U.S. healthcare reform should drive growth for the medical travel industry, according to a survey of 100 U.S. health insurers and employers conducted by the Medical Travel Association.

The survey, “Healthcare Reform Survey Among Industry Stakeholders Discovers Similar Concerns,” found that 71% of insurance companies and employers think healthcare reform is extremely positive for the medical tourism industry.

That’s because employers and insurance companies think that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) will increase costs to consumers, and medical tourism is one way to control costs, said Jonathan Edelheit, CEO of the Medical Tourism Association.

He noted that if insurance costs increase as dramatically as the survey respondents believe, employers and insurers will be more interested in offering medical tourism as an option to keep costs down.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of those who responded to the survey think that health insurance costs will increase significantly, and 24% think insurance will increase but don't characterize the incease as dramatic.