By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    healthcare cybersecurity
    4 Helpful Tips on How to Protect Your Medical Practice Against Cyber Attacks
    October 24, 2021
    Health Check Diagnosis Medical Condition Analysis Concept
    6 Health Woes With Online Remedies
    January 19, 2022
    Eight Things Men Should Know About the Male Menopause
    Eight Things Men Should Know About the Male Menopause
    April 24, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    healthy nursing school habits
    Healthy Habits for Nursing Student Nursing School Students
    May 24, 2024
    High Deductables
    High-Deductible Insurance and Rising Bad Debt
    July 24, 2015
    How People Are Taking Advantage of Health Deals in the Recent Recession
    February 5, 2021
    Latest News
    Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
    June 25, 2025
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
    Strengthening Healthcare Systems Through Clinical and Administrative Career Development
    June 13, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Wal-Mart Offers Medical Tourism Legitimacy
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Business > Wal-Mart Offers Medical Tourism Legitimacy
Business

Wal-Mart Offers Medical Tourism Legitimacy

drkevin1951
Last updated: November 17, 2012 7:28 am
drkevin1951
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE

Employers are quieting changing their plans to encourage care delivery at high volume, good outcome, low cost facilities….

Employers are quieting changing their plans to encourage care delivery at high volume, good outcome, low cost facilities….

It’s a trend that I’ve been predicting for the last five plus years – medical tourism both domestically and internationally. It seems that the domestic approach got a big boast in recent weeks as Wal-Mart announced that it will begin offering their insured employees the option of undergoing certain procedures at highly ranked health systems across America with very little if no out-of-pocket cost to the employee — travel included (sometimes, even First Class). The approach is being taken for those high end procedures where it’s clear that volume equate to quality – for example, heart and spine patients – where data supports that notion that having the procedure done at a high volume institution results in improved care and lower costs.

The trend has started with the large companies that can negotiate a bundled rate with a health system in return for a guarantee on the delivery of a certain volume of services from the employer. Companies that are participating include: PepsiCo (250,000 employees), Lowe’s (234,000 employees), HCR ManorCare (64,000 employees) and, of course, Wal-Mart (1.1 million covered employees). Generally, the approach that’s taken is the procedure is offered at a highly reputable care delivery organization (e.g. The Cleveland Clinic) with no co-pays or deductibles and travel expenses for the patient and a caregiver or family member are frequently thrown in as part of the deal. The employee can still have the procedure done at their favorite, local hometown hospital but then the co-pays and deductibles apply – so there’s an out-of-pocket expense for the employee.

More Read

e interventions
Healthcare Progress Depends On “E Interventions”
Health Care Buzz Today
How Pharma Can Meet Consumer Expectations
Top 10 Reminders to Healthcare (and All) Startups
HIMSS16 Preview: Data helps reveal theme of this year’s show

So, who is benefiting from this on the care delivery side? To date, contracts have included such institutions as The Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio; Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania; Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland; The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Scottsdale, Arizona, and Jacksonville, Florida; Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple, Texas; Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, Washington; and, Mercy Hospital Springfield in Springfield, Missouri. So, what’s with the Mercy Hospital in Springfield? Well, it just so happens that the hospital is the closest facility to Wal-Mart’s corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Whether or not this reduces costs or results in better outcomes is an open question. But, the bet on the part of the companies is that savings will accrue. And, it’s clear that the health systems are very interested in gaining this type of business as a “bundled payment” arrangement. Randy Hargrove of Wal-Mart in announcing the companies decision noted that, “We’re looking to expand these programs to reduce our associates’ out-of-pocket medical costs and provide the highest quality of care and we plan to expand this program to include more procedures and providers.”

Furthermore, it seems that the shift is primary a “domestic” phenomenon. International medical tourism where the obvious cost differential can be huge has never really taken off despite early predictions that it would create a major shift in how healthcare was to be delivered. The Deloitte Center for Health Solutions has labeled the call for foreign medical tourism as “tepid” at best. We should anticipate that the trend for domestic medical tourism (is travel to Cleveland really “tourism”?) will only continue in the coming years as employers look for ways to reduce costs and enhance quality by driving better outcomes.

 

TAGGED:medical tourism
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

women dental care
What Is a Smile Makeover and How Much Does It Cost?
Dental health
June 30, 2025
HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps
Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
June 25, 2025
recovering from injury
Rebuilding After Injury: Path to Physical and Emotional Recovery
News
June 22, 2025
scientist using microscope
When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
Global Healthcare
June 18, 2025

You Might also Like

patient's well-being
Hospital Administration

Comfort And Safety: 7 Ways Healthcare Organizations Can Create A Better Environment For Their Patients

April 4, 2023
annual-growth-rates-national-healthcare-spending
BusinessFinanceHealth ReformPolicy & LawPublic Health

Why Did Health Spending Slow Down Before It Sped Up?

May 13, 2014

10 Things Hospital Leadership Need to Know About Social Media and Marketing

July 18, 2014
BusinessDiagnosticseHealthMedical InnovationsTechnology

The Potential and Challenges for Internet of Things in Healthcare

February 2, 2018
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?