U.S. Medical Tourism Market (2026 - 2035)

U.S. Medical Tourism Market Summary

The U.S. medical tourism market size was valued at USD 4.1 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow from USD 4.4 billion in 2026 to USD 7.1 billion by 2035, at a CAGR of 5.6% from 2026 to 2035. The market growth is driven by the country's strong reputation for delivering advanced, high-quality healthcare, the presence of internationally recognized hospitals, and increasing demand from international patients seeking specialized treatments such as oncology, cardiovascular care, organ transplantation, and complex orthopedic procedures.

Prominent healthcare institutions, including Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and Massachusetts General Hospital, continue to attract patients from across the globe through dedicated international patient programs, multilingual support services, and access to innovative medical technologies. For instance, in January 2025 , the Cleveland Clinic announced a major expansion in Palm Beach County, Florida, including a new 150-bed hospital, an emergency department, a medical office building, and an ambulatory surgery center, significantly strengthening its capacity to serve both domestic and international patients and expanding access to specialized healthcare services.

Source: Grand View Research, IR Documents, Primary Interviews, Paid Databases

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The section below outlines the key factors driving the growth of the U.S. medical tourism market, highlighting the rising incidence of road accidents, sports injuries, fractures, and orthopedic trauma cases across the region. It also examines increasing healthcare investments, expanding access to advanced orthopedic care, growing adoption of minimally invasive trauma fixation technologies, and the rising presence of international medical device manufacturers supporting market expansion.

Market Dynamics

Market Concentration & Characteristics

The chart below represents the relationship between market concentration, characteristics, and participants. The U.S. medical tourism market is moderately consolidated, with a limited number of globally recognized hospitals and academic medical centers accounting for a significant share of international patient volumes. There is a high degree of innovation, a moderate level of mergers & acquisitions, a high impact of regulations, a high level of service expansion, and a moderate level of geographical expansion across the industry.

The U.S. medical tourism industry demonstrates a high degree of innovation, as leading medical tourism markets continue to invest in artificial intelligence (AI), precision medicine, and advanced clinical research platforms to improve patient outcomes and attract international patients seeking complex treatments. For instance, in May 2025, the Cleveland Clinic, Oracle Health, and G42 announced a strategic partnership to develop an AI-powered global healthcare delivery platform. The initiative combines AI, clinical data, and advanced analytics to improve care delivery, support clinical trial enrollment, and expand access to high-quality healthcare globally. Such investments strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. hospitals in serving international patients seeking advanced medical care.

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Traditional mergers and acquisitions are relatively limited in the market. Instead, leading hospitals increasingly pursue strategic collaborations that strengthen research capabilities and specialized care rather than acquiring competing providers. For instance, in May 2024, Mayo Clinic and Mercy reached a major milestone in their long-term data collaboration through Mayo Clinic Platform Connect, enabling secure analysis of de-identified clinical data across both health systems to accelerate disease diagnosis and treatment innovation. These partnerships enhance U.S. hospitals' clinical capabilities and reinforce their global reputation among international patients.

The market is significantly influenced by regulatory requirements governing healthcare quality, patient privacy, and international travel. Hospitals treating international patients must comply with FDA regulations, HIPAA, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) quality standards while also helping patients navigate U.S. visa requirements. Leading institutions such as Mayo Clinic provide dedicated international support teams that assist patients with visa documentation, travel planning, insurance coordination, and language services, highlighting the important role regulatory and immigration requirements play in facilitating cross-border healthcare.

Service expansion remains a key competitive strategy among leading U.S. hospitals as they strengthen comprehensive international patient programs. Healthcare providers continue expanding multilingual care coordination, travel assistance, remote consultation services, interpreter support, and personalized treatment pathways to improve the patient experience. For instance, Mayo Clinic receives patients from more than 130 countries annually and offers dedicated international patient representatives, travel assistance, lodging support, translation services, and government liaison services to simplify access to specialized medical care. These expanded services strengthen the U.S. position as a preferred destination for complex medical treatments.

Geographical expansion in the market is primarily driven through international representative offices and global referral networks rather than constructing hospitals overseas. Prominent institutions are strengthening their international presence by establishing local representatives who assist patients before they travel to the U.S. For instance, Mayo Clinic maintains nearly 20 international representative offices that provide appointment scheduling, medical record coordination, visa guidance, billing assistance, and travel planning for patients worldwide. This global outreach strategy improves accessibility for international patients while expanding the hospital's global referral network.

