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With its beautiful scenery, friendly locals and temperate climate, Costa Rica has long attracted travelers in search of adventure and relaxation. What many are quickly realizing is that Costa Rica is much more than an eco-tourism destination. It is also home to highly trained physicians that provide quality health care at a fraction of the cost compared to the United States and Canada.
Each year a growing number of tourists visit Costa Rica to receive cosmetic surgery on what have been dubbed ¨medical vacations¨. In an era of rising health care costs and decreased medical coverage, the concept of combining surgery with travel has taken off.
Costa Rica has been actively involved with dental tourism, and US insurers have begun contracting with dentists there. In Costa Rica, a knee replacement surgery may cost as low as $10,500 USD compared to nearly $50,000 USD in the United States.
The close proximity to the United States and Canada and a significant English speaking presence make Costa Rica a growing destination for medical travel.
The last decade has also seen a boom in the health tourism sector in Costa Rica, especially in the area of plastic surgery. The country’s excellent reputation is directly linked to the professionalism of its internationally-trained doctors and array of cost-effective procedures. In fact, cosmetic surgery is so affordable that the total cost of a medical vacation in Costa Rica including airfare, accommodations and a few days of sightseeing is often far less than the procedure alone would cost in the United States. Plastic surgeries cost a third or even a fourth of what they do in the U.S., without compromising quality or results.Over a million Americans partake in medical vacations every year, and thousands are drawn to Costa Rica’s modern hospitals and private clinics, which have Board Certified surgeons, many professionally trained in North America or Europe. They offer patients a variety of surgeries and dental procedures using the latest technology, at affordable prices.
A face lift in Costa Rica costs around $3, 000 while the same procedure in the States costs anywhere from $7,000 to $15,000. International hospitals are staffed with fully certified bilingual surgeons that cater to foreigners seeking superior medical care. Additionally, the Costa Rica Board of Plastic Surgery offers prospective clients a list of certified and credentialed physicians who are members of the association.
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