You’re all set for your tummy tuck in Miami – you’ve packed your bags, taken time off work, and informed your friends and family regarding your Miami medical tourism plan.
You’ve saved enough for the procedure itself, but have you considered the other expenses that might pop up?
Medical treatments in Miami may be affordable, but the cost of the procedure is not the only one that you should prepare. In essence, you are traveling from one location to another, so you should also include travel expenses into the equation.
The following are 10 of the costs that you need to consider when visiting Miami for a plastic surgery:
Passport and Visa
It won’t be a problem if you’re within the United States, but if you’re traveling from another country, you need to include the expenses of getting a passport and visa for your medical travel budget.
The costs required for passport and visa acquisition vary in each country, but they typically include health assessments, police certificates, and the like.
Short-term medical treatments can be accommodated in tourist category visas, but you might need a multiple entry or visa for more complex treatments. You should allot at least four weeks for the processing of your application.
Airfare
The further your medical tourism destination is, the higher your airfare will be. Aside from the destination itself, your airfare will also vary depending on the airline you choose and the class in which you fly.
Thankfully, the emergence of low-priced airlines has helped make many medical tourism destinations more attainable. Some governments also provide special packages to medical tourists, so you might want to check that out when considering Miami medical tourism.
Accommodation
When you arrive in Miami, you won’t go straight to your hospital or plastic surgery clinic. You would have to look for a place to stay, especially if you’re just undergoing an outpatient procedure.
Whether you’re planning to stay in a posh five-star hotel or just some budget-friendly inn, you need to allot money for it depending on your lifestyle preferences and the procedure you’re going to undergo.
For instance, you would need to find a more comfortable place to stay in if you had a lower body lift, as opposed to just a simple eyelid surgery. It’s also advisable to look for a place that’s near the hospital in case of emergencies.
Transportation
Your airfare is not the only transportation cost you will incur during your Miami medical travel. You also have to consider the transportation costs to and from the hospital or clinic where you will be receiving medical care.
Some Miami medical tourism facilities offer to arrange pick up and drop off services, depending on what you need. If you have your plastic surgery in the hospital, you might want to consider ambulance arrangements if you need assistance post-operation.
Meals
If you are staying in the hospital, you don’t have to worry about meals since the hospital’s dietary department will take care of them depending on your requirements and preferences. It will all be added to your final hospital bill.
If you’re having surgery on an outpatient basis, you have to allocate a portion of your budget for food. Ask your plastic surgeon about your dietary requirements after your plastic surgery so that you can cook or buy meals that will aid in your healing and recovery process.
Consultations
In Miami medical tourism, you need to attend at least two plastic surgeon consultations: the initial consultation before your surgery and your post-surgical or follow-up consultation. You may even need to stay for a few days for another follow-up consult, especially if you had a pretty extensive surgery like an abdominal wall reconstruction or an upper body lift.
As such, you can expect your plastic surgeon to charge you for these consultations. Some plastic surgery clinics in Miami offer free initial consultation like Face + Body Cosmetic Surgery, but if your chosen clinic does not offer it for free, then you need to earmark money for it.
Medical Treatment
Your actual plastic surgery procedure is what you’ve saved a long time for, but you have to understand that the final price of your procedure includes a number of fees: plastic surgeon’s fees, anesthesia, material costs, laboratory tests, operating room costs, medications, room rates, and even follow-up appointments.
There is also no standard price for every plastic surgery in Miami, so you have to research about the average costs beforehand. While you have to find a plastic surgeon who suits your budget, keep in mind that going for cheap plastic surgery can have alarming repercussions.
Aftercare
Recovery is an essential part of your plastic surgery – just as important as the treatment itself. The costs that you will incur during your recuperation period vary on the extent of your procedure, but you typically have to budget for any additional costs for your follow-up treatments, travel considerations, and any hospital charges during your stay.
Medicines
The cost of your medicines can add up, so make sure that you apportion cash for any drugs that you may need. Most patients only need pain meds and anti-inflammatory drugs, but you may also need to take certain drugs before your procedure, so take that into account.
For expensive drugs, keep in mind that you often have the option to go generic and save money. However, don’t forget to ask your physician if this can be done for your condition.
Emergency Cash
Plastic surgery is not without its risks, and you never know when you might need some emergency cash for some unwanted complication.
For example, if you develop an infection, you would need to have additional money to buy your antibiotics. You might even need to stay longer in the hospital, and this would incur higher charges.
Be sure to have a contingency fund when you travel to Miami so that you have one less thing to worry about in the case of emergencies.
The expenses can certainly add up when you factor in all the costs mentioned above, so it is important to find a Miami plastic surgery clinic that delivers high-quality service while also being kind to your pocket. One such clinic is Face + Body Cosmetic Surgery, which boasts of reputable and board-certified plastic surgeons to cater to your cosmetic needs. Schedule a Free Consultation now.
