blackmons

So I'm in Hiroshima and I think I may have injured my foot. During the night I got a sharp pain in my heel and ankle and it isn't going away. We are about to leave for miyajima for the night. I can walk. If it gets worse I will probably need to see a doctor. Stupid question but I've never faced an injury or illness while traveling. do I just go to an emergency room? Can I pay on a credit card? Does my trip insurance cover anything? What is the best way to handle this? I have no idea what caused this out of nowhere.
Thanks for any advice you can give me. Laurie

Kathie

Look at your trip insurance policy to see what it covers. If you bought comprehensive insurance, you likely have a medical cover. But normally, you pay for the medical care and your insurance will later reimburse you. Ask at your hotel for the closest medical clinic. I've always been able to pay with a credit card, but I've never sought medical care in Japan.

Mara

I would call your insurance policy emergency number - they should be able to refer you to a medical facility. I had to go to a hospital when I broke my foot back in 2007 - had to pay in cash for the care, not hospitalized, get receipts for sure....But maybe now they take cc's...

Good luck!

jacketwatch

We had to use a hosp. in Bangkok for my wife. Once she was in I called the toll free number for Allianz and they took it from there. We did not have to switch hospitals. However as Mara said call them and get the ball rolling. Good luck!

kja

No advice from me, but lots of good wishes!

CaliforniaLady

Are you from the US? If so, your health insurance should cover you all over the world. I would just go, and worry about reimbursement later.

blackmons

Thanks everyone. Sitting it out today in Miyajima. Fingers crossed for a better day tomorrow. Our luggage is in Nara so I'm going to tough it out until I get to Kyoto in a few days. Hopefully.

Kathie

Let us know how you are doing - good luck!

thursdaysd

As I found out when I was in Japan with a sprained ankle, Japanese hospitals do not have emergency rooms. And my insurance didn't want to cover me unless I went to an emergency room. Fortunately, a Fodor's poster living in Japan took me to her doctor and translated for me. I think the bill was low enough I just paid it myself.

You might check the US embassy website for doctor recommendations.

Comtrary to CaliforniaLady's optimistic post, US medical insurance does NOT necessarily cover you abroad, and if it is Medicare it cerainly doesn't, unless you have a Medigap plan that does. Check your travel insurance policy.

CaliforniaLady

Thursdays, my Blue Cross (non-Medicare) policy does indeed cover does indeed cover travel abroad, and that does seem to be the case with most US carriers, as policies are now standardized. The policy does not, however, cover medical evacuation.

I apologize if I implied that my post applied to Medicare, but this friendly debate should be helpful to others, in the event that they don't have travel insurance. It doesn't hurt to try submitting your medical bills to your health insurance carrier.

Blackmons, how are you feeling today?

jacketwatch

"If so, your health insurance should cover you all over the world. I would just go, and worry about reimbursement later."

Thats just not true. Our insurance did not cover Sues hospitalization in Bangkok. We used our Allianz policy and even they said most likely our own would not cover and that we had to get them to deny the claim first before they would pick it up and that turned out to be the case.

I would bet most actually don't have coverage abroad. This is why people are encouraged to get travelers insurance.

Kathie

While my Blue Cross/Blue Shield policy does cover me worldwide, that seems to be the exception rather than the rule.

For anyone traveling internationally, do check with you medical insurance about coverage. Also, give serious consideration to a medical evacuation policy.

thursdaysd

Policies under the ACA were standardized. The majority of US residents with health insurance are covered by their employers, not the ACA. Those policies are NOT standardized, they are whatever the employer decided she could afford after negotiating with the insurance companies, or self-funding.

blackmons

Feeling much better, thanks! I got a compression sock and stayed off my feet all day yesterday. I missed out on exploring Miyajima, but our room at momijiso was so beautiful that it wasn't too bad of a sacrifice. On our way to Nara, then Koyosan and ending in Kyoto. So grateful for your quick advice and happy I could open up some discussion on an important topic.
Laurie

Kathie

I'm so glad to hear that you are feeling better!

kja

So glad to hear the good news, blackmons! And I like picturing you at the lovely Momiji-so while resting and recuperating.

Thanks for the update.

russ_in_LA

I know I'm late to this party, but when I had a severe migraine attack in Tokyo (and my normal meds didn't work) the hotel called an English speaking doctor who came to me, along with his pharmacy in a briefcase. It was quite pricey. My US insurance would have reimbursed me, except that I had not yet met my deductible; but at least it went towards it. Hope the rest of your trip is pain free!

jacketwatch

Glad you are better.

Policies with private insurance companies vary and are not standardized at all.

Ours did not cover hospitalization for Sue but did cover the MD visit to our hotel. Go figure.

thursdaysd

Very glad to hear you're doing better! I know what's it like to limp round Japan, which is not kind to the mobility impaired. They do have some very good bandages impregnated with medication, if you continue to have problems.

Kavey

I too had a severe migraine attack on our first trip to Kyoto. Usually these respond to my pain meds (which I had with me), especially when I take tramadol but it wasn't shifting and it felt like my head was exploding even more than usual, if that's even possible.

As it was evening, our ryokan host took us directly to a nearby hospital by taxi, coming with us to translate. I told them I had a history of such headaches but this one was not responding to the meds I take as I would usually expect. They decided to do a CT scan, though they did ask me first given cost - around £300 GBP.

I accepted the cost, and it was clear, plus ironically, about an hour later (I was still there), the pain started to fade on its own.

I didn't try to claim on my travel insurance as it was an existing condition I'd not specifically declared (didn't even think of it) so it didn't seem worth that debate.

Our host had needed to go back to the ryokan after staying with me the first half hour (and until the scan was done) but she left instructions for them to book a return taxi, wouldn't let us reimburse her for the first taxi and had left some simple food items in our room as she knew we'd have missed dinner out, and we'd not booked the kaiseki for that night. She was amazing and made it all so much less stressful.