Submitted by editor on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 21:29
BridgeHealth Medical began as an international medical tourism company that offered American employers cheaper health care for employees. However, they learned that organizations were far more comfortable sending their employees on two-hour rather than ten-hour trips. So, the company shifted its attention to negotiating with domestic hospitals for lower prices on various surgical procedures. Now they pass the savings on to customers who take advantage of their services. This switch to “domestic medical tourism” has increased sales at BridgeHealth Medical by 25 percent and now accounts for 80 percent of its business.
Employers are happy with the savings in health care costs. Inc. reports, for instance, that Stephens Media, a Las Vegas-based company, saved $70,000 in its first year with BridgeHealth.
While domestic medical tourism is still a very small percentage of the health care market, some predict that it will become one of the popular methods of lowering health care costs in the future. It’s certainly attractive financially when a business saves anywhere from 10 to 40 percent on medical procedures within the United States.