Mexico has become a top destination for medical tourism for its close proximity to the United States and relaxed key border restrictions since the COVID-19 pandemic. Cosmetic surgeries are just one of the numerous procedures that are significantly cheaper in Mexico — some even visit for routine dental work and prescriptions. Americans who have opted for treatment abroad save over 50-70% of what they would spend for the same treatment. With the rise of medical tourism, experts have raised concerns about the potential risks of undergoing treatment in a foreign country. Patients are at a higher risk of undergoing unregulated procedures with ill-equipped providers and risking serious post-operative complications once they return to their home countries. In an attempt to promote medical tourism, Mexico has drastically improved its healthcare system to meet international quality standards. According to David Vequist, a researcher running the Center of Medical Tourism Research at the University of the Incarnate Word, most Mexican hospitals now undergo the same accreditation standards used to accredit US hospitals. Beyond the debate over the safety of medical tourism, it seems likely this trend will continue to rise with the soaring cost of healthcare in the United States.
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