Last month, US president Barack Obama commented that it is not necessary for Americans to travel to India so that they may attain “cheap healthcare.” Guy Williams of Alaska, who is a basketball coach, didn’t agree with him. He laughed while mentioning that comment.Williams said, "Obama must be crazy. Healthcare is extremely expensive in the US and so is health insurance, which is unaffordable for some 50 million Americans."Williams recently enjoyed the prompt services of Apollo hospital in Chennai where he underwent a hip-surfacing surgery. He chose to travel from Alaska to Chennai for that surgery because it was impossible for him to afford that same medical service in US. The cost of same medical service in US is about $58,000. In India, he got much better and precise iPad navigating surgery for just $8,000.The clinical strength of India is certainly able to offer much better results that a patient can achieve in the US and that too at much less fees. William is very happy about the outcome of his choice for India as his medical destination. He enjoyed his stay at the hospital and he is planning to get his brother to India so that he may also get benefited from the same treatment. It is very common story. Many people from the United States prefer to travel to India for a medical tour. A few months ago, Ron Lemmer, a 65 years old American citizen decided to visit India so that he may live longer. He needed an immediate heart transplant which was seemingly difficult for him to achieve in the U.S. There were many people who told him that such a medical tour to a India may prove to be hazardous, however, Ron Lemmer paid no heed to such advices.He visited India with his wife Shelly so that she may take care of him and proceedings when he goes through heart transplantation. He also chose to visit Apollo Hospital, a private health and medical care center situated at Chennai.His doctors at Minnesota US warned them about the possible dangers of opting for heart transplantation in India. Shelly informed, "[They said] we were making a terrible decision: I'm going to come back with my husband in a box.”However, those warning proved to be fake calls. Ron Lemmer achieved a successful heart transplant and Shelly now is quite happy as her husband is now completely healthy and both of them hope to enjoy life for long.Ron said that he felt no pain when he woke up next morning after the heart transplant. Medical staff informed him about the success of transplant. They also informed him that he is now living with the help of the heart of a 36 year old Indian laborer. The laborer died in a road accident and so Ron got that piece of Indian heart. Feeling overwhelmed, Ron tried to seek the address of donor’s family. However, he failed because the donation was anonymous.Back in US, there still were no chanced for Ron to get a heart transplant. Around 3,100 more people were on the US national list, who were desperately looking for a heart transplant. A donor’s heart is difficult to get. Once a heart becomes available for transplant, that patient gains it who is chosen by medical authorities according to his seriousness of illness. Other criteria is the period for which a person is waiting for the heart transplant. Ron Lemmer’s doctors informed him that it may take 18 more months for him to be able to achieve a heart transplant in US.Last year, 359 heart patients died in the United States while waiting for a heart transplant. On an average, a person suffering the same critical conditions in which Ron Lemmer was (1 B priority level), may need to spend at least 73 days while waiting for a life saving transplant. However, the data of United Network for Organ Sharing suggest that many people wait for years and a good number of patients dies while waiting for a transplant.As you can see, US president Barack Obama may comment again that Americans don’t need to visit India for gaining proper and cheap medical services, but the reality is just opposite. In America, medical services are not only rare, they are extremely costly.
