access to follow-up care and responsibility when something goes wrong.

Professor Vivien Lees of the Royal College of Surgeons of England said in an August 2025 statement:

“While many overseas providers offer high-quality care, the lack of regulation, aftercare, and accountability in some settings puts patients at real risk.”

Infections and other complications

The CDC identifies infections as the most common complications among medical tourists. Its guidance also flags antibiotic-resistant infections. If you become unwell after returning, tell the treating clinician where you traveled and what treatment you received.

Flying during recovery

Surgery and air travel both increase the risk of blood clots. For patients recovering from cosmetic surgery, the NHS advises rest and warns against swimming, sunbathing and sightseeing soon afterward.

Ask the treating doctor to assess when you can fly. A departure date printed in a package itinerary is not medical clearance.

Unproven treatments

The US Food and Drug Administration has reported infections, blindness and tumor formation after the use of unapproved regenerative medicine products.

Before paying for a stem cell treatment or another unfamiliar therapy, ask an independent specialist what published research shows about its effectiveness for your condition. Check its regulatory status in the destination country. Approval for one use does not establish that it works for every condition a clinic advertises.

How do you check a clinic or doctor abroad?

Get a second opinion from your usual doctor or dentist. Discuss whether you need the treatment, the alternatives and the risks of traveling for it. The NHS recommends involving your clinician before committing to overseas care.

Then check:

• The doctor: verify their license and relevant specialist training with the regulator in the destination country.
• The facility: confirm its legal name, address and authorization to provide the proposed treatment.
• The consultation: speak to the clinician who will treat you, not just a booking coordinator.
• The treatment plan: ask for an explanation of the procedure, alternatives, expected results and possible complications.

Verify any accreditation claim directly with the accrediting organization. Accreditation shows that a facility has undergone an external assessment; it does not guarantee a good outcome.

Ask how the clinic calculates success rates. The HFEA warns that fertility clinics sometimes advertise pregnancies rather than live births, or show results only for younger patients. Ask for figures relevant to your age and diagnosis.

Pause the booking if the clinic pressures you to pay quickly or avoids questions about complications and aftercare. The NHS identifies these practices as warning signs.

Will insurance cover treatment abroad?

Most ordinary travel insurance policies exclude planned overseas treatment, according to the NHS. Buying a policy for a holiday does not mean you’ve insured a medical trip.

Get written confirmation that the specific procedure, complications, an extended stay and medical transport home are covered. If you expect a health insurer or public scheme to fund treatment, confirm eligibility and any approval requirements before booking.

For UK travelers, the Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) and European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) do not cover trips taken specifically for planned treatment. Separate funding arrangements exist for eligible patients receiving approved care in Europe.

What does a medical tourism agency do?

An agency can arrange appointments, quotes, transfers and accommodation. Ask which services it provides and what it charges for them. The UK Foreign Office warns that private companies have a financial interest in booking treatment, so their material should not be your only source of information.

Ask whether the agency receives a referral fee from the clinic. Establish who is responsible for each service and who handles complaints. Get the answers in the contract, not just in a sales conversation.

Discuss the medical decisions directly with the treating clinician.

Who will look after you when you get home?

The American College of Surgeons states: “Follow-up care at home should be organized prior to travel whenever possible.” It also recommends obtaining a complete set of medical records before returning.

Before you travel, identify who will review you afterward and where those appointments will take place. Agree on how the overseas team will share records with your usual clinician. Bring home a discharge summary and instructions in a language you and your clinician can understand.

Before paying a deposit, ask: “If I have a problem after I get home, who will assess me, where will I be seen, and who will pay?”

If the clinic cannot explain those arrangements, postpone the booking.

This article provides general information, not personal medical advice. Discuss treatment and travel plans with a qualified healthcare professional familiar with your health.