For those people who are seriously overweight, gastric sleeve procedures are extremely successful in helping take off up to 80% of those pounds so dangerous to health. Because a gastric sleeve limits the amount of food you can actually take into the body, this type of treatment, also called Laparoscopic Sleeve or Gastrectomy, is a popular choice for combating obesity. The sleeve functions by actually reduces the size of the stomach while limiting the production of a hormone that causes hunger. Once the gastric sleeve is in place, there is no need for adjustments or fills, which means no repeated visits to the doctor.

As an elective surgery, most insurance policies do not cover gastric sleeve surgery. Because of this, many people are choosing to go to countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica, or India where treatment is high quality and extremely low cost. With a strong dollar abroad, having your gastric sleeve procedure done in one of these countries proves to be an excellent option, especially if you don’t want to endure long waiting periods to receive care. And of course, another attractive feature of traveling abroad to receive medical care is that once you are released from the hospital, you can take advantage of being in a foreign land to sight see and have a new and exciting experience.

Most of the hospitals in the above countries are Joint Commission International accredited and often affiliated with such heavy-weight institutions as Harvard Medical and Johns Hopkins. Physicians are trained in the US, Canada, and Europe at the same standards as your surgeons at home. You can find extremely inexpensive direct flights to these countries, and if you are traveling from the States, a country like Mexico is right around the corner, meaning less travel time.

Gastric sleeve surgery abroad generally means you are in the hospital for three to four days, instead of being sent home after a day or two. This means you are carefully monitored to make sure that all is well during post op. It also means that you can be properly coached on how to make lifestyle and eating changes to support your surgery. Qualified surgeons who care, along with an attentive nursing staff, are there to make you feel like the individual you are, instead of just a number.

Compare these prices to determine if a trip across international borders where you can then enjoy exploring a bit of the terrain with the money you save on your procedure is worth it:
Mexico: $7,000 – $13,500
Costa Rica: $9,500
India: $7,000