UNIT 9: TRAVELING AND CULTURE
My name‿ is‿ Ana. I had‿ an‿ operation‿ abroad two years‿ ago,│ and‿ I have│ since become sceptical‿ of‿ a debate that‿ is conducted‿ almost‿ entirely in terms‿ of price.
The economics‿ are real:│ the same procedure cos(t) me four thousan(d) dollars‿ abroad‿ an(d) would have cos(t) nothing‿ at home,│ excep(t) that the queue was nine months│ and‿ I could not work. Cross-border treatment‿ is growing,│ an(d) some clinics‿ are‿ excellent,│ with‿ accreditation‿ and‿ aftercare betterbe-der than‿ I expected. But the risk‿ is not distributed‿ evenly. If there‿ is‿ a complication,│ your liability is‿ unclear,│ your‿ insurance may refuse‿ a claim‿ abroad,│ an(d) the surgeon│ who treats you afterwards did not perform the operation‿ an(d) has no obligation to be diplomatic‿ about‿ it.
What‿ I objec(t) to is the framing. Medical tourism‿ is presented‿ as‿ a consumer choice,│ and‿ it‿ is really a symptom‿ of rationing. If public systems were‿ adequately funded,│ most‿ of‿ us would not travel. I would do it‿ again for‿ an‿ operation‿ I could plan,│ and‿ I would never do it for‿ an‿ emergency. The most‿ importan(t) factor‿ is not the clinic,│ the hotel,│ or the price. It‿ is│ whether the recovery an(d) the aftercare‿ are‿ arranged│ before your passport,│ an(d) mine were.