The strengthening of the United States dollar (USD) and the weakening of a few international economies are factors creating bargains for North American and European medical tourists. A recent article by Christiana Sciaudone of BloombergBusiness examined how currency devaluation is creating bargains for medical tourists in Brazil:

“Danniella Gomes is about to head home to Brasilia from Texas to get some facial hair zapped and skin stains lightened, and perhaps have a tummy tuck. Even with airfare, she expects to pay much less than in the U.S.

From buttocks enhancement to wrinkle reduction, Brazilian cosmetic surgery is becoming a bargain for visitors as the real collapses against the U.S. dollar. Gomes is part of a growing number of medical tourists taking advantage of the bargains”

Brazil is going through a major economic and political crisis at a time when the USD is strengthening, thereby creating an ideal situation for those who earn USD. Costa Rica is also facing economic woes, but they are nowhere near as severe as they are in Brazil. The national currency of Costa Rica, the colón, has not lost as much value as the real for a few macroeconomic reasons; this is a situation that does not please USD-earning bargain hunters, who have been waiting on a deep devaluation of the colón for years.

While it is easy to understand travelers who wait for currency fluctuation to take advantage of their strong greenbacks, this is not recommended for medical or dental tourists. The problem with this situation is that some medical providers may also wish to take advantage of the surge in medical tourism, thereby reducing their standards.

Dental tourists should keep in mind that health providers, particularly those in the cosmetic surgery field, often pay USD for imported products and supplies used in their procedures. In this sense, they will struggle to keep their prices low enough to stay afloat, and they may actually take on more patients and work longer hours during the economic slump; such reactions may come at a cost to medical tourists.

In the end, reputation is far more important than currency fluctuation for medical tourists in Costa Rica and around the world. Reputable clinics such as the New Smile Dental Center in Costa Rica cater specially to health travelers; they are not concerned about currency fluctuations because they know that their good reputation precedes them and keeps them busy.