Worth the trip

The cost of surgery in India is only 10 to 30 percent of what it is in the US, so from a purely financial standpoint it makes sense to get on a plane and have it done there. A new company in North Carolina, IndUShealth is striving to make a business out of arranging these trips. It's a fascinating phenomenon and one that's likely to grow. For the moment, the target segment is uninsured middle class patients that US hospitals don't want any way. Eventually I can imagine an insurance product that requires care overseas for major procedures --assuming the patient is healthy enough to travel.As the phenomenon catches on, expect closer-to-home facilities to be established in Mexico, Central America, and --depending on US policy-- Cuba.Read more in the News & Observer.