Wish You Were Here: Medical Tourism Association is giving away a free trip to Mexico!

Wanna go to Mexico? Oh yeah, and learn about the benefits of medical tourism, too? The folks at the Medical Tourism Association clearly ascribe to the "seeing is believing" mantra, as they're offering to pay full costs -- airfare, hotel and other travel expenses -- for any employer who wants to attend the Latin America Medical Tourism conference, to be held April 27-29 in Monterrey, Mexico.

Benefits decisionmakers that attend will learn first-hand about medical tourism and tour the top Latin America hospitals, returning home with information to choose whether a medical tourism benefit is one they want to add to their health plan (and probably a pretty nice tan as well).

MTA is careful to point out that the offer is solely for employers in a position to implement medical tourism -- meaning self-funded employers or large fully insured employers. If that's you, then adios!

For more information, contact MTA President Jonathan Edelheit at jon@medicaltourismassociation.com.

News You Can Use: Your medical tourism travel agent

A recent LA Times article provides an international price list, research tips and information links for consumers considering having surgery performed overseas. As economic belt-tightening and higher deductibles have consumers seeking cheaper health care options, and Aetna, Blue Shield of California, HealthNet and PacifiCare all allow some form of covered cross-border care, the more your employees know, the better.