CureMeAbroad, a Pune-based startup, is creating a global discovery platform to simplify the process for patients researching and planning treatment abroad. Its goal is to enable treatment discovery from anywhere to anywhere.
In 2024, an estimated 14 million patients sought medical treatment abroad, and the global medical tourism market is projected to reach $130 billion by 2030. However, according to Aditya Oza, co-founder of CureMeAbroad, the Western patient segment remains largely underserved. Many top hospitals struggle with marketing, making it challenging for patients to discover their services.
Patients often travel for treatment to save money and avoid long waiting times in countries like the UK and Canada. Although the number of medical travellers is less than that of total travellers, their average spending is significantly higher. For example, patients using CureMeAbroad spend an average of $10,000 per treatment, with costs reaching up to $60,000 to $70,000 for procedures like surrogacy.
$55,000 Price Gap
For comparison, a knee treatment in the US costs approximately $58,000, while the same procedure costs only $3,000 in India or between $3,500 and $4,000 in Turkey or Thailand. Additionally, many cosmetic and dental treatments are rarely covered by insurance abroad, making international travel for such treatments a substantial savings, even after considering partial coverage.
Despite the high expenditures associated with medical tourism, the discovery process often leads to patients getting scammed or experiencing poor service, according to Oza. To address this issue, the founders, Oza and Mikhail Bohra, decided to create a platform similar to Booking.com or TripAdvisor that global medical tourists can trust.
CureMeAbroad plans to aggregate hospitals and doctors, having already partnered with hospitals in Mexico, Thailand, Turkey, South Korea, and India. This enables patients to choose treatment destinations based on their needs, rather than relying on agents or questionable middlemen. The company specifically collaborates with JCI-accredited hospitals.
Unlike the traditional medical tourism corridors that focus on Bangladesh, Africa, and the Gulf, CureMeAbroad targets patients from the USA, UK, Germany, and Australia, who generally spend more on healthcare. The treatment journey for high-value Western medical tourists typically falls within the $5,000 to $80,000 range for procedures such as cosmetic surgery, IVF, fertility treatments, and surrogacy.
Killing the Middleman
CureMeAbroad differentiates itself from middlemen through its AI engine. It provides precise cost estimates and secures fixed-pricing commitments from partner hospitals, thereby addressing issues of corruption and hidden costs. This approach also saves time for hospitals and surgeons, as only a surgeon can formally quote the cost of surgery. Additionally, they have an in-house Medical Advisory Team that guides patients toward appropriate clinical options, focusing on the right fit rather than the most expensive option.
In less than six months, the venture achieved an annual revenue run rate of $2.5 million, with a target of $1 million in monthly revenues. Oza stated, “Our AI model generates a structured cost estimate in minutes that includes the procedure, hospital stay, surgeon fees, and diagnostics across various destinations. By the time a patient speaks to anyone, they already have a clear understanding of costs and reasons behind them.” CureMeAbroad receives a fixed commission from the hospitals.
It is important to note that Indian hospitals are not yet comfortable with a fixed pricing model. Typically, hospitals globally charge overseas patients 30% to 40% more than local patients. CureMeAbroad negotiates on behalf of its patients to secure the best possible rates. The company operates on a percentage commission from the hospital’s fees.
Currently, the platform has established partnerships with 350 hospitals and has information on over 6,500 hospitals and 20,000 doctors. They also have a team of doctors in Turkey, Mexico, and India who conduct pre-teleconsultations to help patients understand their treatment options and find the right fit without pressuring them toward a specific hospital.
The platform initially focused on cosmetic procedures but has since expanded to include IVF, surrogacy, and orthopaedics, which have shown the most traction. Approximately 25% of global medical travellers seek cosmetic procedures, 18% for oncology, 15% for dental, fertility (10%), orthopaedic (10%), ophthalmology (6%) and neurological (5%).
CureMeAbroad was initially self-funded and is currently negotiating a seed funding round from investors in the US and India.