How to Pay for HSCT Abroad: Insurance, Tax Relief and Funding

Medically reviewed by the board of haematologists at HSCT Hospital India, whose transplant physicians hold DM Clinical Haematology qualifications and fellowship training in stem cell transplantation. The programme runs at a JCI-USA, NABH and NABL accredited hospital that has treated more than 1500 patients.
Last reviewed: 3 October 2026. This guide cites official government sources, which are listed at the end.

Most patients who travel for HSCT pay for it themselves, using savings, family support, fundraising or a loan. Some recover part of the cost afterwards, through private health insurance, tax relief or a public health scheme, depending on the country they live in. HSCT, short for autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, uses chemotherapy and the patient’s own stem cells to reset the immune system in MS and other autoimmune diseases.

At HSCT Hospital India the whole programme costs one all-inclusive price of US $30,000 for up to 30 days. The price is agreed in writing before you book travel. This makes it simpler to plan the money and to show an insurer or a tax office exactly what was paid. HSCT Hospital India has treated more than 1,500 MS patients from over 30 countries since 2016, in a JCI-USA accredited hospital that also holds NABH and NABL accreditation.

How much does HSCT at HSCT Hospital India cost, and what does the price include?

The price of HSCT at HSCT Hospital India is US $30,000, all inclusive, for up to 30 days in hospital. It covers pre-testing, MRI, the full HSCT treatment, doctors’ fees, tests and consultations. It also covers medicines, consumables and physiotherapy during the stay.

Your attendant stays with you in a deluxe private room with Triple HEPA air filtration. Food and laundry for both of you are included, and so are airport pick-up and drop-back. Because the price is fixed, the amount you need to raise is known before you start, apart from flights and any costs at home.

Prices for HSCT in other countries are compared on the page about HSCT cost by country. In many of those programmes, tests, extra nights and medicines are billed separately, so the final bill is only known at the end.

Will my health insurance pay for HSCT in India?

Some private health insurance policies pay part of planned treatment abroad, and many do not. The answer depends on your policy wording, not on the treatment alone. International health plans, sold to people who live or travel abroad, are the most likely to include planned care outside your home country.

The way to find out is to ask your insurer in writing before you book. Send them the diagnosis, the treatment plan and the price from HSCT Hospital India, and ask whether any part will be paid. An HSCT Case Manager can provide the treatment plan and a cost estimate for this purpose.

Keep every invoice, the Discharge Summary and your medical reports after treatment. These records are what an insurer asks for when you claim, and the Discharge Summary records the treatment you had in full.

What should I send my insurer when I ask about HSCT abroad?

An insurer decides on paperwork, so a complete request gets a faster and clearer answer. Send a letter or email that names the treatment, autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for multiple sclerosis, and the hospital, HSCT Hospital India in New Delhi. Ask whether planned treatment abroad is covered, and if so, which part and up to what amount.

Attach your diagnosis letter, your most recent MRI report and a list of the MS medicines you have tried. Add the treatment plan and cost estimate from HSCT Hospital India, which states the all-inclusive price and what it covers. If your neurologist supports the treatment, a short letter from them helps too.

Ask for the answer in writing, and keep it with your travel papers. If the insurer says no, ask which clause of the policy the decision rests on. Some parts, such as the flights or the tests before treatment, may still be covered.

What else should I budget for besides the treatment price?

The all-inclusive price covers everything during the stay, so the other costs come before and after it. The main ones are return flights to New Delhi for you and your attendant. The Indian medical visa for you and the medical attendant visa for the person travelling with you also carry a fee.

After you return home, you have blood tests twice a month for the first two months, and then once a month until the counts are normal. These tests and your neurologist’s check ups are usually done by your own doctors, and their cost depends on your country and your insurance.

Time off work is part of the budget too. Most patients return to their usual activities after 2 to 4 months. Full recovery usually takes 3 to 12 months, and the page about recovery time after HSCT for MS explains it stage by stage.

Does a public health service pay for HSCT abroad?

Public health schemes for treatment abroad mostly cover care inside Europe. In Ireland, the Treatment Abroad Scheme covers planned treatment in another country in the European Union, the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom or Switzerland. The HSE must approve the application before you travel.

The European rules on cross-border healthcare work the same way, covering care in other European countries. For this reason, patients from Europe who choose India usually pay for HSCT themselves, and then use insurance, fundraising or savings. Your health service can confirm in writing what it covers for your case.

Can I claim tax relief on HSCT costs in the United States?

In the United States, medical expenses can reduce your federal income tax if you itemise deductions. IRS Publication 502 allows you to deduct the part of your medical expenses that is more than 7.5 per cent of your adjusted gross income.

Travel for medical care counts too. The publication includes plane fares for travel to treatment, and lodging of up to $50 a night for each person when it is essential to medical care. A tax adviser can tell you how these rules apply to treatment abroad in your own case.

Can I claim tax relief on HSCT costs in Canada?

In Canada, the medical expense tax credit can include treatment outside the country. The Canada Revenue Agency allows amounts paid to a medical practitioner and to a public or licensed private hospital abroad, when its conditions are met.

Travel costs can also be claimed. When treatment is at least 40 kilometres away, public transport costs count, and at 80 kilometres or more, accommodation and meals are added. The credit applies to expenses above the lower of 3 per cent of your net income or a fixed amount set each year, which was $2,834 for 2024.

