Every year,  more and more Americans combine their Costa Rica vacations with medical care in that tropical country.  Why? Because they are onto the fact that medical care in Costa Rica is now equal to that of the best   hospitals in the U.S.but at a fraction of the cost.

Only the  top hospitals in the world are certified and have Joint Commission International Accreditation,  providing assurance that they meet the  most rigorous international benchmarks for hospital standards and patient care.  Of the tens of thousands of hospitals, only a relative handful achieve the JCIA distinction—which brings us to Costa Rica medical tourism.

Exquisite Costa Rica, sometimes called”the Switzerland of Central America,” lies just a few hour flight from the U.S..  One of the oldest democracies in Latin and South America, it was discovered and named by Christopher Columbus more than five centuries ago. Though it encompasses about 1/10,000 of the planet’s surface, it contains a staggering five percent  of all the globe’s species of plants and animals and has been a popular eco tourism destination point for several years.

However, in addition to enjoying its magnificent beaches along two coasts, mighty volcanoes, great fishing and other outdoor activities, tourists  have discovered that they can get very inexpensive world-class medical care with savings that more than pay for their Costa Rica vacation.   In fact, more than 25,000 people,  predominantly Americans,  travel to this little country annually for Costa Rica medical tourism.

It is well known that American  health care is the costliest in the world—by a  huge margin. And, for the nearly  fifty million Americans without health insurance, injury is added to insult because  many health care providers and hospitals charge uninsured patients much more for services than  folks  who have good insurance. This is where Costa Rica medical care comes in for thousands of suffering American tourists. Why? Because they can  save up to 65% in Costa Rica for the identical  treatment they would receive in the United States-if they  had the money.

Three Costa Rica hospitals are certified and have Joint Commission International Accreditation. Those hospitals are Cima, La Catolica, and La Clinica Biblica, all in or very near to San Jose. Each has a wide range of medical services and Board Certified doctors at great prices.

Here is one example. For patients without health insurance, total knee replacement surgery in the U.S. can cost more than $25,000. Clinica Biblica charges about $12,000.

Other examples abound.  The three San Jose internationally accredited medical hospitals and board certified physicians—many who have studied and trained in the United States and at other world renowned medical schools—typically charge about $3,200 for breast augmentation. Lasik eye surgery that can cost up to $5,000 in the States is often less than $2,000 in the little Central America country.

For more and more women wanting plastic surgery, Costa Rica is the answer. Instead of paying $10,000 for a facelift, they pack their swimsuit and sunscreen and board a plane for Costa Rica where for about $3,000 or so, they can have the same surgery, recuperate in a tropical paradise on a Costa Rica vacation, and go home with money in their pocket.

And, soon, this world-class medical care in Costa Rica will be available on Costa Rica’s spectacular North Pacific Gold Coast.  Renowned Cima Hospital has recently announced it is developing a $125,000,000 project close to Liberia International Airport (just minutes to fabulous Gold Coast beaches) that will include a new hospital facility and residences, with the first stage opening in 2011.

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