Medical tourism interview: Christi deMoraes of MedNetBrazil

Christi de Moraes had weight loss surgery in 2001 and moved to Brazil with her family shortly thereafter. While there she underwent body reconstruction surgery. The results were great and the price was reasonable. As she shared this information with peers, she realized there was an opportunity to bring others to Brazil for the same experience --and MedNetBrazil was born. Christi and I spoke about the state of plastic surgery in Brazil and the services provided by her company. She’s a real believer in concierge services, to the extent that she doesn’t think it’s important for her clients to bring a companion with them.Plastic surgery after weight loss is likely to become a strong niche in medical tourism. Obese Americans are increasingly seeking surgery for radical weight reduction. Once people achieve weight loss, they often need reconstructive surgery to regain a normal appearance. It's hard enough to get insurers to pay for weight loss surgery, never mind coverage for follow-up surgery that is usually deemed cosmetic. Therefore travel to a plastic surgery capital like Brazil or Costa Rica is a logical response.I posted a podcast interview with Christi on MedTripInfo.com.