The health insurer Wellpoint is testing a new program that gives covered patients the option of going to India for elective surgery. This will happen with no medical costs and free travel for both the patient and a companion. Managers of a company in Wisconsin who are looking for ways to curb rising health care costs are testing the program at Serigraph. This was mentioned by Dr. Razia Hashmi, chief medical officer for national accounts for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. It has been estimated that 6 million American annually will be seeking medical treatment abroad by 2010. The potential savings are significant, and that’s because a surgery is much cheaper in India than in the U.S., like knee surgery, hip replacements and spine surgery.

Dr Hashmi wants other insurers to follow Wellpoint, and that’s because this might pressure hospitals to be more competitive in their pricing, but analysts say that’s unlikely to happen. This program would appeal primarily to people who have traveled abroad. Many employees of Serigraph, which has offices in India, know the country and it seems that the quality is comparable to care provided in the U.S. Another great advantage consists of the fact that surgeons speak English and, therefore, patients can share their medical records and consult with a doctor there before making the trip.

The program complies with the American Medical Association guidelines on medical tourism and uses hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission International. Dr. Hashmi also said that it’s easier to evaluate the quality of medical care abroad than in the United States. On the other hand, those who are against this idea say that everyone is just waiting for one horrible case to happen over there and then they will stop thinking of this as a great idea.