US Citizen traveling to Canada for breast augmentation. Question about insurance abroad.

Medical tourism has becoming increasingly popular in recent years; patients 
have been flying out of the U.S. for plastic surgery, lured by lower prices. 
However, a parallel trend has also appeared: plastic surgeons in the United 
States are finding themselves treating an increasing number of patients who 
plastic surgery abroad, correcting complications and errors. A survey by the 
American Society of Plastic Surgeons found that 80% of the responding doctors 
had treated American medical tourists for complications including infection, 
contour abnormalities, and hematoma.
Medical tourists are often led to believe that they will receive the same 
quality of care for a lower price in a foreign clinic. But while it is true that 
the cost of plastic surgery in some foreign countries is lower, this is often 
because the quality of care and surgery is compromised. Such patients also seem 
to neglect the possibility of complications and the need for a follow-up 
visit. A number of patients have died in Dominican Republic for example following cosmetic procedures. In addition to the risks posed by sub-standard medical care abroad, medical 
tourists must consider the risks of injections and implants in other countries. 
The recent crisis with French breast implant maker Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) 
exemplifies this problem. PIP used industrial- rather than medical-grade 
silicone on their implants in an effort to reduce costs, a measure which 
probably increased the danger of rupture. PIP implants have not been used in the 
United States since 2000. Removal of these implants has been recommended by the 
International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
It is often the case that medical tourists end up spending more 
money because they have to pay to treat complications from their overseas 
surgery.

Thanks for your question. It is really your insurance carrier that will best be able to answer your question about coverage and benefits at home and abroad.Do be careful though, 10% of your surgery is the surgery itself and 90 % is the follow up care. Do be sure you have the resources to travel back and forth to canada if there are any issues in the postoperative period.Good luck.

You can find medical insurance for travelling, but it may not cover any complications from cosmetic procedures. Please read all the fine details before buying the insurance. However, there are probably excellent physicians in your area. Should you need follow up care or have any complications, it would be best to have your surgeon close to home.