 (prweb.com) SmartCare Worldwide, a Houston-based medical travel firm, has launched a number of programs in anticipation of U.S. healthcare reform and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). SmartCares medical travel benefits program for employers and medical travel facilitation for employees and individuals will play a key role in providing solutions for the unintended consequences of the ACA and healthcare reform.The ACA is intended to improve Americans access to affordable, quality healthcare, but many economists and healthcare industry experts are skeptical and bracing for impact as some of the laws biggest changes to the insurance marketplace take effect in the fall of 2013. Experts on both sides of the debate on the ACA agree that there are changes and challenges to the healthcare system that will only be met by new and innovative solutions. Professionally facilitated medical travel has been established as one such solution. SmartCare Worldwide has emerged as one of the nations growing forces in medical tourism facilitation and medical tourism benefits, recently winning the 2013 National Medical Tourism Award in Costa Rica. One immediate impact of the ACA is a feeling of uncertainty throughout the industry and the U.S. In the three years since the ACA passed, employee benefits professionals have waited for guidance, rules and regulations on its implementation, severely limiting opportunities to change or increase benefits. Those opportunities are available through SmartCares professional medical tourism facilitation and medical travel benefit program for employers. Employees and individuals can now receive medical care outside of the U.S. at a fraction of domestic rates. SmartCare also provides the medical and dental services like bariatric, cosmetics and oral surgery that arent covered or are only partially covered by Americans existing benefit plans, making medical tourism the most affordable solution for many patients. SmartCare can implement their employer-sponsored medical travel program in 30 days and at any point during the plan year. During a time of healthcare uncertainty, many are regarding SmartCare as a concrete solution to increasing costs and decreasing benefits, and the ideal mid-year give-back benefit for U.S. employees. Another major impact of healthcare reform and the ACA is the addition of millions of new patients to an already overburdened healthcare system. Americans are anticipating that the wait times on voluntary and non-emergency procedures will increase dramatically. Rather than wait months to schedule a procedure or suffer from a lack of confidence in an overburdened facility and/or doctor, patients are reacting to healthcare reform by seeking the services of companies like SmartCare Worldwide, where the resources and medical professionals are capable and available Smartcares network of physicians and medical experts was developed with the staff, resources, and capacity to schedule procedures almost immediately. The magnitude of SmartCares vetted network even allows patients the option of selecting from a number of dentists and physicians to find the one that meets their exact needs. The ACA barely touches on the single largest healthcare challenge this country faces Medicare. There will almost certainly be changes for eligible retirees and Medicare benefits. The number of physicians accepting Medicare is decreasing due to the administrative demands of accepting Medicare benefits. Its becoming more difficult for seniors to access quality healthcare. Smartcare Worldwide provides the administration and facilitation of dental procedures and other healthcare services that Medicare doesnt cover at a fraction of U.S. rates, making SmartCare particularly popular with seniors and retirees. In a recent interview, SmartCare Worldwide executive Rick Huntington was asked why someone should choose SmartCare over other medical travel facilitators. Huntington replied, Weve contracted a network of highly-specialized healthcare providers that are experienced serving American patients. SmartCare is operated by experienced healthcare benefits consultants and medical staff not travel agents. With our teams 20+ years of experience in the individual healthcare, employee benefits and retiree benefits market, SmartCare is poised to become the nations leading facilitator of medical tourism. For more information, visit http://www.SmartCareWorldwide.com or call 855-762-8227. About SmartCare Worldwide: SmartCare Worldwide is an innovative medical travel firm with corporate headquarters in Houston, Texas. As medical travel facilitators, SmartCare provides a wide range of flexible medical travel benefits and services for companies of all sizes, including global enterprises. Our experienced consultants work closely with clients to design and administer the most cost-effective, adaptable medical travel benefits solutions. We provide full implementation and administration of our medical travel benefits program and are committed to providing exemplary, ongoing responsiveness that assures measurable, long-term value in each client relationship. Corporate contact: Rick Huntington, Principal SmartCare Worldwide, 855.762.8277 |
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