As President Barack Obama begins to chip away at the 55-year-old embargo on Cuba, many medical tourism professionals anticipate the island country will be the next top spot for Americans seeking healthcare abroad, according to The New York Times.
"You're going to see a tremendous amount of movement, whether it's travel agents or medical tourism facilitators, so once it does normalize, they can start sending patients over there," Jonathan Edelheit, CEO of the Florida-based Medical Tourism Association, told The Times.
In December, President Obama restored diplomatic relations with Cuba, allowing Americans to now travel there for family visits, academic conferences, educational purposes, public performances and religious activities. While healthcare visits are not yet permitted, special requests are taken on a case-by-case basis, a Treasury Department spokeswoman told The Times.
Cuba could join the ranks of Canada, the United Kingdom, Israel, Singapore and Costa Rica as a top medical destination for Americans seeking quality, affordable care. Healthcare has been a top priority in Cuba since 1959, although the country still struggles with sourcing many medicines and is working to update facilities and equipment. That said, tourists from many other countries already seek care in Cuba for the low costs and special procedures. What is more, many U.S. hospitals are interested in partnerships with Cuban facilities, according to the report.
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