Skyrocketing health care costs throughout the west and technological prowess throughout the east have combined to create a whole new class of travelers ? those seeking affordable, quality health care outside the borders of their home country.

Thailand is a favored spot, boasting dirt-cheap rates on everything from joint replacement surgeries and dental bridges to sex-change operations. But they aren?t the only players in this new game. India is making a name for itself among those seeking heart surgery, bone marrow transplants and cancer therapies, among other specialties.

The Philippines and South Africa are also promoting medical tourism as the next big thing, with South Africa a favored destination for every conceivable variety of cosmetic surgery.

Other players eager to get into the game include Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dubai, Estonia, Hungary, Jamaica, Jordan, Latvia and Malaysia.

And Germany and Switzerland both have a long tradition of medical tourism in the form of spas and rehabilitation centers.

Whether a tourist seeks laser skin resurfacing or laser eye surgery, a gastric bypass or a heart bypass, the savings can be substantial.

A $200,000 heart valve replacement procedure goes for the bargain basement price of just $10,000 in India, and a $20k facelift can be had for a mere $1,250 in South Africa. And a knee replacement in the Philippines will cost you just $6,000, not the $50k it would cost in the States.

Many of the hospitals promoting medical tourism are staffed by U.S. trained and certified physicians and specialists, others are affiliated with American hospitals. And technologically-speaking, foreign hospitals are often better equipped, trained and staffed than their U.S. counterparts.

Of course, when seeking out medical tourism opportunities overseas, travelers should always check the accreditations and specialties of any facilities they may be treated at as well as physician qualifications.