The 2nd Annual World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress Announces its Distinguished Speakers

Sept. 8, 2009 - PRLog -- The 2nd Annual World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress, which is the official annual conference of the Medical Tourism Association (MTA) announces its distinguished speakers, sponsors and record increase in attendance this coming October 26-28th 2009 in Los Angeles, California.  http://www.medicaltourismcongress.com

Deloitte estimates that millions of patients travel to other countries each year for medical care and treatment.  In 2009, the study estimated that as many as 3 million Americans could be traveling abroad and spending $4.4 billion, and by 2017 this number could reach 23.5 million Americans spending $79.5 billion US Dollars per year.

The Annual World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress is the largest global healthcare conference in the world and will feature up to 200 expert speakers, up to 2000 attendees and up to 125 exhibitors and sponsors.  Over 60 countries have confirmed participation in the conference and there will be up to 5,000 private one-on-one networking sessions offered at the conference through special networking software. Delegates will be able to set up profiles of their companies on MTA’s online website and search through the list of attendees for those companies and people they would like to meet during Congress proceedings.  Attendees for the 2nd Annual World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress will be able to select up to 50 companies to have pre-scheduled one on one networking meetings with over the course of the 3-day conference.
Last year’s Congress delegates have commented that this is the one event per year where you can accomplish in 3 days what would otherwise take you 3 years.  Register today at http://www.medicaltourismcongress.com

Attendees represent US and international health insurance companies, governments, hospitals, clinics, medical tourism facilitators, health insurance agents, consultants, medical tourism facilitators, ministries of health and ministries of tourism.

The conference will feature 3 days of over 25 speaker sessions and 28 pre-conference workshops. Monday night’s VIP cocktail reception, sponsored by a top US health insurance magazine will feature up to 400 US Health Insurance Executives, Agents, and Brokers.    
Some of the conference expert featured speakers include:

George Zahorcak, CIGNA International Expatriate Benefits,
Laila Al Jassmi, Dubai Health Authority,
Michelle Lerow, Aetna Global Benefits,
Shady Nawar, Qatar Insurance Company,
Renee-Marie Stephano, Medical Tourism Association,
Edison Vallejo, BUPA Insurance Company,
Peter Hayes, Hannaford Brothers,
Missy Jarrott, Chatham Steel Corporation,
Matt Leming, Swiss Reinsurance Company,
Scott Leavitt, National Association of Health Underwriters,
Kemal Canlar, United Healthcare,
Kimberly Smith, Assurant Health,
Jay Gieringer, Humana,
Paul Keckley, Deloitte Center for Health Solutions,
Dr. Jorge Cortes, Clinica Biblica,
Steve Cyboran, Sibson Consulting,
Dr. L. Casey Chosewood, Center for Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC),
Alexander “Sander” Domaszewicz, Mercer Health & Benefits Services,
Rhonda Foster, Monroe County Government,
Robert Frary, Symetra Life Insurance Company,
Joseph Heyman, American Medical Association,
Alexandra Jung, Aon Consulting,
Brian Keeley, Baptist Hospital,
Jim Krampen, Seven Corners,
Larry Boress, Midwest Business Group on Health,
Joe Ledesma, St. Luke’s Medical Center Philippines,
Jerry Turney, US Now,
Vincent Vanderpool Wallace, Minister of Tourism Bahamas,
Sandra Berkowitz, Willis/HRH,
Cynthia Carrion, Undersecretary of Tourism Philippines,
Christine Leyden, URAC,
Patrick Martin, Minister of Health St. Kitts and Nevis,
Gary McGeddy, Fairmont Specialty,
Dr. Mehul Mehta, Partners Harvard Medical International,
Ross Pendergraft, Los Angeles Association of Health Underwriters,
Alex Piper, formerly of Chrysler One World Healthcare Solutions,
William Ruschhaupt, Cleveland Clinic,
Curtis Schroeder, Bumrungrad Hospital.  

The leading Diamond sponsorship for the second year in a row is the Council for Korea Overseas Promotion and KHIDI. Gold sponsors this year include Colombia, Malaysia, Turkey, and Mexico City.  

The Exhibit hall will feature Country Pavilions from Tourism Boards and both US & International Hospitals. Tourism Boards represented in the Country Pavilions include Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Colombia, Costa Rica, Argentina, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Catalina Tourism Board (Spain), and USAID Jordan. Other exhibitors and delegate attendees range from: Vietnam, India, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, China, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Peru, Portugal, USA, Canada, Germany, Austria, Serbia, Netherlands, Iceland, Switzerland, Israel, New Zealand, and over 26 other countries.

The World Medical Tourism and Global Healthcare Conference is the largest gathering of international insurance companies, hospitals, governments, employers, brokers, TPA’s, medical tourism facilitators, pharmaceutical and medical supply companies, air ambulance and travel insurance organizations, technology and software companies in the world.  Ministries of Tourism and Ministries of Health participate and exhibit at the Congress to showcase their countries medical facilities and tourism activities.  

This is the one event per year where Employers, Self Funded Health Plans, Insurance Companies, governments and Medical Tourism Facilitators from around the U.S. come to find international hospitals to partner with to send patients to.  Register today at http://www.medicaltourismcongress.com

The World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress is the official conference of the Medical Tourism Association. The Medical Tourism Association (Medical Travel Association), also known as the Global Healthcare Association, is the first international non-profit association made up of the top international hospitals, healthcare providers, medical tourism facilitators, insurance companies, and other affiliated companies and members with the common goal of promoting the highest level of quality of healthcare to patients in a global environment. The Medical Tourism Association has three tenets: Transparency, Communication and Education. Medical Tourism is often referred to as medical travel and health tourism. http://www.medicaltourismassociation.com

The Conference is also sponsored by the Medical Tourism Magazine, which is the official publication of the Medical Tourism Association, http://www.medicaltourismmag.com.  The Medical Tourism Magazine is the only publication in the world dedicated exclusively to medical tourism and global healthcare is available online, in print and read in over sixty countries by leading healthcare, insurance, and travel professionals.

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The 2nd Annual World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress will feature up to 2,000 attendees from over 50 countries and up to 100 exhibitors and sponsors.