Insurers fuel trend of cheap care abroad

Insurers are farming out patients to receive cheaper treatment abroad, a senior clinician has claimed, in a bid to avoid pricey surgeries.

Dr Andre Wessels, medical director of Welcare Hospital, accused insurance companies of capitalising on familial pressures to cap the costs of medical bills.

India or Pakistan expatriates form a substantial percentage of the UAE's demographic, Wessel notes, and surgery costs are typically significantly lower in these countries.

"I have an ethical problem with insurance companies encouraging their patients to go abroad...they collect their premiums in dirhams and then send them out of the country to get the operation done on the cheap," he said.

Dr Jo Sebastian, head of cardiology at Welcare hospital, suggests the trend is breeding mistrust among patients in local healthcare providers.

"The technology is available but there is not enough confidence in the service," he said.

Experts believe the pattern is curbing attempts to attract high-end clinicians to the region."The region has good facilities, but to get specialists to relocate to the Middle East is much harder," said Dr Prem Kumar, medical director of Raffles Hospital, Singapore, adding that Asian providers continue to report climbing numbers of Arab patients.

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READERS' COMMENTS

trend of Cheap care abroad
Posted by naush on Tuesday 11 September 2007 at 11:00 UAE time


totally disagree witht eh comments from Welcare Hospital. Treatment in India and pakistan is of extremely high standards with superb aftercare! hospitals AND DOCTORS in this part of the world have become EXTREMELY COMMERCIAL! 
We are aksed to do numerous unneccesary tests so that ehy can meet their quotas.. this si the general public perception!!

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