Priced Out: How Tariffs Could Push Americans Abroad for Care

America’s healthcare system has always walked a tightrope between innovation and cost. With some of the most advanced facilities in the world, the U.S. also bears the weight of the highest healthcare prices globally. And now, with new tariffs on medical imports entering the picture, we may be watching the final straw take shape—one that nudges more Americans to seek care beyond their own borders.

But let me be clear: this shift isn't just about price. I've worked with many American patients over the years, and the truth is, price is rarely the sole motivator. Yes, it matters—but it’s never enough. What they need—what anyone needs—is presence, trust, precision, and delivery. And right now, the U.S. system is offering less of that and charging more for it.

The 2025 introduction of a 10% universal import tariff (with even higher rates on goods from specific countries) has cast a long shadow over medical devices and supplies. Pharmaceuticals were exempt, but equipment and materials critical to surgery, diagnostics, and rehabilitation were not. The result? Increased costs for hospitals, clinics, and eventually, patients. It’s a ripple effect that touches everything from knee replacements to imaging equipment to the instruments in an operating room.

But here’s where things get nuanced. Every country targeting international patients has the U.S. on its radar—it’s the big game. The outbound medical tourism market from North America is projected to exceed $600 billion by 2032. Yet despite that figure, fewer than half of Americans even have a passport. The real opportunity lies not in volume, but in depth—in how you show up for the patients who do choose to leave home for care.

Throwing price differentials in their face doesn’t work. That’s a tired pitch. Instead, what resonates is a provider who listens, anticipates, and guides. Americans expect responsiveness, structure, and authenticity. You have to be proactive. You have to care about the details before they even bring them up. And in the end, you have to deliver more than promised. That’s not just the American market—that’s every patient, everywhere.

So, while these tariffs might escalate the cost equation and turn more heads toward global options, the real game-changer won’t be economic. It will be experiential. Providers who understand this—who focus less on undercutting prices and more on overdelivering trust—are the ones who will win in the long run.

This moment, in all its complexity, might finally be what shifts medical travel from a contingency plan into a considered decision for more Americans. And not just because care is cheaper somewhere else—but because it might actually feel better, be better, and deliver better.