Medical insurance question

[SempreMare]

55 minutes ago, jeda4137 said:

Before they even pay a claim , they will raise your C/C limit and put claim on your card while they investigate the claim.  You would probably be responsible for the interest and hope and pray claim would be paid. 

 

Yikes!

[Underwatr]

That's like any secondary travel insurance, actually, even when your primary health insurance has out-of-network coverage. You pay the bill, and submit to insurance for reimbursement. Meanwhile your credit card bill is due or accrues interest until paid in full. 

[RocketMan275]

On 5/13/2019 at 6:32 PM, Double D Cruisers said:

Yes indeed. Thanks for the clarification.  Medicare Part C (supplemental) does/may cover some/all portions.  I am retired military so in my case Tricare for Life (supplemental)  would pay for all health care to include air evacuation to "the safest closest place" if I were anywhere in the world. However, I may have to pay out of pocket, and the be reimbursed later.  

I wasn't aware Tricare for Life covered air evac.  Nice to know.

[Begete]

I am booked on a HAL cruise in December, am a retired attorney, and am going nuts trying to figure out HAL’s platinum insurance policy. 

 

I never practiced anything remotely connected to insurance law, but heck...I should be able to read and understand a policy? 

 

My best guess is that even the platinum policy is a trip cancellation policy, and provides very little in the way of coverage for any medical occurrence once you have actually begun your trip.

 

They say on their website that they cover you for preexisting conditions, but that seems to relate to pretrip cancellation, not to coverage during the cruise. There the language is more ambiguous. It say you are covered for “sickness” that begins on your trip...or something to that effect. Does that mean if you have a heart condition, but it is  medically under control, but later have a heart attack on board, you are not covered? 

 

Darn if I know. Based on the language in the policy and on the HAL website, I could argue this both ways.

[Hlitner]

3 hours ago, Begete said:

I am booked on a HAL cruise in December, am a retired attorney, and am going nuts trying to figure out HAL’s platinum insurance policy. 

 

I never practiced anything remotely connected to insurance law, but heck...I should be able to read and understand a policy? 

 

My best guess is that even the platinum policy is a trip cancellation policy, and provides very little in the way of coverage for any medical occurrence once you have actually begun your trip.

 

They say on their website that they cover you for preexisting conditions, but that seems to relate to pretrip cancellation, not to coverage during the cruise. There the language is more ambiguous. It say you are covered for “sickness” that begins on your trip...or something to that effect. Does that mean if you have a heart condition, but it is  medically under control, but later have a heart attack on board, you are not covered? 

 

Darn if I know. Based on the language in the policy and on the HAL website, I could argue this both ways.

Don't you know the big SECRET!  Policy language is often written by technocrats (at one time I fell into that category) who carefully word the policy so that attorneys are clueless :).   One of our in-house lawyers used to laugh at my language and say it would even confuse a judge :).

 

I have never seen a cruise line policy that had good health care coverage.  In some cases they are actually a good option for an elderly cruise who is too old to get a decent policy from a third party company.....but most folks wanting decent health insurance should be looking elsewhere.  There are a few web sites where you can compare travel policies....insuremytrip.com and squaremouth.com.   Another popular website is tripinsurancestore.com...whose owner (Steve Dasseos) has even been interviewed here on Cruise Critic.  For those that need some verbal advice and help you can call the trip insurance store and ask for Steve.  He has an excellent reputation and represents multiple insurance providers.

 

Hank

[edgee]

Cannot say enough good things about Trip Insurance store and its owner Steve Dasseos. His website is very user friendly and he and his team really are great about taking this super complicated subject and breaking down the ins and outs in a way travelers can understand. He also will give you advice on how to submit a claim and will advocate on your behalf with the insurance company if problems arise with your claim.

[Underwatr]

13 hours ago, Begete said:

My best guess is that even the platinum policy is a trip cancellation policy, and provides very little in the way of coverage for any medical occurrence once you have actually begun your trip.

I don't get that from reading the details of the policy but you have to be comfortable with your own coverage. The limits are a little low but might be manageable. 

 

Edit: Oh, you're right. Sickness is very narrowly defined to that which is first diagnosed after the policy is bought, and first treated while on travel. Lots of loopholes for the insurer there. 

Edited May 17, 2019 by Underwatr

[thinfool]

13 hours ago, Begete said:

I am booked on a HAL cruise in December, am a retired attorney,

With respect, may I join with others on this thread to recommend third party coverage.  Verbage is often easier to understand and the coverage is definitely more comprehensive.

