Medical Trip Insurance: To Buy Or Not To Buy
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Medical Trip Insurance: To Buy Or Not To Buy
Hello Everyone,
I hope I don't get busted by the moderators for posting a general topic on the Asia board, but since 1) I travel almost exclusively to Asia, and 2) there are so many smart posters here, I thought I would give it a go.
Anyway, I fess up. I have never bought trip insurance, mainly because our family always travels on mileage awards, and generally, we stay at hotels with refundable deposits. However, I feel that I am pushing my luck with the medical gap between our family policy (US), and any emergencies that may occur. I called our health insurer, and I got a vague answer about helicopters and such being covered, but there is no provision for me flying home earlier than expected.
So my question to you, is: What kind of medical coverage does travel insurance cover that a US health insurance policy does not? Is it possible to get only medical coverage, and not coverage for flights and hotels?
Thanks a bunch. I am headed to Poland and Romania in September, which is my first trip out of Asia in ages. I need coverage in case I get trampled by sheep in Romania.
I hope I don't get busted by the moderators for posting a general topic on the Asia board, but since 1) I travel almost exclusively to Asia, and 2) there are so many smart posters here, I thought I would give it a go.
Anyway, I fess up. I have never bought trip insurance, mainly because our family always travels on mileage awards, and generally, we stay at hotels with refundable deposits. However, I feel that I am pushing my luck with the medical gap between our family policy (US), and any emergencies that may occur. I called our health insurer, and I got a vague answer about helicopters and such being covered, but there is no provision for me flying home earlier than expected.
So my question to you, is: What kind of medical coverage does travel insurance cover that a US health insurance policy does not? Is it possible to get only medical coverage, and not coverage for flights and hotels?
Thanks a bunch. I am headed to Poland and Romania in September, which is my first trip out of Asia in ages. I need coverage in case I get trampled by sheep in Romania.
#2
It is impossible to answer your question regarding medical, as we don't know what your specific policy covers. For instance, my group policy when I was working did not need supplementing, but Medicare provides no coverage and my Medigap policy only covers up to $50,000 lifetime at 80% when out of the country.
However, even when I had medical coverage I still bought medical evacuation/repatriation insurance. Evacuation gets you to the nearest hospital and repatriation gets you home.
You can compare some policies at insuremytrip.com. I buy my policies at sevencorners.com.
However, even when I had medical coverage I still bought medical evacuation/repatriation insurance. Evacuation gets you to the nearest hospital and repatriation gets you home.
You can compare some policies at insuremytrip.com. I buy my policies at sevencorners.com.
#3
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This may not apply to the OP but may be of interest to old people wandering through here.
I travel a lot, which was a major reason for going to Medicare Part C (Advantage Plans) rather than classic Medicare/Medigap/Supplement. The plans cover everything under the combined M/M/S PLUS additional goodies, the most important of which is the medical coverage is extended internationally and some portions are enhanced beyond Medicare plans. My plan does that with only a US$75 co-pay.
A cheap and separate annual evacuation plan complements the Part C.
(Plus it gets the government out of the medical provisioning loop, but that belongs in the Lounge.)
I travel a lot, which was a major reason for going to Medicare Part C (Advantage Plans) rather than classic Medicare/Medigap/Supplement. The plans cover everything under the combined M/M/S PLUS additional goodies, the most important of which is the medical coverage is extended internationally and some portions are enhanced beyond Medicare plans. My plan does that with only a US$75 co-pay.
A cheap and separate annual evacuation plan complements the Part C.
(Plus it gets the government out of the medical provisioning loop, but that belongs in the Lounge.)
#5
Bob, I know that you and Kathie and probably some others here are fans of DAN, but when I called them to ask specifically about repatriation they told me it wasn't covered. When I broke my wrist in Switzerland I didn't need evacuation insurance, as I got myself to the hospital, but I did need repatriation, which my coverage provided and which DAN said they would not.
#6
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I'm also covered by DAN for med evac. It's true that they won't necessarily bring you home, but they will get you to the nearest appropriate facility. If I'm in the wilds of Burma, I want to be taken to Bangkok; if I'm in a remote place in Indonesia, I want to be taken to Singapore. I don't feel the need to be taken home. (I understand that your situation is different, Thursdays) So you need to decide what you would want/need if you got very ill or injured.
I recently became medicare eligible, so as my primary insurance, it covers nothing overseas. But I am able to keep the medical insurance I had when I was working basically forever and it covers urgent care in foreign countries at 100%. I was able to test it out when I became ill in Bangkok at the end of November. I paid the hospital, the insurance company paid me in full when I got home.
