“Howard Staab, a 53-year-old North Carolina contractor, was healthy in the summer of 2004–or so he thought, until his doctor found a life-threatening heart condition during a routine physical. Uninsured, Staab had always paid out-of-pocket for medical care. But discussions with the local hospital revealed uninsured patients pay much higher fees than insurers do. Staab faced a $200,000 bill for the heart valve surgery he needed if it was performed there. In September 2004, Staab got his surgery at a state-of-the-art facility in New Delhi, India. He is part of a growing number of people traveling to other countries in search of low-cost medical care. Staab’s surgery cost $6,700; post-operative lodging and airfare added another $1,500 to the tab. ‘I would do it again in a heartbeat,’ Staab said. ‘The care was far superior to any care I’ve ever had in the States.’ Staab’s own cardiologist supported his decision to seek care abroad and continued to treat him throughout his recovery after his return. But Staab has received negative feedback from a few American physicians.” (10/01)