Heart Surgery In India For $1,583 Costs $106,385 In U.S.

Heart Surgery In India Costs WHAT!?
TO GO WITH India-health-hospital,FEATURE by Adam Plowright In this picture taken on February 7, 2013 Indian philanthropist, cardiac surgeon and founder of Narayana Hrudayalaya,Devi Prasad Shetty gestures during an interview at the cardiac-care hospital in Bangalore. What if hospitals were run like a mix of Wal-Mart and a low-cost airline? The result might be something like the chain of 'no-frills' Narayana Hrudayalaya clinics in southern India. Using pre-fabricated buildings, stripping out air-conditioning and even training visitors to help with post-operative care, the group believes it can cut the cost of heart surgery to an astonishing 800 USD. AFP PHOTO/Manjunath KIRAN (Photo credit should read Manjunath Kiran/AFP/Getty Images)
TO GO WITH India-health-hospital,FEATURE by Adam Plowright In this picture taken on February 7, 2013 Indian philanthropist, cardiac surgeon and founder of Narayana Hrudayalaya,Devi Prasad Shetty gestures during an interview at the cardiac-care hospital in Bangalore. What if hospitals were run like a mix of Wal-Mart and a low-cost airline? The result might be something like the chain of 'no-frills' Narayana Hrudayalaya clinics in southern India. Using pre-fabricated buildings, stripping out air-conditioning and even training visitors to help with post-operative care, the group believes it can cut the cost of heart surgery to an astonishing 800 USD. AFP PHOTO/Manjunath KIRAN (Photo credit should read Manjunath Kiran/AFP/Getty Images)

Devi Shetty is obsessed with making heart surgery affordable for millions of Indians. On his office desk are photographs of two of his heroes: Mother Teresa and Mahatma Gandhi.

Shetty is not a public health official motivated by charity. He’s a heart surgeon turned businessman who has started a chain of 21 medical centers around India.

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