Analyst Perspective

The U.S. medical tourism market is transitioning from a hospital-centric model to an integrated healthcare travel ecosystem that connects international patients with hospitals, specialty clinics, insurers, facilitators, and travel service providers. Market growth is driven by rising healthcare costs, increasing demand for advanced and specialized treatments, and the global reputation of U.S. healthcare institutions. International patients are increasingly seeking complex procedures, including oncology, cardiovascular, orthopedic, and fertility treatments. To enhance patient experience, healthcare providers are strengthening their international patient programs through dedicated coordinators, multilingual support, remote consultations, and digital platforms that simplify patient evaluation and treatment planning. Strategic partnerships with medical tourism facilitators, international insurers, employers, and referral networks are further expanding market access. Providers that combine advanced clinical expertise with seamless patient coordination, transparent treatment planning, and comprehensive post-treatment support are expected to strengthen their competitive position as global demand for specialized healthcare services continues to grow.

Type Insights

The inbound medical tourism segment held the largest share of the U.S. medical tourism market in 2025. The segment growth is driven by the presence of world-renowned hospitals, advanced treatment technologies, and strong expertise in complex specialties, including oncology, cardiovascular care, organ transplantation, neurology, and orthopedics. The U.S. remains a preferred destination for international patients seeking high clinical success rates, access to innovative therapies, and multidisciplinary care that may not be available in their home countries. In addition, leading healthcare providers have strengthened dedicated international patient programs by offering multilingual care coordinators, visa support, travel assistance, interpreter services, and personalized treatment planning, improving the overall patient experience For instance, Cleveland Clinic has strengthened its Global Patient Services (GPS) program, which supports thousands of international patients annually through dedicated care coordinators, multilingual interpreter services, appointment scheduling, financial counseling, and visa and travel assistance. The health system also maintains representatives in multiple countries, including India, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Mexico, and Nigeria, enabling international patients to access specialized care more efficiently.

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The outbound medical tourism segment of the U.S. medical tourism industry is expected to grow at a significant CAGR during the forecast period. Rising healthcare costs in the U.S., long wait times for certain elective procedures, and the growing availability of internationally accredited hospitals are encouraging more Americans to seek treatment abroad. Patients are increasingly traveling to countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica, Thailand, India, and Turkey for dental procedures, cosmetic surgery, bariatric surgery, fertility treatment, and orthopedic care, where comparable quality services are available at substantially lower costs. The growing acceptance of cross-border healthcare has improved international hospital accreditation, and the expansion of medical travel facilitators offering end-to-end treatment and travel coordination is expected to further accelerate growth in outbound medical tourism during the forecast period.

Country Insights

Mexico Outbound Medical Tourism Market Trends

Mexico dominated the U.S. outbound medical tourism market in 2025, accounting for nearly 49.5% of the total market, with a value of USD 1.0 billion out of the USD 2.0 billion total. The country's leadership is driven by its geographic proximity to the U.S., significantly lower treatment costs, and well-established private healthcare infrastructure. Mexico remains a preferred destination for dental care, bariatric surgery, cosmetic procedures, orthopedic treatments, and prescription medications, particularly among patients seeking affordable care with short wait times. Border cities such as Tijuana, Mexicali, and Ciudad Juárez continue to receive a high volume of U.S. medical travelers due to convenient access and extensive provider networks. For instance, CHRISTUS MUGUERZA, one of Mexico's leading private healthcare systems, operates a dedicated International Services program offering multilingual patient coordinators, insurance assistance, travel support, and internationally trained physicians. The hospital was also the first private hospital in Mexico to achieve Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation, strengthening international patient confidence and supporting the country's position as the leading destination for U.S. outbound medical tourism.

Costa Rica Outbound Medical Tourism Market Trends

Costa Rica is expected to grow at a significant CAGR during the forecast period due to its strong reputation for delivering high-quality healthcare at competitive prices. The country is witnessing increasing demand from U.S. patients for dental care, cosmetic surgery, fertility treatment, orthopedic procedures, and ophthalmology services. Growth is supported by internationally accredited hospitals, English-speaking healthcare professionals, and integrated medical tourism services. For instance, Hospital CIMA San José , one of Costa Rica's leading private hospitals, has earned the Joint Commission International (JCI) Gold Seal of Approval for the sixth consecutive accreditation cycle and operates a dedicated medical tourism program that provides bilingual care coordination, treatment planning, and pre- and post-procedure support for international patients. These capabilities continue to strengthen Costa Rica's position as one of the fastest-growing destinations for U.S. outbound medical tourism.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The U.S. medical tourism market is fragmented, with leading hospital systems and specialized healthcare providers competing based on clinical expertise, advanced technologies, and international patient services. Major players hold a significant share due to their globally recognized brands and dedicated international patient programs. The market continues to evolve through strategic partnerships, service expansion, and investments in premium healthcare offerings to attract inbound medical tourists.

