Medical tourism to relieve the strain of health care reform?

Can medical tourism help Massachusetts achieve its goal of near-universal health insurance coverage? Perhaps.

The front page of today's Boston Globe: Older residents feel insurance law pinch; Age-based pricing too high for some examines the strain placed on low to moderate income people in the 55 to 65 age group. Their health care is more expensive. Many of these folks qualify for state-subsidized plans where the rates are the same regardless of age. But for those who don't, they face paying 2x what younger adults pay.

It's going to get worse as health care expenses and premiums continue to rise. The state can't easily subsidize everyone. It seems to me that medical tourism is one possible way to address the problem.

What if the state allowed people to buy health plans that provided a lower premium in exchange for traveling abroad for care? We'd have to see how much could really be saved that way, but I think it's at least worth examining.