Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Co. Driving Costa Rica Real Estate Investment Growth in Health and Wellness Centers
Playa Tambor, Costa Rica (PRWEB) May 20, 2009 -- Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Co. reports a rapidly growing trend in Costa Rica real estate investments in property developments planned for health care facilities, recovery centers, hospice homes and wellness retreats. As travel to foreign countries for both alternative and traditional medical care has grown in acceptance during the past decade, Costa Rica emerged as one of the most accessible, secure, innovative and price-competitive destinations for travelers from the U.S. and Canada seeking world-class heath care. Costa Rica offers the climate and conditions for a healthy lifestyle, quality care and quick recovery.
Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula lies in the center of one of the largest Blue Zones of the world. Blue Zones are those areas of the world where people live the longest and have the highest quality of life. In the Nicoya Blue Zone, adults have the longest life expectancy in the world due to water quality, a healthful diet and a slower pace. Wellness retreats on the Nicoya offer opportunities for meditation, yoga, massage that contribute to a healthy lifestyle and recovery from major illnesses.
Experts estimate that medical procedures in Costa Rica cost 30 to 70 percent less than the identical services in the U.S. At first, procedures not typically covered by U.S. insurance were the most sought after, including the full gamut of cosmetic surgeries and high-quality dentistry. Today, Costa Rica leads the way in treatments for a number of diseases such as diabetes. As cardiology, urology, fertility, orthopedics and neurology expertise grows in Costa Rica, U.S. health insurers have taken note of the cost-benefit of securing health services in Costa Rica. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina now offers its customers coverage for procedures performed abroad.
U.S. patients can pay for foreign medical expenses with funds from their health savings account (HSA) and, as the number of people with HSAs increases and people take more responsibility for their medical costs, medical tourism will grow even more. One of the benefits of seeking care in Costa Rica is its proximity to the U.S. All major carriers, as well as discount airlines Frontier, Spirit and JetBlue, have convenient direct service to San Jose, Costa Rica. Costa Rica is home to 30 hospitals and 250 clinics. Pharmacies in Costa Rica can deliver basic diagnostics and medications, including birth control and painkillers, without the doctor's visits and prescriptions required in the U.S. Medical tourism has a very positive impact on the economies of destination countries. Most important to investors, medical tourism will continue to push property values higher for those who hold interests in destination countries.