Key U.S. Medical Tourism Market Companies

• Cleveland Clinic

• Mayo Clinic

• The Johns Hopkins Hospital

• Cedars-Sinai

• Massachusetts General Hospital

• UCSF Health

• NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital

• Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

• Northwestern Memorial Hospital

• Stanford Health Care

Recent Developments

• In May 2025, the Cleveland Clinic, Oracle Health, and G42 announced a strategic partnership to develop an AI-based global healthcare delivery platform. The initiative will combine AI, clinical expertise, and digital health technologies to improve access to specialized care, strengthen international patient management, and support precision medicine across the U.S. and global markets.

"The platform will serve as the foundation for an AI-driven healthcare hub, delivering secure, scalable and intelligent healthcare solutions that enhance patient outcomes." - Cleveland Clinic, Oracle & G42.

• In March 2025, Mayo Clinic announced a USD 1.9 billion investment to expand its Phoenix, Arizona campus under its Bold. Forward. Unbound. strategy. The expansion will increase clinical capacity by nearly 60%, integrate advanced digital technologies, and improve access to complex specialty care for domestic and international patients.

"Through this work, we are physically and digitally transforming healthcare and blurring the lines between inpatient and outpatient care to serve as a blueprint for the world." - Dr. Gianrico Farrugia, President and CEO, Mayo Clinic.

U.S. Medical Tourism Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at the country level and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends across sub-segments from 2021 to 2035. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the U.S. medical tourism market report based on type:

• Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2021 - 2035)

  • Inbound Medical Tourism

  • Outbound Medical Tourism

Research Methodology

The U.S. medical tourism market figures in this report are based on a proven research process that combines executive interviews with secondary research from proprietary databases, company filings, and recognized regulatory and institutional sources. Market size is built through value-chain sizing-reconciling supply-side and demand-side estimates-and triangulated with bottom-up and top-down approaches. Every estimate passes multiple levels of expert validation before publication, with each U.S. medical tourism segment quantified using the revenue-capture definitions in the table below.

Estimation Model

Model Details

This research methodology outlines the process for estimating the size of the U.S. medical tourism market from 2021 to 2033. The study covers key market segments, including inbound and outbound medical tourism, across major treatment categories, including surgical procedures, oncology, cardiovascular care, orthopedics, fertility, cosmetic procedures, dental care, and other specialized medical services.

The objective is to develop a robust, defensible market estimate by combining medical tourism volumes, healthcare expenditure, procedure costs, healthcare provider revenues, and cross-border healthcare spending data. The estimation process integrates bottom-up and top-down approaches, supported by primary industry validation.

A triangulated market sizing approach was used, combining:

• Bottom-Up Analysis based on international patient volumes, outbound U.S. patient travel, medical procedures performed, hospital and clinic revenues, treatment costs, and medical tourism service utilization.

• Top-Down Checks using healthcare expenditure, treatment cost differences, international patient flows, cross-border healthcare trends, medical travel expenditure, insurance coverage, visa data, and healthcare infrastructure indicators.

• Primary Research with hospitals, academic medical centers, specialty clinics, medical tourism facilitators, international patient departments, travel agencies, insurers, healthcare consultants, physicians, and industry experts.

Step-by-Step Market Estimation Process

International Patient Volume and Medical Spending Model

This model estimates the market size based on the number of patients traveling to the U.S. for medical treatment and the associated healthcare expenditure.

Step 1: Country-level data on international patients traveling to the U.S. for healthcare services from 2021 to 2025 were collected from government agencies, healthcare providers, hospital disclosures, international patient programs, tourism authorities, healthcare organizations, and industry databases.

Step 2: International patient volumes were segmented by country of origin, treatment category, healthcare facility, and medical tourism type. Data on inbound patients were assessed alongside U.S. residents traveling overseas for medical treatment.

Step 3: Average medical spending per medical tourist was estimated using treatment costs, hospital charges, physician fees, diagnostic expenses, surgical costs, medication expenses, and other healthcare-related payments.

Step 4: Market size was calculated by multiplying:

Number of Medical Tourists × Average Medical Expenditure per Patient

Step 5: For inbound medical tourism, calculations were performed by source country and treatment category. For outbound medical tourism, expenditure generated by U.S. residents receiving treatment abroad was estimated based on patient volumes and average treatment costs.

