What exactly is medical tourism? How safe is it to travel to another country for a medical procedure? And what about mixing a little vacation with some dental work? As of 2020, approximately 1 in 10 people in the US under the age of 65 are medically uninsured. So why is health care so expensive in the US? Our friends from @TwoCentsPBS stopped by to help us explain what’s up with the rising cost of those medical bills. And before you pack a suitcase and throw on a “Hi, I’m a medical tourist” t-shirt, Alok and Sheena share some of the risks associated with medical tourism. So buckle your seatbelts and make sure your tray table is in the upright position because we are about to take off on another episode of PBS Vitals. 🩺🥼 Vitals is a series that’s taking a new approach to health and medicine. Hosts Alok Patel, MD, and Sheena Williams RN are going beyond the headlines to answer your questions on the latest health topics. No judgment, no taboos. Just 100% science-based information. Check out our episode with @TwoCentsPBS. Sheena and Alok joined the Two Cents team to chat about the rising costs of pharmaceuticals and the safety concerns of buying prescription drugs abroad. Check it out → https://youtu.be/F0NQDdqlL44 Please SUBSCRIBE! ►► https://bit.ly/pbsvitals Let’s Connect: IG: https://www.instagram.com/pbsvitals/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/pbsvitals Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pbsvitals Find our experts and hosts: :: Dr. Alok Patel :: Website: http://alokpatelmd.com/ Twitter: @AlokPatelMD Instagram: @alokpatelmd :: Sheena William, RN :: Twitter: @Keepingitkinky1 Instagram: @keepingitkinky :: Neil Lunt, Ph.D. :: Resources: Don’t forget your travel health kit. Here’s what the CDC recommends you should pack for your journey: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/pack-smart A list of questions you should ask prior to getting dental work overseas: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2020/travel-for-work-other-reasons/medical-tourism Citations: https://www.kff.org/report-section/kff-health-tracking-poll-may-2020-health-and-economic-impacts/ https://www.kff.org/health-costs/issue-brief/americans-challenges-with-health-care-costs/ https://news.gallup.com/poll/342095/estimated-million-cannot-afford-needed-care.aspx? utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_content=morelink&utm_campaign=syndication https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr169.pdf List of suggestions for medical tourism research: Joint Commission International DNV GL International Accreditation for Hospitals The International Society for Quality in Healthcare Contact the embassy where you are traveling