Informed baby boomers know that many of the most debilitating conditions associated with aging are actually treatable conditions utilizing readily available, FDA approved, 21st century medicine. (Much like infections were pre-antibiotics, many medical conditions are not treatable with 19th century medical technology/leeches.)
I’ve written before about the importance of an Executive Health Evaluation and a physician being able to evaluate and address disease risk markers in order to implement proactive strategies to improve health and lower disease risk, but should professional fees and the cost of a 21st century work up prevent a patient from obtaining Age Management Medicine? What doctor in the world would not want his or her patients to take advantage of increased, youthful energy, better mental alertness, decreased body fat, improved memory and concentration, increased libido and a stronger immune system?
Educating the physician on how to evaluate a patient is extremely important and one should assess the subjective and objective data points for what is being measured and compare them to the conclusion. Do these outcomes improve health and lower disease risk? This is the importance of being involved with the Age Management Medical Group.
Hospital Punta Pacifica, Johns Hopkins Medicine International
In 2006, I expressed in an article, “Advances in Age Management Medicine,” that it was my hope that Age Management Medicine would inspire physicians around the world to pursue further clinical and research investigations to achieve optimal health and cost has definitely been involved in my investigations. Rather than the costs being lowered for the same treatments and professional fees, patients in the United States are seeing a significant increase.
For the past six years, our team has evaluated and treated over 700 patients at Hospital Punta Pacifica Johns Hopkins Medicine International Preventive Medicine Clinic. I utilize the knowledge of my training and my certification of the Executive Health Evaluation learned at Cenegenics in 2006. These patients have been typically “Medical Tourists” traveling through Panama and “Baby Boomers” born during the demographic birth boom between 1946 and 1964. Many of our patients are business executives, owners and professionals, including physicians, lawyers, accountants, bankers, marketing professionals and their family and friends.
The Costs and Benefits
Such concierge care does not come without cost, even here in Panama. However, in the United States, this initial evaluation and lab work would run a patient around $4,000 and Age Management facilities do not accept insurance. In addition, patients are required to pay a quarterly "consultation fee" that varies, depending upon the specifics of their treatment plan; it averages between $700 and $1,000.
During the first year, patients' lab work is re-evaluated every three to six months to ensure the efficacy of the protocols. The cost of the laboratory tests in the U.S. is over $600.00 USD, compared to $200 – $350 dollars offshore.
Age Management Base Line Comprehensive Laboratory Panel (Typical Annual Preventive Examination). Price $1200.00, Quest Diagnostics Incorporated USA. Price Johns Hopkins Medicine International $600.00 USD or less depending on age.
Compared to a stateside average that falls between $2500.00 to a whopping $4000.00 for the initial consultation and work up in the United States, patients at Johns Hopkins International paid approximately $1500.00 or less for the same comprehensive day-long VIP evaluation. The VIP evaluation covers Health and Lifestyle Assessment, diagnostic testing and examinations such as a comprehensive base line laboratory panel, full body scan, bone density test, EKG, brain testing, strength, cardiovascular, body fat and physical examination and also includes digital transrectal ultrasound (Men) and mammogram (Women) at Johns Hopkins Medicine International. Our staff members include myself, a nutritionist, exercise physiologists, a cardiologist, radiologists, an orthopedic surgeon and several patient coordinators to ensure that each test runs smoothly and efficiently.
Certificate of Analysis of Human Growth Hormone from Live Well Pharmaceuticals, a Panamanian GMP Manufacturing Pharmaceutical Company. This certificate shows the expected amount, international units (i.u.) and % of Expectancy Human Growth Hormone. This product is 191 Chain Amino Acid Somatropin made in Panama - tested in the USA at Analytical Research Laboratories (ARL), Oklahoma. Average price in USA $1,200 compared to $200 USD offshore.
After the evaluation, patients receive hormonal modulation based on their subjective and objective work up. This may include testosterone injections, growth hormone and bio identical hormones, such as progesterone, estrogen, testosterone and other bio technology such as longer acting growth hormones and peptides. In Panama, our average patient pays $200.00 USD to $400.00 USD for monthly treatments and this cost includes professional fees.