Personally I think that GeoBlues annual policy is hard to beat.

 

[misguy]

I did a live show on the differences between cruise line insurance, trip insurance and credit card insurance. 

 

[crystalspin]

On 5/13/2019 at 3:12 PM, cuagrad90 said:

I plan to get a GeoBlue policy for a year.It is health insurance only. My credit card from C##### gives good travel insurance coverage if I charge the trip using the card - except no health. 

Agree on the GeoBlue annual. However, read the big-box benefits manual VERY WELL.

 

I figured, they run a travel agency their card would be good protection for travel. So we used them for several vacations. Then I used them for a trip FOR FOUR PEOPLE (two cabins) with Sinorama -- a cruise on the Yangtze. Two months before the trip, Sinorama was relieved of their license by several Canadian provincial governments! Big-box credit card said, "Too bad, so sad". Our Chase Sapphire card would have covered us! To the tune of $9000+. (C#####'s response to that was "That's a different product." HUH!)

 

We said "Too bad" to the big box credit card (we still have it but use it ONLY to buy toilet paper at the warehouse). We upgraded our Preferred Sapphire to Reserve, with myriad travel benefits including cancellation for any reason we would use. (Not Cancel For Any Reason, but nearly. They will even cover cancellation if your PET becomes ill!)

 

Anyway, don't assume you're covered but read the coverage while imagining all that could go wrong.

[RocketMan275]

6 hours ago, crystalspin said:

Agree on the GeoBlue annual. However, read the big-box benefits manual VERY WELL.

 

I figured, they run a travel agency their card would be good protection for travel. So we used them for several vacations. Then I used them for a trip FOR FOUR PEOPLE (two cabins) with Sinorama -- a cruise on the Yangtze. Two months before the trip, Sinorama was relieved of their license by several Canadian provincial governments! Big-box credit card said, "Too bad, so sad". Our Chase Sapphire card would have covered us! To the tune of $9000+. (C#####'s response to that was "That's a different product." HUH!)

 

We said "Too bad" to the big box credit card (we still have it but use it ONLY to buy toilet paper at the warehouse). We upgraded our Preferred Sapphire to Reserve, with myriad travel benefits including cancellation for any reason we would use. (Not Cancel For Any Reason, but nearly. They will even cover cancellation if your PET becomes ill!)

 

Anyway, don't assume you're covered but read the coverage while imagining all that could go wrong.

That card isn't issued by the store.  It's issued by Citi Bank.

What reason did Citi give for not covering your loss?

[RocketMan275]

9 hours ago, crystalspin said:

Agree on the GeoBlue annual. However, read the big-box benefits manual VERY WELL.

 

I figured, they run a travel agency their card would be good protection for travel. So we used them for several vacations. Then I used them for a trip FOR FOUR PEOPLE (two cabins) with Sinorama -- a cruise on the Yangtze. Two months before the trip, Sinorama was relieved of their license by several Canadian provincial governments! Big-box credit card said, "Too bad, so sad". Our Chase Sapphire card would have covered us! To the tune of $9000+. (C#####'s response to that was "That's a different product." HUH!)

 

Anyway, don't assume you're covered but read the coverage while imagining all that could go wrong.

Have you read this thread on Trip Advisor?  It appears that Citibank was refunding the money until Sinorama challenged the charge back and took some time to resolve.  It also appears that people are getting their money back from the credit card companies.

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294211-i642-k11786546-o270-Sinorama_still_appears_shaky-China.html

[ghstudio]

Many insurance policies will cover your transportation and treatment at the nearest medical facility that can handle your condition.  While that sounds good...you may be stuck in that hospital in Pakistan for a few weeks while your hip heals...you get the drift.  If the hospital in Pakistan says they can treat you adequately.....and your insurance company agrees (which they almost always do)....you are now stuck in a hospital in Pakistan....note: I said many policies...there are some that offer something closer to what I am about to discuss.  

