Discouraged by the prospects of not knowing the cost of his surgery in advance, he flew to Penang, Malaysia, where doctors suggested he undergo bypass surgery.

Another medical tourist, Siaw Kian, 57, said that she preferred to obtain healthcare abroad rather than near her home in Jambi since overseas hospitals offered better service — and prices — than the best hospitals in Indonesia.

“Service is fast. We had good information on what the doctors wanted to do and the charges were almost similar, or even cheaper than if we had gone to hospitals here,” she said.

After her son broke his arm, Siaw Kian took him to a hospital in Malaka, Malaysia, where she said she paid doctors about 5,000 ringgit (US$1,652) to install a rod to help the broken bone mend.

An international hospital in Indonesia wanted to charge the same amount to remove the rod, Siaw Kian. She and her son then returned to Malaysia, where the hospital charged 2,000 ringgit for the procedure.

Seeking medical treatment abroad has become a common practice for certain Indonesians. For those who live in Sumatra, treatment in Penang or Malaka is a convenient option. Richer patients from Jakarta can travel to Singapore for treatment. Indonesians spend about Rp 100 trillion (US$11.5 billion) a year for healthcare abroad, according to the Health Ministry.

Nur Rasyid Lubis, the deputy director of Adam Malik Hospital in Medan, North Sumatra, said that it was common for local residents to seek healthcare abroad.

“People want quick service, or quality service that matches the charges, so they go abroad. After all, Malaysia and Singapore are quite close,” he said.

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