Medical tourism in spotlight after Americans killed in Mexico [Video]

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — The recent kidnapping of four Americans in Mexico highlights a common practice for many people in the U.S.: traveling to other countries for medical care that either is not available at home or costs a lot less.

The four were abducted — leading to the deaths of two — during a trip to Mexico that one relative said was for cosmetic surgery.

People leave the U.S. for dental procedures, plastic surgery, cancer treatments and prescription drugs, experts say. Besides Mexico, other common destinations include Canada, India and Thailand.

Here’s a closer look at the practice.

MEDICAL TOURISM GROWING

Medical tourism has been growing in popularity for years, according to Lydia Gan, an economist at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke who studies the practice.

This travel is popular with people who have no health insurance or plans that make them pay thousands of dollars before coverage begins.

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