Health Savings Account Blog

- Last year, Bumrungrad treated 58,000 American patients, 70 percent of whom traveled there especially for such procedures as hip and knee replacement, angioplasty and prostate removal, said spokesman Ruben Toral.

- That was 25 percent more U.S. patients than it treated in 2004, he said, and so far this year, American patients are running 20 percent above last year's figures.

At Bumrungrad Hospital, Toral said, the lower cost of living is a major factor in the savings, but so are differences in how the medical system operates:

- Doctors in Thailand pay about $5,000 a year for malpractice insurance, compared with more than $100,000 for some specialties in the United States.

- Thai courts will adjudicate malpractice claims, but the largest award ever issued was about $100,000 and the law there doesn't permit damages for pain and suffering.

- Another major savings is that Bumrungrad doesn't have to spend much on processing insurance claims, since 75 percent of its patients pay cash.

"You can come to our hospital and pay for major surgery on your credit card," he said. "You could never do that in the states."

Being a Health Savings Account owners affords you the luxury of keeping your options open. If "medical tourism" is a viable option for you, it's nice to know you can use your HSA to cover the cost. And not just the cost of the treatment, but the cost of the entire trip.

Learn more about Health Savings Accounts and how you can use them to your advantage at http://www.health--savings--accounts.com