 

Many of us who have traveled a great deal or who have followed trip insurance have have an annual MedJet Assist (discounted through AARP) policy in addition to a standard travel insurance policy.  Here's where medjet steps in to help.  If you or someone you are travelling with is admitted to a hospital anywhere in the world (farther than 300 miles from your home)....you contact MedJet and ask them to transport you to the hospital of your choice.....eg. your home hospital, the mayo clinic...you choose.  The only questions asked by medjet are a) do you still require additional ongoing hospital treatment? b) are you currently admitted to a hospital (don't call if you are not admitted to a hospital)? c) are you medically stable enough to be transported home.  If the answer to all 3 is yes, Medjet will arrange your air transportation home on commercial or a private medical jet, if needed, with the medical staff to support you during the flight.  You are no longer stranded for weeks in Pakistan (or wherever). Important note: Medjet does not cover the cost of transport from the ship to the first hospital....that's part of your standard travel insurance.

 

I suggest to everyone that they consider an annual MedJet Assist policy....or at least understand what it offers in addition to standard Travel Insurance.   (I should note...I have no affiliation....I just know someone who used their services and swears by them).

[zelker]

43 minutes ago, ghstudio said:

Many insurance policies will cover your transportation and treatment at the nearest medical facility that can handle your condition.  While that sounds good...you may be stuck in that hospital in Pakistan for a few weeks while your hip heals...you get the drift.  If the hospital in Pakistan says they can treat you adequately.....and your insurance company agrees (which they almost always do)....you are now stuck in a hospital in Pakistan....note: I said many policies...there are some that offer something closer to what I am about to discuss.  

 

Many of us who have traveled a great deal or who have followed trip insurance have have an annual MedJet Assist (discounted through AARP) policy in addition to a standard travel insurance policy.  Here's where medjet steps in to help.  If you or someone you are travelling with is admitted to a hospital anywhere in the world (farther than 300 miles from your home)....you contact MedJet and ask them to transport you to the hospital of your choice.....eg. your home hospital, the mayo clinic...you choose.  The only questions asked by medjet are a) do you still require additional ongoing hospital treatment? b) are you currently admitted to a hospital (don't call if you are not admitted to a hospital)? c) are you medically stable enough to be transported home.  If the answer to all 3 is yes, Medjet will arrange your air transportation home on commercial or a private medical jet, if needed, with the medical staff to support you during the flight.  You are no longer stranded for weeks in Pakistan (or wherever). Important note: Medjet does not cover the cost of transport from the ship to the first hospital....that's part of your standard travel insurance.

 

I suggest to everyone that they consider an annual MedJet Assist policy....or at least understand what it offers in addition to standard Travel Insurance.   (I should note...I have no affiliation....I just know someone who used their services and swears by them).

Actually it covers you if you are as little as 150 miles from home.  And I totally concur it's the best investment out there.  Unfortunately we learned that the hard way, to the tune of a six digit out-of-pocket air ambulance ride home from the Canary Islands to Colorado so I could have surgery in a first-world country where the water was potable, the windows had screens on them, they used proper sterilization techniques before they put anything into my body or changed an IV bag, and everyone spoke English.  Now we don't leave home without it.

[ghstudio]

IMHO, the HAL platinum plan offers just $10,000 worth of medical insurance.  Honestly, that's a joke.....if you have a medical issue on board requiring hospitalization somewhere...$10,000 is woefully inadequate...if that's the only medical insurance you will have.  Don't do it.....buy independent insurance which will cost less and provide better coverage.  The only advantage to HAL's policies is that they will refund 80% of your payment..and I think that's only in the form of a credit towards another cruise.

 

Do not...repeat DO NOT assume that HAL is providing the insurance you need.  They are providing the insurance that will insure they can get you off the ship and you can pay their medical bills on-board.

[Begete]

Here is what we decided to do, based on reading everything we could find both from HAL and other insurers: We purchased a full policy, that did NOT EXCLUDE preexisting conditions, but NOT INCLUDE cancel for any reason coverage from Travel Guard AND also purchased HAL’s platinum plan that includes the cancel for ANY reason coverage. We are in our 70’s and the two policies, for our 18 days (including pre and post cruise packages) cost us about $1,000. This was nearly $400 less than purchasing a full cancel for any reason policy WITH no preexisting condition exclusion from any other vendor.

 

My fear was that HAL’s platinum plan may not cover preexisting conditions once the journey has begun, and should one need transport from the Antarctic Ocean, it would cost more than the $50,000 max. So buying the less expensive Travel Guard plan covering preexisting conditions AND higher coverage for illnesses, lost luggage, trip interruption, etc. plus the cancel for any reason coverage of the HAL plan, I believe gives us maximum, complete coverage.