We are all different about what is "ok" in terms of medical care. Some of you know I slipped and fell on a tile floor in Hawaii in February and shattered my shoulder. I needed a partial shoulder replacement. I opted to have the surgery there and we stayed for our whole month, so I had a couple of weeks of healing time in lovely, warm, Kauai. A number of Fodorites told me they would never have surgery away from home, but I was fine with it. The surgeon did a great job; the medical care I received at the small local hospital was excellent.
So there is no one answer fits all to this questions. The important factors to consider, IMO, are
- what would your current insurance cover?
- what are you comfortable with in terms of medical care away from home?
I'd start by calling your insurance company back and getting specific answers to your questions. Remember that medical coverage and med evac are very different. You can buy a specific med evac policy that covers you by the year, like DAN or MedJetAssist. Travel insurance policies tend to cover absolutely everything including lost luggage so they can charge you more. But remember you can pick and choose about coverage. Buy the policy that fits you.
I recently became medicare eligible, so as my primary insurance, it covers nothing overseas. But I am able to keep the medical insurance I had when I was working basically forever and it covers urgent care in foreign countries at 100%. I was able to test it out when I became ill in Bangkok at the end of November. I paid the hospital, the insurance company paid me in full when I got home.
We are all different about what is "ok" in terms of medical care. Some of you know I slipped and fell on a tile floor in Hawaii in February and shattered my shoulder. I needed a partial shoulder replacement. I opted to have the surgery there and we stayed for our whole month, so I had a couple of weeks of healing time in lovely, warm, Kauai. A number of Fodorites told me they would never have surgery away from home, but I was fine with it. The surgeon did a great job; the medical care I received at the small local hospital was excellent.
So there is no one answer fits all to this questions. The important factors to consider, IMO, are
- what would your current insurance cover?
- what are you comfortable with in terms of medical care away from home?
I'd start by calling your insurance company back and getting specific answers to your questions. Remember that medical coverage and med evac are very different. You can buy a specific med evac policy that covers you by the year, like DAN or MedJetAssist. Travel insurance policies tend to cover absolutely everything including lost luggage so they can charge you more. But remember you can pick and choose about coverage. Buy the policy that fits you.
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Wow, thank you, Kathie, thursdays, NoFlyZone, and rhkkmk for your fast and informative responses, and while I was sleeping, no less. Busy bees out there, indeed.
As usual, I have confused everyone, so allow me to clarify. I am too young for Medicare, so we have a small group plan through Anthem Blue Cross of California, and a pretty comprehensive secondary policy that covers everything else that Blue Cross does not, at almost 100%. However, I do need to call both carriers again and ask specifically about repatriation, as the policies do indeed cover medical evacuation. (Thank you, thursdays, for clarification on the terminology.)
It's great that there are specific medical travel policies available. I now have a couple of names, and I am going to check out the website thursdays mentioned. However, there seems to be some friendly debate amongst you about repatriation. For those of you who like DAN, do you not consider it important to have repatriation, that this policy apparently lacks?
I'm sad to hear that two of my favorite lady-posters here had recent accidents--and while travelling no less! Kathie and thursdays--are you both up to speed now? Wishing you both well.
As usual, I have confused everyone, so allow me to clarify. I am too young for Medicare, so we have a small group plan through Anthem Blue Cross of California, and a pretty comprehensive secondary policy that covers everything else that Blue Cross does not, at almost 100%. However, I do need to call both carriers again and ask specifically about repatriation, as the policies do indeed cover medical evacuation. (Thank you, thursdays, for clarification on the terminology.)
It's great that there are specific medical travel policies available. I now have a couple of names, and I am going to check out the website thursdays mentioned. However, there seems to be some friendly debate amongst you about repatriation. For those of you who like DAN, do you not consider it important to have repatriation, that this policy apparently lacks?
I'm sad to hear that two of my favorite lady-posters here had recent accidents--and while travelling no less! Kathie and thursdays--are you both up to speed now? Wishing you both well.
#9
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We always get a comprehensive policy on insuremytrip.com that covers cancellation and evacuation to your hospital of choice. On non-business trips when we use miles, the cost is relatively low. Haven't ever had to use the evacuation, but have used cancellation for injury or illness of family members -- no drama with reimbursement. We rent pricey non-refundable villas in Mexico and Costa Rica every year with two other families and both have had to cancel, so the insurance was well worth it. We also have Amex Platinum which provides comprehensive if you use the card for payment, but so far we haven't been able to use it to pay for the villas.
