USCG "rescues" woman from Carnival ship.

[teknoge3k]

My local news just posted this but thought it was really cool since there's video provided.

 

The U.S. Coast Guard medevaced a Carnival cruise ship passenger about 100 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina on Thursday morning.

The 33-year-old woman, who needed medical attention for appendicitis-like symptoms, was hoisted from the ship and taken to a Norfolk hospital, according to a news release from the coast guard.

The Portsmouth Coast Guard station received word from the ship at about 7:15 p.m. Wednesday.

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from the Coast Guard's station in Elizabeth City responded.

 

 

Original link with video: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article212762254.html

[sanmarcosman]

Not much room to maneuver back there.

[mgdehoyos]

Great video ... and another reminder to purchase that travel insurance. Hope she’s ok!

 

 

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[Domergirl]

A good friend of mine is on that Horizon cruise. She texted me this early this morning: "Our cruise had to be diverted back to the U.S. for a guest to be airlifted to a hospital by the Coast Guard! They announced it last night at 9pm and the helicopter came to get the person at 6 am today...the helicopter had a hook and just picked up the person on a stretcher like that."

 

She said the itinerary has been modified. They will be skipping Grand Turk, and only stopping at San Juan and Amber Cove. Too bad for them...I'd personally rather skip Amber Cove and go to Grand Turk!!

 

I hope the sick passenger is OK. My friend is in good spirits - as she put it - "All good...can't complain on a cruise!"

[NYcruzzer]

Great video ... and another reminder to purchase that travel insurance. Hope she’s ok!

 

 

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I'm pretty sure that the USCG does not charge for medevacs . Additionally wouldn't a persons primary health insurance cover the medical expenses in Norfolk Va hospital ? Don't get me wrong I always purchase trip insurance. Just not sure it would be useful in this particular circumstance.

[mgdehoyos]

I'm pretty sure that the USCG does not charge for medevacs . Additionally wouldn't a persons primary health insurance cover the medical expenses in Norfolk Va hospital ? Don't get me wrong I always purchase trip insurance. Just not sure it would be useful in this particular circumstance.

 

 

 

USCG usually does not request a fee, but they can. I’m thinking more about her travel companion/s using it to fly back to be with the patient ... Although her medical insurance may work in the US, she may incur additional fees not covered perhaps by being out of her usual network. She also would have medical expenses from onboard not covered under her US policy, besides reimbursement for her cruise cut very short ... I see a lot of reasons it would be helpful in this circumstance.

 

 

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[riclop]

So sad.

[BlerkOne]

I'm pretty sure that the USCG does not charge for medevacs .

 

I'm pretty sure you're right. They do not charge. Pretty sure other countries don't, either.

[myfuzzy]

I thought due to the title of this thread, that someone had to be "rescued" from something.

 

Only to find, someone became ill, had to be airlifted back to a hospital....all in the verbiage..

[shof515]

I'm pretty sure that the USCG does not charge for medevacs . Additionally wouldn't a persons primary health insurance cover the medical expenses in Norfolk Va hospital ? Don't get me wrong I always purchase trip insurance. Just not sure it would be useful in this particular circumstance.

for a medevacs to happen, you have to see the ship doctor. the ship doctor determines the best course of action, either a medevacs or wait until the next port. Most regular health insurance in the US does not cover the ship doctors. you will have to pay for the ship doctor out of pocket. Once you are on land in the US, then you regular health insurance should be ok as long as it is valid to be used out of state/out of network

 

Even with travel insurance, you still have to pay ship doctor first and any other additional expenses out of pocket. Then later, file a claim to be reimbursed from the insurance.

[puppycanducruise]

Hope the airlifted passenger is okay.

[Homosassa]

LOL - from the thread title I thought a passenger had immediately invoked the cruise satisfaction guarantee.