GE Lunar Scan - Price Comparison
DXA Body Composition. Body composition measurement consists of a full body scan, using state of the art equipment known as the GE Lunar Prodigy Dual X-ray; helps identify health risk associated with excessively low or high levels of total fat. The test is typically done semi annually. Price Johns Hopkins Medicine International $100.00 - USA average price $350.00.
Exposing the Cost of Pharmaceuticals
One of the biggest stressors on a patient is the overall cost of care. This includes physician charges, hospital charges, any diagnostic testing charges and, of course, pharmaceuticals. We should all be aware by now that pharmaceuticals represent a very large portion of these costs. Why? Well, hospitals, physicians and diagnostics may represent a large portion of the overall cost of care, but many patients are placed on prescriptions that they must take once to multiple times daily in order to achieve wellness. Let’s review the cost of Age Management Medicine as an example.
Human Growth Hormone is now costing patients, on average, about $12,000 a year. Herbal hGH tablets vary from as little as $35 a bottle to as much as $100 per bottle. However, the more commonly prescribed injections are the most expensive, with an average monthly cost of $1,000. Yet, the average cost of the raw material to create the average patient’s yearly total of hGH injections costs roughly $500.
At such extreme prices for pharmaceuticals, the costs alone are enough cause for panic in a patient. At one time, pharmaceuticals were 10% of the total cost of health care; however, we are now witnessing an increase that is forcing them to nearly 25% for the average patient and beyond for those with serious health issues. People are becoming frustrated because they don’t have a clue what to do about it, but medical tourism is alleviating that frustration.
Price Comparison - Typical Age Management Pharmaceuticals
Medical Tourists Draw the Line
Here is the reality of it. Consider, for example, that you choose an age management regime in the U.S. that costs around $22,000 each year. It might seem a bit pricy, and it is, but if your chosen age management regime were to help you live another 20 years, how much will your pension pay out over that time? These exorbitant costs can be cut practically in half with medical tourism. By implementing a comprehensive age management regime, not only are you likely to draw your full pension, but you are increasing the possibility that you will live long enough to be able to enjoy spending it. Isn’t that what you worked so hard for?
Many countries that participate in medical tourism are also the proud homes of several compounding pharmacies. This means that these pharmacies can create medications onsite. Though offshore, these pharmacies are rigorously tested, as are the prescription medications that they develop. In fact, the majority of the pharmaceuticals are FDA tested and approved. Patients can often obtain a significant savings on their prescriptions, as well as their overall medical care, simply by participating in medical tourism.
It is no surprise that prescription medications are 1/3 the US price (outside the price-controlled, corrupt US pharmaceutical system) in Canada, Mexico, France, Thailand or Panama. Even the CEO of Cenegenics Boca Raton, Dr. Willix, stated that pricing structure prevents all but the most well-off patients from seeing him and that, "in the future, we hope to make less expensive programs available.”
Michael O. Sigler, M.D., is Executive Director of Age Management Panama and Co-founder of Age Management Panama & Live Well Pharmaceuticals. He also currently serves as a medical tourism consultant for Johns Hopkins Medicine International. Dr. Sigler is known throughout Panama for his work and has been featured in La Prensa Martes’ Financiero section as well as in the prestigious Latin American publication, Revista Competencia. He also was a contributing author to Testosterone and Growth Hormone Normalization: A Retrospective Study of Health Outcomes, published in the prestigious Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare. He and his team have been honored to provide executive health evaluations to presidents, elite athletes, ambassadors, ministers and other dignitaries all over the world.
Headquartered at the Consultorios Medicos Punta Pacifica in Panama, Dr. Sigler and the Age Management Panama team specialize in Age Management Medicine & Rejuvenology in an effort to help people across the globe. The comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach includes Hormonal Therapy – Growth & Bio-identical, Men's Health – Andropause & Sexual Function, Women's Health – Menopause & Perimenopause, Health & Lifestyle Assessment – Nutrition & Exercises, Executive Health Evaluations and a wealth of Rejuvenology aesthetic medical spa surgical procedures, all helping lead the art and science of appearance, health and performance enhancement. Contact - msigler@agemanagementpanama.com