Most of our friends who travel frequently rely on Amex Platinum for cancellation and medjetassist.com for evacuation. It's a yearly payment like DAN, but covers evacuation to your hospital of choice. Saved my friend's brothers life, and covered $500,000 in expenses.
Most of our friends who travel frequently rely on Amex Platinum for cancellation and medjetassist.com for evacuation. It's a yearly payment like DAN, but covers evacuation to your hospital of choice. Saved my friend's brothers life, and covered $500,000 in expenses.
#10
Thanks for asking, CaliforniaLady, but my broken wrist was back in 2005. I have needed to visit a doctor or clinic occasionally since, but it's been in Europe and either free or cheap enough I didn't bother filing.
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I am too young for Medicare too, but I typically find the appropriate travel insurance policy though Square Mouth, an aggregator.
I want to have the medical evacuation coverage, but am not really concerned with losing money on deposits, so depending on the trip, I insure for a low trip value to get the medical coverage I want.
We have collected when our luggage was delayed and we had to buy some necessities. We also got minor reimbursement when we were pickpocketed, so there are some other aspects that are included in more comprehensive policies.
I want to have the medical evacuation coverage, but am not really concerned with losing money on deposits, so depending on the trip, I insure for a low trip value to get the medical coverage I want.
We have collected when our luggage was delayed and we had to buy some necessities. We also got minor reimbursement when we were pickpocketed, so there are some other aspects that are included in more comprehensive policies.
#12
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CaliforniaLady:
Please, please, please DO!
My sister arrived in California from Ireland, and on the first night, slipped and broke her femur in four places - complete freak accident. She received incredibly good care in California, and the bill was $80K plus, and did not include the required F/C flight home.
She had great coverage from her Irish private insurance, but there was stuff they would not cover. Luckily, she had taken out travel insurance as well (up to a crazy amount of money), so they covered the difference (smallish) - they were quite brilliant.
I had to lay my credit card down for a minimum of $500 before they would even check her into the hospital! Luckily, she had provided me with all her insurance details beforehand.
The experience has taught me that, going forward, I will take out extra insurance, just in case.
Please, please, please DO!
My sister arrived in California from Ireland, and on the first night, slipped and broke her femur in four places - complete freak accident. She received incredibly good care in California, and the bill was $80K plus, and did not include the required F/C flight home.
She had great coverage from her Irish private insurance, but there was stuff they would not cover. Luckily, she had taken out travel insurance as well (up to a crazy amount of money), so they covered the difference (smallish) - they were quite brilliant.
I had to lay my credit card down for a minimum of $500 before they would even check her into the hospital! Luckily, she had provided me with all her insurance details beforehand.
The experience has taught me that, going forward, I will take out extra insurance, just in case.
#13
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Thanks for your concern, Cali. I am recovering slowly - now in more pain since starting PT. But I am expected to make a full recovery.
In answer to your question about repatriation, I do not feel the need to be brought home in case of an injury or illness, as long as there is good medical care available where I am. I do travel to remote palaces that have truly horrible medical care, and I want a med evac policy to take me to the closest appropriate facility. In Asia, That might be Bangkok, Singapore or Hong Kong.
Also, whether you are traveling alone or with others makes a difference. For Thursdays, traveling alone, she needed to be repatriated because she couldn't care for herself with a broken wrist. If Cheryl and I hadn't been traveling together, I would have needed to be flown home after my shoulder injury.
My secondary policy is a Blue Cross/Blue Shield, but all of those policies are different so talk with your insurer about what they do/do not cover in foreign countries.
In answer to your question about repatriation, I do not feel the need to be brought home in case of an injury or illness, as long as there is good medical care available where I am. I do travel to remote palaces that have truly horrible medical care, and I want a med evac policy to take me to the closest appropriate facility. In Asia, That might be Bangkok, Singapore or Hong Kong.
Also, whether you are traveling alone or with others makes a difference. For Thursdays, traveling alone, she needed to be repatriated because she couldn't care for herself with a broken wrist. If Cheryl and I hadn't been traveling together, I would have needed to be flown home after my shoulder injury.
My secondary policy is a Blue Cross/Blue Shield, but all of those policies are different so talk with your insurer about what they do/do not cover in foreign countries.
#14
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Yes, get it! My wife was hospitalized a few yrs. ago in Bangkok and as Kathie mentioned its a good place for medical care, at least at the hospital she was in. I am an RN and I was impressed with the care. Though the bill wasn't crazy, about 6k for 5 days, it was well worth it to get insurance which covered all of our charges.
