These days, because of the economy and rising health care costs, more baby boomers than ever before are going to be venturing beyond domestic borders to obtain healthcare as well as medical treatments in the field of orthopedics, such as hip replacements, hip resurfacing, knee surgeries as well as anti-aging and age management procedures and techniques in cosmetic and plastic surgery.

Baby boomers are considered to be those who were born between 1946 and 1964. By 2011, many baby boomers will be reaching the age of 65, and increasing the percentage of the US population that 65 or older. Today, the population of individuals over 65 is roughly 17%, but in just a few years, that figure rises to 26%. According to research data, there’ll be 75 million baby boomers who need affordable medical care by the year 2010. These individuals will become the future of healthcare and growing trends toward health and wellness tourism for this group of individuals is on the rise.

Baby boomers, for the most part, are health conscious, educated, and aware of the potential possibilities of international medical care and aren’t afraid to ask questions or perform research on who can perform the best surgical procedures or offer quality treatments for affordable costs. These days, boomers, more than any other age demographic are carefully watching their money, and no one wants to have to choose between health care in groceries.

Affordable heart surgery, cancer treatment abroad, cosmetic surgery abroad, and health tourism abroad in fields such as dental, vision, cardiac and stem cell treatments are in demand. Locations such as Argentina, India, Thailand, Latin America and central Europe are growing more popular by the year. Boomers know this, and are acting on it.

The baby boomers are going to literally change the face of medical care in the very near future as the demand for excellence, quality and state-of-the-art technology, techniques and procedures increases.