I recommended a friend who needed heart surgery with less than great US health insurance go to India to have it done. US trained doctors, recuperated in accommodations equivalent to a five star resort. Cheap enough they could pay for it in cash.

I am downright surprised I haven't seen a YC startup that performs this sort of medical tourism brokerage to be honest. Take this business model! I'll be your first angel investment.

I love the idea, I imagine it's in a tricky legal area though. And perhaps the people that could pull it off are all profiting off of the US healthcare system well enough to not need to pursue this.

I know the insurance plan that Utah government employees are on will pay you to go to Mexico to get your prescriptions filled. Airfare, hotel, and medication costs are all covered. Free vacation just so the company doesn't have to pay the US prices for drugs.

Just remember that you might be displacing poor locals from getting the treatment instead. Poor countries have bigger shortage of good doctors and they prioritise foreign appointments due to getting paid more than the local prices.

Edit: This is true for India which is a top medical tourism place:

https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/implications-india-me...

https://scroll.in/article/931857/with-20-medical-professiona...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC404528

http://www.who.int/hrh/resources/16058health_workforce_India...

You just made this up.

No, really: you just, flat out, made this up.

You have no way of knowing that demand for services in every single country with medical tourism outstrips supply of professionals. You just assumed it.

If it doesn't, which is just as likely (I think more, but I also don't know, and unlike you I won't pretend to know), then you're injecting money into the local economy, while getting medical/dental care at a lower price: win win.

The US has a uniquely onerous path of education and accreditation for medical professionals, with substantial supply-side limitation in the form of slots for medical school. Other places aren't so burdened.

Something to think about.