Look into getting evacuation insurance too just in case you are not in an area where medical care is adequate but yes, get it by all means.
Look into getting evacuation insurance too just in case you are not in an area where medical care is adequate but yes, get it by all means.
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The best repatriation insurance in case of a serious medical problem isa very likely Medjet Assist. The plan is simple and straightforward: if you are hospitalized while traveling away from home, they will arrange air medical transport for you to any hospital of your choosing. I'm not sure if any other policy covers this. Medjet is not medical insurance -- they don't cover your medical bills, they cover only transporting you from a faraway hospital to the hospital of your choice (presumably, one close to your home). Some evacuation policies will transport you only to the closest modern medical facility from where you've taken ill, which might still be a continent away from where you want to go.
If you're on Medicare and have a supplemental policy, be sure to check if you are covered for out-of-the-country medical expenses. My Medicare supplemental policy, Tufts, does in fact cover me, minus a small deductible.
As a rule, you are very likely to pay more for any insurance policy than you are likely to get in claims. (This is especially true for most travel insurance policies, where the total amount paid for premiums is typically 40% or more than the amount paid out in claims.) So, the types of items that are most sensible to insure are catastrophic losses. An air ambulance could easily cost in the 10s of thousands of $$, so it makes sense to me to have a Medjet-type policy, even though it's extremely unlikely that I'd need to use it.
If you're on Medicare and have a supplemental policy, be sure to check if you are covered for out-of-the-country medical expenses. My Medicare supplemental policy, Tufts, does in fact cover me, minus a small deductible.
As a rule, you are very likely to pay more for any insurance policy than you are likely to get in claims. (This is especially true for most travel insurance policies, where the total amount paid for premiums is typically 40% or more than the amount paid out in claims.) So, the types of items that are most sensible to insure are catastrophic losses. An air ambulance could easily cost in the 10s of thousands of $$, so it makes sense to me to have a Medjet-type policy, even though it's extremely unlikely that I'd need to use it.
#16
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I don't, and won't, travel without medical insurance. I want to make sure I have coverage for the hospital OF MY CHOICE (not at the choice of the local provider), evacuation coverage, and -- for the sake of my family -- I want repatriation coverage (which in the terminology used by most policies I've examined, refers specifically to the return of one's remains, so be sure you know exactly what that term means when you look at various policies). After making sure I know what my routine coverage includes, I use insuremytrip.com and squaremouth.com to compare options, and I make sure I read all the fine print to understand those terms that are of particular concern to me. Your call!
#17
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Thank you all for your input. This is turning into an interesting thread. Yes, I promise to get insurance before I leave on my trip to Eastern Europe.
Thank you all for the website leads--that is especially helpful. It also sounds like there is some debate amongst you about what repatriation means. Kathie and thursdays claim that it means transporting you home while you alive, and kja states that it means transporting you after you have "departed." I googled the term, and it looks like kja is correct. If that is the case, what is the term for coverage to take you home while you are alive? Is there an element to any of these policies that pay for your flight home--if, for example, you are in Shanghai, and you need surgery, but you want to get home quickly to have it?
Kathie--hang in there with your recovery. If you don't want to strangle your physical therapist, then you are not working hard enough. No pain, no gain, as the athletes say.
Thank you all for the website leads--that is especially helpful. It also sounds like there is some debate amongst you about what repatriation means. Kathie and thursdays claim that it means transporting you home while you alive, and kja states that it means transporting you after you have "departed." I googled the term, and it looks like kja is correct. If that is the case, what is the term for coverage to take you home while you are alive? Is there an element to any of these policies that pay for your flight home--if, for example, you are in Shanghai, and you need surgery, but you want to get home quickly to have it?
Kathie--hang in there with your recovery. If you don't want to strangle your physical therapist, then you are not working hard enough. No pain, no gain, as the athletes say.
#18
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To be clear -- I think the term "repatriation" is used differently in different policies. I meant to speak only to the polices that I have consulted. But it is, obviously, an important distinction, which is why I mentioned it!
In the policies that I have consulted that use "repatriation" to refer to the return of one's remains, the phrase, "hospital of one's choice" (or something similar) has been used to refer to getting my still-living body to wherever I choose to go for treatment. My understanding is that such transport is always contingent upon medical judgement -- as I, personally, think it should be: I don't want to be transported if I'm so unstable as to risk my health just to move me! So the language about how / when my choice comes into play is also worthy of examination....
