Why Medical Tourism In Costa Rica?
While there are many reasons why Costa Rica has become a global leader in Medical Tourism the big three are Quality,Convenience and especially Savings.
Quality
There should be no doubt that Costa Rica offers quality healthcare considering that is has multiple JCI (Joint Commission International) Accredited hospitals and numerous medical and dental facilities accredited by either the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care International (AAAHCI) or the American Association for Accreditation for Ambulatory Surgery Facilities International (AAAASFI). As well, many of the physicians, dentists and surgeons in Costa Rica were educated or have received training in American or western European medical institutions. Should you care to look at the credentials of these facilities or surgeons, they are usually available online or upon request.
Convenience
The fact that Costa Rica is within a 3-5 hour flight from most places in the United States and reached via direct flight from nearly 10 major airports in North America, getting to Costa Rica is easier than it has ever been. With the number of flights coming every day, there is always a sale with a fare at a price that you can afford. If you are willing to travel to Costa Rica in non-peak season (May – November) you should be able to find even better deals. Costa Rica is closer than you think and flights are less expensive than you might imagine. In fact, a flight from Atlanta to Costa Rica is 1 hour shorter in flying time than a flight from Atlanta to San Francisco. If you live in the southeast US, your flight time will likely be about 3 hours.
In 2012, Costa Rica recorded nearly 50,000 medical tourists and that number is only expected to continue rising. With nearly 25% of all Americans now having passports, flights to Costa Rica are more affordable than ever.
Savings
The number one reason why people come to Costa Rica for medical and dental care is the dramatic savings. What makes it even better is that you receive all that savings with the quality you want and expect. On average, a medical tourists traveling to Costa Rica can save 40% to 70%. Even including the travel and hotel costs, the savings are substantial. A common example would be that a dental crown in the U.S. typically costs $1,000 or more, while in Costa Rica can cost $500 or less; dental implants in the U.S. can average $3,000 while in Costa Rica they are $900. This is the same crown and implant that would be used in the US. With more complex dental and medical work, the savings can be even greater.
Knowing Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a small, very beautiful country that stands out for numerous reasons. It is widely recognized for being the oldest democracy in Latin America and having abolished its military forces in 1948. Since then, this small but united country has invested heavily into its social welfare and education resulting in levels of development that are among the highest in the world including a life expectancy of almost 79 and a nearly a 98% literacy rate.
Costa Rica is a country full of life and diversity. While it has only 0.1% of the world’s landmass, its territory holds 5% of the world’s biodiversity. In fact, some of the species of flora, fauna and butterflies (just to name a few) can only be found in Costa Rica. Approximately 25% of the country is in national parks and protected areas, this is the largest percentage of protected areas of any country in the world.
Costa Rica’s topography varies greatly for such a little country. From white-sand beaches that converge with tropical rainforests to mountains, volcanoes and cloud forests, the variety of terrain makes for numerous micro-climates that each fosters its own life.
If you enjoy the mountains, there are several ranges each with magical cloud forests and many migratory birds. Numerous volcanoes stand out of the four mountain ranges that divide the country into two watersheds. If you like the lowlands, Costa Rica is home to some of the most impressive wetlands in the world. Fast-flowing rivers, great for rafting and kayaking, make their way through quiet valleys and flowering plains on their way out to the sea. If you like beaches, there are so many that there is not enough space here to describe them all.