Medical Costs for 81 year old
 

Hello, My dad is 81 and has arrhythmia
His last time at the hospital was in September 2017. I would love to go away with him but he is very worried that if by chance something related to his heart would have him go to hospital, it would cost him a fortune.
I know that the U.S. is out of the question. .
But does anyone know how the medical system works for tourists in Europe. And who can I contact to get insurance and info for him

Thanks
Maria

This in the information for Italy.

Healthcare - Rights for Tourists - Info

I don't know how it works in other European countries.

This is a United Kingdom-based company

https://www.world-first.co.uk/home/t...e/seniors.aspx

You need to specify the target countries. The systems differ.

>>> U.S. is out of the question.
I presume this means you are U.S. citizen and your statement is referring to flying back to the U.S. for an immediate treatment?

>>> it would cost him a fortune.
It depends on the country, but even if you need to should the cost, no country routinely charges as much as the U.S. healthcare system.

In case if you decide to take a U.S. based travel medical insurance, be aware of the timing requirement. Your dad has a pre-existing condition. You can buy a ravel medical insurance with pre-existing condition coverage. However, such policies have strict time window AFTER you make a non-refundable travel deposit, such as airfare in order to have the pre-existing condition covered. The pre-existing condition coverage is usually a part of a premium policy, not a bare bottom policy. Before hitting a non-refundable deposit, align all the ducks in a row by identifying an insurance acceptable to you. If you purchase an appropriate travel medical insurance within 24 hours of the airfare purchase. If you cannot get an insurance, you have 24 hours to back out of the airfare at no cost.

Where do you live? If in the EU you can get an EHIC card which will cover emergency treatment, but you still need travel insurance in case he needs to be ambulanced home.
Some companies will offer insurance but it could be expensive due to his age and his heart condition. My aunt managed to get insurance for a trip to Italy at a similar age, and after a heart attack. Just as well, as she had a second attack and died while on holiday. Insurance coverec all the costs, and dealt with all the red tape involved in getting her back to the UK.
If you are in the US then you need to look at a website like Insuremytrip.com and see if they have anything to cover him (and you!)

No, we are Canadian. This is why I say I would not take him to the U.S.

We are Canadians.

I understand now, it wasn't clear at first. Yes, I agree, the US is terrible in health care costs.

OBviously, poorer countries in Europe, generally speaking, have cheaper health care costs if that is what you want to know. There is a reason there is dental tourism to Hungary, for one example. I don't know relative costs for hospital stays, but I would be willing to bet that it is cheaper in Hungary than in England or Switzerland. Or cheaper in the CR and Poland, also.

As far as I know, from what I've read, costs for tourists is just that they bill you, countries don't just give free medical care to nonresidents, they'd go broke. In fact, I did have to visit the NHS in London once on vacation for an outpatient issue and as I recall, I just paid a modest bill, but that wasn't anything like heart surgery.

If there is a special situation where they bill tourists 500 pct of the normal bill, I have not heard of it, but if so, I hope someone chimes in so you know. But if I were you, I'd get good travel insurance, of course, and then go to the cheaper countries, that's all. Because often you have to pay the bill anyway and then the insurer reimburses you. I don't know about Canada, but in the US, there are some insurers who actually have provider networks in some major foreign cities, but I wouldn't count on that.

I think there is a more deluxe evacuation insurance policy where you can be evactuated just because you want it, also, so look into that (generally, those medical evacuation policies only cover IF you are in some location without decent medical care).

Oh, and pay good attention to whaty Greg says, that for travel insurance to cover pre-existing conditions, you MUST buy it within a short time of your first trip monetary outlay, such as buying your plane ticket for many people.

Just as the cost of medical care varies from country to country so do rules for travel insurance and airlines. If you decide to not travel if you can't obtain travel insurance, then I would buy it before purchasing anything else of significant expense. Most airlines, in my experience, impose hefty fees for cancellation regardless of the reason. However, your dates for travel insurance can generally be adjusted fairly easily, as long as you don't extend your travel duration significantly.

I am not worried about cancellation. It is the medical insurance for an 81 year old that concerns me.

I think my point was that some people seemed to be advocating buying airfares before buying insurance. I wouldn't do that in my home country but I don't know the insurance rules in Canada.

So you would buy an insurance first? I thought you need to give the insurance company your flight info

Chrisitna have you any idea where I would get the evacuation insurance and what insurance company is a "good insurance " company?

If you want pre-existing conditions covered you usually need to buy insurance within a set number of days after making your first payment. That payment is usually air fare or a tour/cruise deposit. dreamon seems to be suggesting that your request for insurance might be turned down, but I have never heard of that happening with travel insurance, for which there is no medical exam.

I'll leave this to the Canadians because I think this is different in different countries. Here is it not necessary to provide the insurer with details of any travel arrangements unless you subsequently make a claim. And customers may indeed be denied cover on application, depending on their condition, age, travel destination and travel duration if the insurer deems the risk too high. If they accept the risk they may charge a high premium or impose limits on cover. But I don't know if Canada is the same - from what others have said it's not the same so go with what locals are saying - but check your policy wording.

Many people do have arrhythmias. Is this something that frequently requires he seek medical care? A talk with his cardiologist might help relieve his fears somewhat or may help him decide what type of travel is reasonable.

Once you know a bit more about his doctor's recommendations, you should contact medical insurance companies and see how their coverage works. It may be that travel to the US and Europe is well covered. This website might be helpful: https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/docu...avel-insurance

Not sure where "here" is, but I live in the US and have never had to provide more than age and length of trip for travel medical and evacuation insurance, and I'm old enough to give insurers pause. (See, e.g. https://www.sevencorners.com/#start/outbound )

Thanks for the help Thursdaysd. So, what I got from that is that I need an insurance that covers pre-existing conditions,that is reliable. Can anyone suggest one. Remember we are Canadians going to Europe.

Thanks a bunch!!!

Visit the site InsureMyTrip.com for information, including evacuation insurance. Allows you to compare various policies and costs from various companies. I have never had to use it but now would not leave without it. Casualty of getting older. I have used Travel Guard at a nominal cost. I always book refundable hotel rooms to help reduce my insurance cost.

You also need medical evacuation and repatriation. It is very important that you read the fine print on this. Evacuation insurance may only get you to the nearest hospital, you want coverage that will also get you (and any travel companion) home. When I broke my wrist in Switzerland I got myself to the hospital (Interlaken, I was the ONLY patient in the ER!) but my insurance (from Home Page - TEN) sent a car and driver to take me to Geneva airport and paid for the return flights. Later I checked with DAN, which is popular with some Fodorites on the Asia board, and they said they would NOT have brought me home.

I save money by only buying medical and evacuation insurance, but given your father's state of health it sounds like you should also buy cancellation and interruption insurance.

It looks to me that Seven Corners will sell you insurance even though you live in Canada, not the US. Since they are the underlying provider for TEN I imagine they will, too. You might check to see what they would charge for a visit to the US.