are you kidding? tents?

soon you'll probably need to reserve your most luxurious hotels to accommodate the US med tourists paid by their insurer, according to research done in the US :
www.ispor.org/research_pdfs/49/pdffiles/PIH42.pdf
WOULD YOU LIKE AN ALL-INCLUSIVE LUXURY HOLIDAY WITH FIRST CLASS FLIGHTS TO EGYPT WITH YOUR SOVALDI PRESCRIPTION - innovative cost-saving solution for US tax payers.
INTRODUCTION
Gilead implemented a tiered global pricing strategy for SOVALDI (sofosbuvir where the price reflects a country’s ability to pay; a 12- week treatment course in the US costs $84,000 versus $840 in India, Egypt and Brazil.
SOVALDI has generated some strong payer outcry as its price combined with the large patient population (Hepatitis C) results in a substantial budget impact.
METHODS
This research aimed to evaluate how it could be money-saving for US insurers to reimburse patients for luxury holidays to Egypt where SOVALDI is available at a 99% discount.
On the 26th November 2014, prices were sourced for the Fairmont Cairo 5-star hotel alongside first-class flights on Emirates airline for trips at the following weekend (Friday 28th to Sunday 30th November) reflecting the potential need for prompt commencement of treatment following diagnosis.
RESULTS
The most expensive suite at the Fairmont Cairo was the 233m2 “Diplomatic Suite King,” overlooking the Nile at $10,000 a night for 2 people.
First-class flights for 2 persons leaving on the 28th November and returning on the 30th would cost $42,754.
Therefore, US insurers could afford to send hepatitis C patients along with a friend/partner on a luxury weekend break to the most expensive suite in a 5-star hotel in Cairo to collect their SOVALDI prescription for a total of $63,594.
This means that insurers could give the patient an additional $10,000 in spending money and still make cost-savings exceeding $10,000, as compared to having SOVALDI dispensed in the US.
CONCLUSIONS
The availability of high-cost therapeutics in other countries at a fraction of the price that it costs in the US, offers opportunities for US payers to save costs whilst simultaneously offering quality-of-life improving vacations for patients.
Geno 3, Fibro 8.7 pKA, tx experinced in 2005 - Peg/Riba, relapsed.
Started tx 1/12/2015 with Indian Sofo & Chinese Dac.
5 weeks result all normal, ALT 18 - down from ALT 73 at the start of tx.
5 weeks HCV PCR RNA - UND. - down from 2 ML
9 weeks HCV PCR RNA - UND.