Excess demand meets excess supply as referral companies link Canadian patients, US hospitals.
As waiting lists turn "touching it out" into a treatment option in Canada, more patients are willingly paying for prompt medical care in the US. Thanks to managed care and increased competition, the cost of care south of the border is dropping and referral brokers can often offer discounted prices to Canadians. Milan Korcok reports that American facilities are actively soliciting medical business from Canadians who have grown frustrated at having to wait for hospital beds, test, referrals and treatment.
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D002170:Canada; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006295:Health Resources / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000639:trends*; D008389:Marketing of Health Services / Q000639:trends*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States