Filed under: Health Insurance

In 2005, 46 million Americans -- or about 15 percent of the total population -- lacked health insurance, according to a Census Bureau study. For families who don't qualify for Medicare but can't afford private coverage, a sudden accident or illness could lead to financial disaster. The dearth of affordable health insurance has engendered a new breed of what the New England Journal of Medicine classifies as 'medical refugees.' These are patients traveling abroad for heart surgery and other crucial procedures; a practice that has grown sharply in the past two years.

In India, the cost of medical care in the U.S. is seen as an economic boon. The situation in the United States and other countries where health care is expensive will contribute to tourists spending $2 billion on medical procedures in India by 2012, according to a study by McKinsey and the Confederation of Indian Industry.

There have long been stories of people traveling overseas for optional surgery. However the new crop of traveling patients is looking for more essential care. Indian hospitals welcome these sick travelers with open arms. "The current wave of medical treatment will mature over the next five years," says Vishal Bali, CEO of Wockhardt Hospitals i