From Party City to Wellness Hub: Medellín’s Next Chapter

• 💉 Real care, not corporate care — Why Medellín's healthcare puts people before profits

• 💵 Save 70–90% on major treatments, including surgery and dental work

• 🌿 Recover in comfort with green mountains, fresh food, and private nurses

• 🧬 Access experimental treatments not available in the U.S.

• 🇨🇴 Local insights from someone who’s lived it, no fluff, just facts

This article is very near and dear to my heart. If you've read my other pieces, and I hope you have, you already know how I feel about the recent wave of tourism.

Sex tourism. Narco tourism. It's a problem. It’s not just a bad look. It’s corrosive, disrespectful, and destructive and it needs to be replaced. That’s why I’m using this space to promote something else. Something better. Something that actually helps people. Medical tourism. Medellín is known as the City of Eternal Spring, but I believe it’s time we start calling it the City of Eternal Wellness.

Why Medical Tourism Matters

Before I get into the nuts and bolts of why this matters, I want to share a personal story that explains why I care about this so much.

I wanted to start some context of why I'm so passionate about heath care here in Colombia. I'm from the United States, and since I moved here, I've had supplemental health insurance here, and i'm glad I did. In 2022 (On my birthday no less), I was diagnosed with one of those things that is something people rarely recover from back home, physically or financially. After that diagnosis, I was afraid that I was done for. "Do I really want to face this head on in a third world country?" The answer was a resounding YES.

Long story short, I went to Pablo Tobon, and received the best care I could have ever asked for. My doctor in addition to the typical treatments and surgery gave me different medications to try, and the one that was the most successful was a blessing, but one of the side effects was that I had 4 months of continuing lucid dreams of an alternative life. It was a trip, but I recovered in large part because of it. It's not FDA approved, but is experimental here, but used. My insurance covered it all here. If I had been in the United states, I had a friend who works in medical billing look over my bills, and she said it would have been $2 million USD to go through comparable care. If I had been at home, I would have likely still been sick, or maybe dead.

In the United States, medical care is a business first. The insurance companies and big pharma are the true cause of the mess that health care is in the US. Doctors and hospital staff are not the cause of this embarrassing mess that the health care industry is, profits are. After all if a patient recovers, the insurance company can't milk the patient, and healthy people don't need to fill themselves with pills. In Colombia, this is different. While the administration can be frustrating here, the care and facilities are world-class.

The Problem with U.S. Health Care

Medical care in the U.S. is a business first. Insurance companies and pharmaceutical giants dominate the system. Hospitals are under pressure to produce profits. Patients become billing codes and balance sheets.

It’s not the doctors or nurses who are the problem. Most of them are doing their best inside a broken machine. The issue is the structure, the incentives. Sick people make money. Healthy people don’t.

In Medellín, the system isn’t perfect, but it’s different. The care is human. The hospitals are clean and modern. The doctors take their time. The goal is to make you better, not bankrupt you.

If you're putting off treatment because of cost, think about this. You might be able to get the same, or better, care here for a fraction of the price. That’s not marketing fluff. That’s math.

Why Medellín?

Cost

• Most treatments cost 30 to 70 percent less than in the U.S.

• Some procedures, especially cosmetic or dental, can be up to 90 percent cheaper

• Medications are often 70 to 98 percent less, sometimes available without a prescription

• You can factor in airfare, hotel, and meals, and still come out ahead

Example: A friend flies in monthly from Houston to adjust his braces. Even with travel, he’s saving 40 percent.

Recovery

• You recover in a temperate city surrounded by green mountains

• Healthy food is everywhere, from local produce to fresh juices

• You can afford extras like:

  • At-home nurse visits

  • IV therapy with a suero specialist

  • A chef to prep meals for your diet

  • Physical therapy sessions in your apartment or Airbnb

You’re not just healing. You’re thriving.

Medication Access

• My own recovery was helped by a drug not approved by the FDA

• It worked, and it was covered by my insurance here

• Pharmacies sell many effective treatments you can’t easily get back home

Lab Work

• Blood tests and lab work are faster, cheaper, and often more accurate than in the States

• No upsells, no pressure, just data to work with

• Great for people trying to figure out what’s wrong, or who are into biohacking or hormone balancing]

The Series: What to Expect

I’m launching an eight-part series that covers one type of medical treatment each week.

For each topic, I’ll explain the treatment, the experience, the cost, and share vetted local professionals. Real names, real prices, real results.

Here’s what’s coming:

Week 1: Stem Cell Treatments

• New research shows promise for children diagnosed with autism

• Also used for orthopedic issues, immune conditions, and more

• Easier to access here than in the U.S. or Panama, and far less expensive

Week 2: Dental Care

• Medellín is a global hotspot for dental tourism

• From implants to veneers to Invisalign, you’ll find top-tier clinics here

• Having a great smile isn’t just cosmetic, it’s cultural

Week 3: Cosmetic Surgery

• Facial surgery, breast augmentation, BBLs, lipo, all popular

• Huge savings with top-tier results if you choose the right provider

• I’ll help you separate the pros from the plastic

Week 4: Male Health

• Think hair loss, testosterone, sexual health, and body chemistry

• Many men avoid treatment out of embarrassment or cost

• Medellín gives you privacy, professionalism, and affordable options

• Bonus: stem cells for hair loss, it’s a thing, and we’ll get into it

Week 5: Major Surgeries

• Knee replacements, hernia repair, gallbladder removal

• You don’t need to be rich to get the surgery you need

• You just need a passport and the right information

Week 6: Cancer Treatments

• Oncology in Colombia is team-based and deeply human

• The doctors here listen, work together, and build a plan around you

• I’ll walk you through the process, the options, and the costs

Week 7: Veteran Health Care

• Yes, there’s VA-affiliated care in Colombia

• I’ll break down where, how, and what you need to know

• This one deserves, and will get, its own space and respect

Want Me to Cover Something Specific?

Shoot me an email. I’ll try to include your questions or topic suggestions if they fit.

Next week kicks off the first piece. Videos will accompany the articles too, so you can see real people and real places, not just polished marketing content.

Let’s stop selling Medellín as a party city. Let’s build something better. Let’s make Medellín the City of Eternal Wellness.