[NYcruzzer]

for a medevacs to happen, you have to see the ship doctor. the ship doctor determines the best course of action, either a medevacs or wait until the next port. Most regular health insurance in the US does not cover the ship doctors. you will have to pay for the ship doctor out of pocket. Once you are on land in the US, then you regular health insurance should be ok as long as it is valid to be used out of state/out of network

 

Even with travel insurance, you still have to pay ship doctor first and any other additional expenses out of pocket. Then later, file a claim to be reimbursed from the insurance.

 

Good points. Like I said I always purchase travel insurance. Gives me peace of mind.

[Aquahound]

USCG usually does not request a fee, but they can.

 

No, they can't. USCG does not charge for medevacs.

[bar1068]

So this thread confuses me. So if a passenger has a health issue onboard and it's determined it best to medivac them off the ship to a land based medical facility, that passenger will or won't be charged for the medivac? My understanding was the USCG handles many air lifts from cruise ships when needed, and the pax would not be charged, yet going back to our first cruise in 2008, our PVP and others since have always cautioned on getting travel insurance, and one of the biggest possible concerns pushed/cautioned was that a medivac could cost a passenger 10's of thousands of dollars if needed, so insurance your best bet to avoid those cost that should it happen. I'm not doubting the value and sensibility of travel insurance when cruising, or traveling in general, but I'm curious about if a passenger would be hit with a huge bill should they need to be airlifted off a ship?

[Aquahound]

So this thread confuses me. So if a passenger has a health issue onboard and it's determined it best to medivac them off the ship to a land based medical facility, that passenger will or won't be charged for the medivac? My understanding was the USCG handles many air lifts from cruise ships when needed, and the pax would not be charged, yet going back to our first cruise in 2008, our PVP and others since have always cautioned on getting travel insurance, and one of the biggest possible concerns pushed/cautioned was that a medivac could cost a passenger 10's of thousands of dollars if needed, so insurance your best bet to avoid those cost that should it happen. I'm not doubting the value and sensibility of travel insurance when cruising, or traveling in general, but I'm curious about if a passenger would be hit with a huge bill should they need to be airlifted off a ship?

 

They won't be charged if its the USCG who medevacs. But USCG isn't everywhere. There's no telling who it might be that has to make the rescue, especially when he ship is far away from the US and it territories.

[maryred]

So this thread confuses me. So if a passenger has a health issue onboard and it's determined it best to medivac them off the ship to a land based medical facility, that passenger will or won't be charged for the medivac? My understanding was the USCG handles many air lifts from cruise ships when needed, and the pax would not be charged, yet going back to our first cruise in 2008, our PVP and others since have always cautioned on getting travel insurance, and one of the biggest possible concerns pushed/cautioned was that a medivac could cost a passenger 10's of thousands of dollars if needed, so insurance your best bet to avoid those cost that should it happen. I'm not doubting the value and sensibility of travel insurance when cruising, or traveling in general, but I'm curious about if a passenger would be hit with a huge bill should they need to be airlifted off a ship?

 

Medivac when handled by the USGC is of no charge, BUT what most PVPs/TAs are cautioning about is subsequent medical evacuation from foreign soil. In some cases it is a requirement, as the island or nation being visited does not have the necessary specialist available. In others it's a patient's choice, if stable, wishing to see their own doctors.

In these cases regular airlines become involved and they may require a flight nurse as a precaution. Just think how much a last minute domestic flight costs. So not only does the family need to pay their own airfares but needs to pay for the return flight for the nurse and the nursing service fees. Not everywhere has access to a life-flight style organization for reduced life saving medical flights.

[Purvis1231]

It is true that the United States Coast Guard does not levee a fee, there are still a host of reasons to buy travel insurance.

[spleenstomper]

I think if you are say in a hospital in Cancun and you want to go to your hospital in New Orleans, that is a medievac and that can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

[in2up2]

The one time we ever used a ship's doctor, my regular health insurance did cover it as an out of network claim. We always get travel insurance regardless.

 

 

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