Step 6: Country-level estimates were aggregated to determine the total U.S. medical tourism market size.

Step 7: Forecast growth assumptions incorporated rising demand for advanced medical procedures, access to specialized treatments, shorter waiting times, differences in treatment costs between countries, growth in international patient programs, and increasing demand for complex procedures available at leading U.S. healthcare institutions.

Healthcare Provider Revenue and International Patient Services Model

This model estimates the market size based on revenues generated by healthcare providers from international and traveling patients.

Step 1: The number of hospitals, academic medical centers, specialty hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, fertility clinics, dental clinics, cosmetic surgery centers, and other healthcare facilities serving medical tourists were identified through healthcare registries, hospital disclosures, international patient program listings, company reports, and industry databases.

Step 2: International patient revenues generated by healthcare providers were estimated using financial reports, hospital disclosures, international patient department data, industry benchmarks, facility interviews, and primary research.

Step 3: Provider revenues were adjusted based on treatment specialization, international patient mix, medical procedure complexity, geographic location, facility type, pricing structure, and payer mix.

Step 4: Market size was calculated by multiplying:

Number of Healthcare Providers Serving Medical Tourists × Average Revenue Generated from Medical Tourism Services per Provider

Step 5: Revenues generated from international patients were aggregated across healthcare providers to estimate the U.S. medical tourism market size.

Step 6: Annual adjustments were applied to account for the expansion of international patient programs, growth of medical concierge services, development of specialty treatment centers, expansion of hospital partnerships, and increasing adoption of digital platforms for international patient coordination.

Procedure Volume and Average Treatment Cost Model

This model estimates the market based on the volume of medical procedures received by medical tourists and the average cost of treatment.

Step 1: Procedure volume data were collected from hospitals, academic medical centers, specialty clinics, healthcare databases, medical tourism facilitators, industry publications, healthcare associations, and primary interviews.

Step 2: Medical tourism services were categorized into:

▪ Surgical Procedures

▪ Oncology Treatment

▪ Cardiovascular Care

▪ Orthopedic Treatment

▪ Fertility Treatment

▪ Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery

▪ Dental Treatment

▪ Other Specialized Medical Services

Step 3: Average treatment costs were established using hospital pricing data, provider charges, procedure costs, reimbursement data, international patient pricing, healthcare claims databases, and expert interviews.

Step 4: Revenue generated by each treatment category was calculated by multiplying:

▪ Number of Medical Tourism Procedures × Average Treatment Cost per Procedure

Step 5: Category-level revenues were aggregated to determine the overall U.S. medical tourism market size.

Step 6: Forecast assumptions incorporated increasing demand for advanced procedures, the growing international reputation of U.S. healthcare providers, expansion of medical concierge services, increased access to specialized treatments, rising demand for clinical trial participation, and the growing use of digital platforms to connect international patients with U.S. healthcare providers.

Inbound and Outbound Medical Tourism Flow Model

This model separately evaluates the two major components of the U.S. medical tourism market.

Step 1: Inbound medical tourism was estimated based on the number of international patients traveling to the U.S. for medical treatment.

Step 2: Outbound medical tourism was estimated based on the number of U.S. residents traveling to other countries for healthcare services.

Step 3: Patient flows were assessed by treatment type, destination or source country, healthcare service, and average expenditure.

Step 4: The market value for each flow was calculated using:

▪ Medical Tourist Volume × Average Healthcare Expenditure per Medical Tourist

Step 5: The inbound and outbound segments were aggregated to determine the total U.S. medical tourism market.

Step 6: Forecast assumptions considered international travel recovery, changes in treatment affordability, availability of specialized procedures, healthcare waiting times, insurance coverage, visa and entry policies, exchange rates, and developments in international healthcare partnerships.

Market Validation and Forecasting

The estimates generated through the international patient volume and medical spending model, healthcare provider revenue model, procedure volume and treatment cost model, and inbound-outbound medical tourism flow model were cross-validated through data triangulation. The findings were further validated through primary interviews with international patient coordinators, hospitals, academic medical centers, specialty clinics, medical tourism facilitators, physicians, healthcare consultants, insurers, travel service providers, and industry experts.

Final market forecasts were developed by evaluating international patient flows, healthcare expenditure, treatment cost differences, medical procedure demand, availability of specialized care, hospital capacity, international healthcare partnerships, medical travel infrastructure, visa policies, insurance coverage, and technological developments shaping the U.S. medical tourism market.

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