"pws" > wrote in message
...

<snip>

> I am not familiar with the health care system in your country, but I am
> guessing, (hoping?), that the tooth that I need to have crowned soon would
> not cost you over USD $800.00 out of your pocket like it will with me.

Here in the UK - where health services supposedly are free - glasses and
dental work are getting filthily expensive. There's a good reason why
medical tourism is on the increase - from the UK, but especially from
countries like the US. In case you're not familiar with the concept it's
where you go to, say, Thailand or India for two weeks, get first-class
medical treatment in top-notch hospitals for a day or two or however long
whatever it is you're having done takes, and then you hang around on the
beach for a week or two to recover. The whole package often ends up
significantly cheaper than the medical intervention alone back in the home
country.

It's now a well-established business model and is acknowledged in various
countries - when I flew into India in August I had to fill in the landing
card, and the question asking about the purpose of the visit included
"tourism", "business", and "medical tourism". Why not, say I... I suspect
that for $800 you'll be able to get your tooth crowned plus a week's holiday
in India. I can highly recommend it, it's a great place to visit :-)

Eric