Health insurer WellPoint Inc. will be indulging in medical tourism next year. A pilot program will be launched to send patients to India for some surgeries.

Wellpoint is willing pay for travel expenses to India for a small set of its beneficiaries who are willing to travel to India for health care.

According to the insurer this  program can save thousands of dollars.

 "This is a leap of faith, obviously, to say if you go to India, we'll pay for the whole shebang," said Linda Buntrock, Serigraph's senior vice president of human resources."But the cost difference is so monumental."

A joint replacement surgery costs $65,000 and $80,000 in the U.S. whereas it costs between $8,000 and $10,0000 in India. This means it is nearly 50,000 to $60,000 less in India. 

It is yet to be seen whether or not health travel discounts become a trend. The discounts no doubt are luring but the consumers might question the quality of care and service and  follow up care.

Nearly 750,000 Americans traveled abroad for medical care in 2007. The number is expected to increase to a whooping 6 million by 2010. In such a scenario, medical tourism could get a boost.