So -- all else being in order, in the policies I have reviewed in any detail, "medical evacuation" means that your expenses for being transported to a facility recommended by your local treating physician -- normally, the nearest competent facility -- will be covered. So, for example, if you need surgery ASAP, but you are in a non-surgical facility, the costs of transport to the hospital to which your treating local physician sends you would be covered, whether that's across town or in a larger city, and whether that means ambulance or air-transport or whatever -- at least assuming that the treating physician determines that your odds for survival are greater with transport than without. (That, of course, is always up to the treating professional.) Failure to have insurance that covers medical evacuation would not mean that you would not be evacuated by the method deemed best -- just that you might have to bear the costs of that transportation ... and the costs might be nontrivial.
If you want ANY control over the selection of your treating facility, you might want something beyond "medical evacuation" coverage. The policies I have considered in detail are ones that let me choose ANY hospital -- including any near my home in the U.S. (or near the home of a relative), and that is what I have seen referred to with words including, or like, "hospital of one's choosing." Again, the details are critical: Can you say, ahead of time, that if you are sufficiently stable for transport, you want to go to X hospital, even if you are unable to express a specific preference at the time? (I generally look for that option.) That, of course, is a bit different than being able to ask for a transfer if, and only if, you are conscious, alert, oriented, and able to assert a preference.
Oh, so complicated!
Hope that helps -- as with all too many things, the devil really is in the details....
In the policies that I have consulted that use "repatriation" to refer to the return of one's remains, the phrase, "hospital of one's choice" (or something similar) has been used to refer to getting my still-living body to wherever I choose to go for treatment. My understanding is that such transport is always contingent upon medical judgement -- as I, personally, think it should be: I don't want to be transported if I'm so unstable as to risk my health just to move me! So the language about how / when my choice comes into play is also worthy of examination....
So -- all else being in order, in the policies I have reviewed in any detail, "medical evacuation" means that your expenses for being transported to a facility recommended by your local treating physician -- normally, the nearest competent facility -- will be covered. So, for example, if you need surgery ASAP, but you are in a non-surgical facility, the costs of transport to the hospital to which your treating local physician sends you would be covered, whether that's across town or in a larger city, and whether that means ambulance or air-transport or whatever -- at least assuming that the treating physician determines that your odds for survival are greater with transport than without. (That, of course, is always up to the treating professional.) Failure to have insurance that covers medical evacuation would not mean that you would not be evacuated by the method deemed best -- just that you might have to bear the costs of that transportation ... and the costs might be nontrivial.
If you want ANY control over the selection of your treating facility, you might want something beyond "medical evacuation" coverage. The policies I have considered in detail are ones that let me choose ANY hospital -- including any near my home in the U.S. (or near the home of a relative), and that is what I have seen referred to with words including, or like, "hospital of one's choosing." Again, the details are critical: Can you say, ahead of time, that if you are sufficiently stable for transport, you want to go to X hospital, even if you are unable to express a specific preference at the time? (I generally look for that option.) That, of course, is a bit different than being able to ask for a transfer if, and only if, you are conscious, alert, oriented, and able to assert a preference.
Oh, so complicated!
Hope that helps -- as with all too many things, the devil really is in the details....
#19
"Repatriation" may indeed mean only that the company will pay to return your mortal remains to your home country. If you buy a standard policy that covers cancellation and interruption and lost baggage that is almost certainly all that it means. However, if you buy a medical evacuation policy, it may well mean that the company will return your still living (if damaged) body to your actual home (or a hospital in your home country). That is what it meant for me in Switzerland (that policy was from tenweb.com ). It is also why I had the discussion with DAN that led to me choosing a different company.
As kja says, you also need to pay close attention to the definition of "evacuation". It may mean only that you will be transported to the nearest suitable facility, with the company determining what that means.
As kja says, you also need to pay close attention to the definition of "evacuation". It may mean only that you will be transported to the nearest suitable facility, with the company determining what that means.
#20
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Just read my policy and it calls 'medical repatriation' getting you home after your medical care if you are unable to continue your trip...this is a standard type of policy, trip cancellation, interruption etc.
I remember a few years back when I did have to come home when I broke my foot. When I called the insurance co., the first person I spoke with said repatriation was for remains...lol....I told him to re-read the policy....
I remember a few years back when I did have to come home when I broke my foot. When I called the insurance co., the first person I spoke with said repatriation was for remains...lol....I told him to re-read the policy....