750,000 United States citizens went abroad for healthcare in 2007.  In 2010, statistics might demonstrate a dramatic increase should global health increase with further popularity: 6 million people could go overseas for healthcare in the coming year.  The popularity of the industry has huge implications.  For Asia, it will most likely become a vast part of the revenue of its countries, namely Thailand, China, India, and Malaysia.  In total, about 1.2 million people went to India for their health in 2004 and 1.1 to Thailand.  Such figures seem astounding, but with the healthcare debate in the United States, it should be expected.  4.4 billion dollars could infuse the Asian economy in 2012 from medical tourism alone.  About half of that number will probably go to India, the leader in medical tourism in the East, and perhaps worldwide.  Some statisticians claim the industry produces around sixty billion dollars, others claim the industry produces forty billion dollars.  In either instance, the figures demonstrate medical tourism will develop more, its status indicating dramatic increases in revenue.

Other figures show why medical tourism is popular: a hip surgery in the United States might cost eighty to forty thousand dollars, but in New Zealand, it often costs only twenty thousand.  Though still a steep figure, it is much cheaper than what the US provides.  The global health option is also popular for many people in the United States who lack medical insurance.  For the self-employed, it is often too expensive to maintain a plan, even a “cheaper” one.  Countries such as New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or Canada also demonstrate there are countries abroad with fluency in English:  that there are foreign options still available with English for the national language is often a comfort to those in the United States, the country expected to provide the most revenue for medical tourism, with anxieties about language difficulties.

Medical bills and debts seem constantly present for people in the United States.  About 41 percent of people in 2007 had debt, a significant increase from 2005 when it was 34 percent.  About 46 million Americans need health insurance too, but with medical tourism, the need is lessening.   Procedures abroad cost about 25 to 80 percent less than those in the United States.  Because there is no health insurance to worry about, the cost reduces significantly.   However, this does not mean there is no indemnity for a procedure or a surgery.  Usually, a contractual agreement or form replaces a costly health insurance plan.  For those who are insured, medical tourism still holds appeal.  There are surgeries in the United States health insurance companies do not cover, surgeries that can be found in other continents with a much cheaper price tag attached.  With this information, it is no wonder the industry has increased in revenue and reputation.