Janet, a patient from Canada, describes why her family looked outside Canada in Janet’s story.

How do patients raise the money for HSCT?

Many patients raise part of the cost through family, friends and their community. Online fundraising pages are a common route, and so are local events and appeals through a workplace or a church. Jacobus, a patient from the Netherlands, says in his video that he raised the money through crowdfunding.

A step by step guide to setting up an appeal is on the page about raising funds online for HSCT. A fixed price helps an appeal, because the target is clear from the start and supporters can see exactly what the money pays for.

Savings and medical loans are the other routes. Because there are no hidden extras at HSCT Hospital India, the amount to borrow is known before you sign anything.

What documents does HSCT Hospital India provide for insurance and tax claims?

HSCT Hospital India provides the paperwork an insurer or tax office usually asks for. Before you travel, an HSCT Case Manager can send a treatment plan and a cost estimate. After payment you receive invoices, and at discharge you receive a Discharge Summary that records the treatment you had.

You also take home an Aftercare Manual, which lists your medicines, your blood test schedule and the dates for returning to normal activities. Your own doctor or neurologist can read both documents, and they support any claim that needs medical evidence.

What does HSCT Hospital India offer for the price?

HSCT Hospital India uses the non-myeloablative protocol developed by Dr Richard Burt, the approach tested in the MIST trial. Non-myeloablative means the chemotherapy weakens the bone marrow without destroying it. Because of this, blood counts recover sooner, and no further chemotherapy or MS treatment is needed after you leave the hospital.

The whole 30 day treatment is given in hospital, with no stay in an outside hotel or apartment. This matters most in the days after the stem cells are returned, when immunity is lowest. Nursing care runs 24 hours a day, so a fever at that point is treated immediately.

There is no long waiting list, so once the money is in place, treatment can be planned without a long wait. Who can be treated is explained on the page about HSCT eligibility at HSCT Hospital India.

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about paying for HSCT abroad

How much does HSCT cost at HSCT Hospital India?

HSCT at HSCT Hospital India costs US $30,000, all inclusive, for up to 30 days in hospital. The price covers pre-testing, MRI, the full treatment, medicines, physiotherapy, and food and laundry for the patient and an attendant. Airport pick-up and drop-back are included too.

Does health insurance cover HSCT abroad?

Some private and international health insurance policies pay part of planned treatment abroad, and many do not. Ask your insurer in writing before you book, and send the diagnosis, treatment plan and price. An HSCT Case Manager at HSCT Hospital India can provide the treatment plan and a cost estimate.

Does the Irish Treatment Abroad Scheme cover HSCT in India?

No, the Treatment Abroad Scheme covers planned treatment in the European Union, the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom and Switzerland. The HSE must also approve an application before travel. Irish patients who choose India usually pay themselves and use private insurance, fundraising or savings.

Can Americans deduct HSCT costs abroad from their taxes?

IRS Publication 502 allows itemised medical expenses above 7.5 per cent of adjusted gross income to be deducted. It includes plane fares for travel to treatment and lodging of up to $50 a night per person. A tax adviser can confirm how the rules apply to your treatment abroad.

Can Canadians claim HSCT abroad on their taxes?

The Canada Revenue Agency allows amounts paid to a medical practitioner and to a public or licensed private hospital abroad under the medical expense tax credit. Its conditions must be met. Travel costs can be added for treatment 40 kilometres or more away. The credit covers expenses above 3 per cent of net income or a yearly fixed amount, whichever is lower.

How do patients raise money for HSCT?

Many patients use online fundraising pages, family support, community events and workplace appeals. A fixed all-inclusive price helps, because supporters can see the target and what it pays for. Savings and medical loans are the other common routes.

What paperwork does HSCT Hospital India give for an insurance claim?

Before travel, an HSCT Case Manager can send a treatment plan and a cost estimate. After payment you receive invoices, and at discharge a Discharge Summary that records your treatment. An Aftercare Manual lists your medicines and blood test schedule.

Are there extra costs on top of the US $30,000?

The price covers the treatment and up to 30 days in hospital for the patient and an attendant, with food, laundry and airport transfers. Flights to New Delhi, the visa fee and check ups at home after you return are the costs to plan for separately.

Is HSCT cheaper in India than in other countries?

HSCT Hospital India’s all-inclusive price of US $30,000 is lower than the published prices of most HSCT programmes abroad. Prices for other countries are compared, with sources, on the HSCT cost by country page.

Can I bring a family member, and do they pay extra?

Yes, an attendant shares your deluxe private room for the whole stay. Their food and laundry are part of the one price, so there is no extra charge for their stay in hospital.

This page was reviewed on 3 October 2026 against the official sources listed below.

References

1. Health Service Executive, Ireland. Treatment Abroad Scheme. www2.hse.ie, accessed October 2026.
2. Internal Revenue Service. Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses. irs.gov, accessed October 2026.
3. Canada Revenue Agency. RC4065, Medical Expenses 2024. canada.ca, accessed October 2026.

Read next

• HSCT cost by country
• Raising funds online for HSCT
• Who is eligible for HSCT at HSCT Hospital India?
• How long does it take to recover after HSCT for MS?
• HSCT or Lemtrada for MS: how the two treatments compare
• HSCT for multiple sclerosis

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