Medical tourism: A union response

Dubbed "medical tourism" by the media, the idea of outsourcing medical care to lower-cost countries is finding its way into corporate agendas as a way to cut health costs. Union members, along with thousands of unrepresented workers, are now being confronted with proposals to literally export themselves to have certain 'expensive' procedures provided in India and other developing countries. The United Steelworkers' intervention in one such effort will be described, along with the implications of this trend. It is the United Steelworkers' position that the right to safe, secure and dependable health care in one's own country should not be surrendered for any reason - especially not to increase the profit margins of corporate investors - and that employers and government must confront and address the issues that are driving up health care costs. The union remains steadfast in its commitment to rebuild a domestic health care system.