How to plan medical travel for a procedure abroad

End-to-end planning for elective surgery in another country.

Step-by-step

1. Step 1: Pick the procedure and a candidate country

   Common high-savings procedures abroad include hip/knee replacement, dental implants, bariatric surgery, IVF, and cosmetic procedures. Top destinations for US patients include Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, India, Thailand, and Turkey. Visit https://www.gprov.com/travel-for-health for country-specific cost comparisons.

2. Step 2: Verify the hospital is internationally accredited

   Look for Joint Commission International (JCI), International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua), or Trent International accreditation. JCI is the global gold standard. The accreditation status is on the hospital's website or jointcommissioninternational.org.

3. Step 3: Verify the surgeon's credentials

   Ask for the surgeon's training (residency, fellowship), board certifications, and case volume for your specific procedure. A high-volume surgeon (>100 cases/year of your procedure) typically has better outcomes.

4. Step 4: Get the full cost breakdown in writing

   Quoted package prices vary in what's included. Confirm in writing: the procedure, anesthesia, hospital stay, surgeon and anesthesiologist fees, post-op medications, follow-up visits, and accommodation. Ask what costs extra if complications occur.

5. Step 5: Buy travel medical insurance with evacuation

   Standard travel insurance often excludes elective procedures. Buy a dedicated medical-travel policy that covers complications from the procedure and includes air medical evacuation ($25,000-$100,000 retail). Premiums run $100-$300 for a typical trip.

6. Step 6: Plan recovery and follow-up logistics

   Budget at least 7 days post-op in country (longer for major surgery) before flying. Confirm follow-up with a US-based physician for at least one post-op visit. GProv's Find Care can locate a primary care provider near you for post-op coordination.

Why this matters

This is the kind of question GProv is built to answer. Our AI assistant Appi can guide you through this in real time, and our Find Care directory lets you act on the result — book an appointment, check a coverage detail, or share records — without leaving the platform. Free for patients, with end-to-end PHI encryption (AES-GCM 256) and BAA-only AI routing for any provider-bound questions.