Ever wonder where illness or injury abroad may set you back the most? Find out how much expats can expect to pay for various medical procedures in different countries. Hint: prices arent all the same.
According to a recent UN report, the number of international migrants has grown rapidly in recent years, peaking at 258 million in 2017.
Some of those people have no choice but to leave their homeland behind. Others may choose to move to a new country in search of someplace more in line with their own political beliefs. Love, too, can inspire people to uproot their lives and settle abroad.
More businesses than ever are sending employees abroad, with a full 98 percent of employers view a globally mobile workforce as important to achieving their objectives, according to a 2017 study conducted by international health insurance provider AXA.
Find out more about AXAs International Health Plans
If youre moving abroad, regardless of the reason, you should get acquainted with the various costs of healthcare in your new country. Costs can vary greatly, and the last thing you want is an enormous and unexpected bill.
Perhaps one of the best ways to help avoid unpleasant and costly healthcare surprises is by taking out global health insurance. AXA offers several policies which cover treatment for new medical conditions that arise after you join. Find out more about each level of cover here.
Cost of healthcare in popular expat countries
In its most recent comparative price report, released in 2016*, the International Federation of Health Plans collected data from its 80 members in 25 countries to paint a picture of various healthcare costs.
The report documents the average price tag for selected prescription drugs as well as costs of several common medical procedures. And it may come as a surprise just how much the figures differ between the countries.
For example, a colonoscopy, a common procedure to evaluate the inside of the colon, was by far the priciest in the UK, averaging at $3,059. Compare that cost to Spain, where the procedure is a much more reasonable $589, or Australia where it comes in at just $372.
Graph: AXA
The UK, too, was the most expensive country among those surveyed for patients to get an abdominal CT scan, with the average cost weighing in at $860. The procedure was by far cheapest in Spain, where it costs less than 10 percent of the UK sum ($85).
Switzerland, which regularly tops the list of the worlds most expensive countries to visit, was, in fact, the cheapest surveyed for cardiac catheterisations which cost $181, compared to $3,196 in New Zealand and $4,406 in the UK.
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When it comes to costs associated with childbirth, the study found that the US is by far the most expensive country in which to give birth, costing $10,808 for a natural delivery, or $16,106 for a C-Section. At the other end of the spectrum was South Africa, where it costs just $1,271 to deliver a baby naturally or $2,192 for a caesarean.
The US is also the most expensive country for both hip and knee replacements costing $29,067 and $28,184 respectively. Compare this with Spain, where a hip replacement costs $6,757, or South Africa where a knee replacement averages $7,795.
And if youre planning to have a bypass surgery at any point soon, stick to Spain where it will cost $14,579 and stay clear of the States where youll get hit with a bill for $78,318.
Graph: AXA
When it comes to everyday accidents, treating a broken ankle can cost a crippling $8,305 in Hong Kong. If youre prone to a tumble, you should consider moving to Italy where the treatment is less than half that ($3,790) or Canada where its a more reasonable $2,000.
If you find yourself in need of a hospital bed, spending the day in a US hospital can cost $5,220 while an overnight stay in an Italian hospital is much less at $661.
Now that you have a better idea of the potentially high costs of healthcare around the world, make sure youre protected wherever you are. Find out more about AXAs international healthcare policies and dont find yourself lumbered with a huge bill when what you really need is some rest and relaxation.
* REFERENCE: International Federation of Health Plans, 2015 Comparative Price Report, 'Variation in Medical and Hospital Prices by Country'
This article has been sponsored by AXA.
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