Pre-existing conditions and evacuation

[Choozin Croozin]

I am wondering if I have been paying for insurance all along that wouldn't have covered me if I needed? I always wait until final payment to buy insurance. I just thought if something big happens we could cancel and all would be refunded. So after doing some reading etc about pre-existing conditions and them not being covered unless you buy insurance at 1st payment I have a few questions. Between my husband and myself, we have had kidney stones, blood clots (now on blood thinners) and a bout of a-fib which the doctors had ruled out that it was actually a-fib through a lot of testing. So I guess these are all pre-existing conditions? I'm not so concerned about the price of the cruise etc as I am the cost of the evacuation and travel for the other person, if God forbid, it was needed. Would that not be covered under a travel insurance policy? We are 68 & 75. We both have medicare and a supplemental policy to cover us out of the country. Do I just not bother with travel insurance then? I have a final payment on a cruise next week and ready to buy travel insurance. Just not sure what to do. 

Edited July 16, 2023 by Choozin Croozin

[Babr]

If all of your conditions were stable during the policy look-back period, you’d still be covered. Stable means you reported no new symptoms, had no tests / treatments, no new prescriptions or changes. Look-back is the number of days back from the effective date of the policy that the insurance company will examine your medical records if you file a claim. The least number of days is 60, but it varies by policy to considerably more.

 

 There are policies that allow a pre-existing conditions waiver at final payment, but they also have stipulations that vary among policies, such as being fit to travel at time of purchase or insuring all non-refundable payments.

 

If indeed you had an active pre-existing condition with no waiver, you would not be eligible for Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Medical Evacuation, or extended care. You’d still get emergency care. The rest is your responsibility.

 

In insurance terms, Medical Evacuation means hospital-to-hospital transfer if you need care the first facility can’t provide. I’m not sure if a Medicare supplement covers that, but it most certainly would not pay for travel for the other person or return home once the patient is able to travel - or repatriation of remains, for that matter.

 

If you are thinking Evacuation means air/sea rescue, it does not. If it is available, the equivalent of the Coast Guard from the nearest country will get you to land. The rest is still up to you.
 

Don’t rely on your supplement. Call Steve tomorrow to see what kind of policy you need.

[klfrodo]

5 hours ago, Choozin Croozin said:

I am wondering if I have been paying for insurance all along that wouldn't have covered me if I needed? I always wait until final payment to buy insurance. I just thought if something big happens we could cancel and all would be refunded. So after doing some reading etc about pre-existing conditions and them not being covered unless you buy insurance at 1st payment I have a few questions. Between my husband and myself, we have had kidney stones, blood clots (now on blood thinners) and a bout of a-fib which the doctors had ruled out that it was actually a-fib through a lot of testing. So I guess these are all pre-existing conditions? I'm not so concerned about the price of the cruise etc as I am the cost of the evacuation and travel for the other person, if God forbid, it was needed. Would that not be covered under a travel insurance policy? We are 68 & 75. We both have medicare and a supplemental policy to cover us out of the country. Do I just not bother with travel insurance then? I have a final payment on a cruise next week and ready to buy travel insurance. Just not sure what to do. 

What is a "pre-existing" Condition?

Steve's website answers that question for you.

How Travel Insurance Pre-Existing Medical Condition Coverage Works « Get the Best Trip Insurance Details, Advice (tripinsurancestore.com)

[iamtrustworthy]

On 7/16/2023 at 1:21 PM, Choozin Croozin said:

I am wondering if I have been paying for insurance all along that wouldn't have covered me if I needed? I always wait until final payment to buy insurance. I just thought if something big happens we could cancel and all would be refunded. So after doing some reading etc about pre-existing conditions and them not being covered unless you buy insurance at 1st payment I have a few questions. Between my husband and myself, we have had kidney stones, blood clots (now on blood thinners) and a bout of a-fib which the doctors had ruled out that it was actually a-fib through a lot of testing. So I guess these are all pre-existing conditions? I'm not so concerned about the price of the cruise etc as I am the cost of the evacuation and travel for the other person, if God forbid, it was needed. Would that not be covered under a travel insurance policy? We are 68 & 75. We both have medicare and a supplemental policy to cover us out of the country. Do I just not bother with travel insurance then? I have a final payment on a cruise next week and ready to buy travel insurance. Just not sure what to do. 

Hi Choozin Croosin,

 

> So I guess these are all pre-existing conditions?

 

In the last 180 days, have either of you, or a traveling companion or a non-traveling family member, had any medication changes or had treatment for, had symptoms of or been diagnosed with any medical condition that could worsen and, in turn, cause you to cancel or interrupt your trip? Or that could cause you to seek treatment on your trip?
 

Note this: In addition to your own medical conditions, your trip could also be affected by a traveling companion or a non-traveling family member's medical conditions.

 

We have four Trip Cancellation plans you may buy by Final Payment that will cover pre-existing conditions. And two travel medical plans.

 

If you want more specific information and travel insurance plan prices for your trip, call us at 1-888-407-3854 or 1-816-282-6858.

 

Steve Dasseos

 

 

Edited July 18, 2023 by iamtrustworthy
typo

[LadyZolt]

Whatever policy you get, be sure to read what it covers for medical evacuation.  Many of them will say that they will take you to the nearest hospital that can treat your condition. But there are medical evacuation policies in addition to regular travel policies.  We use Medjet Assist.  No matter where we are, they will bring the patient and a companion back to our own hospital in the city where we live.  So, with many policies, if I'm injured in Tokyo, they will take me to a hospital in Tokyo that can treat me.  With Medjet, as soon as I'm stable enough to travel, they will fly me home to the hospital I would prefer to handle it here near my house. For us, it's worth the price of the Medjet policy to ensure that we get back to the USA and the hospital we know. Just putting this info out there so you are more aware of the different options with regard to medical evacuations.

[iamtrustworthy]

1 hour ago, LadyZolt said:

Whatever policy you get, be sure to read what it covers for medical evacuation.  Many of them will say that they will take you to the nearest hospital that can treat your condition. But there are medical evacuation policies in addition to regular travel policies.  We use Medjet Assist.  No matter where we are, they will bring the patient and a companion back to our own hospital in the city where we live.  So, with many policies, if I'm injured in Tokyo, they will take me to a hospital in Tokyo that can treat me.  With Medjet, as soon as I'm stable enough to travel, they will fly me home to the hospital I would prefer to handle it here near my house. For us, it's worth the price of the Medjet policy to ensure that we get back to the USA and the hospital we know. Just putting this info out there so you are more aware of the different options with regard to medical evacuations.

Hi LadyZot,

 

You're right. Lots of plans won't take you back to a hospital close to home. All our plans will, but not all of them that are availble.

 

Steve Dasseos

[IslandThyme]

The part that bugs me is using a change in medications as a health indicator. New meds come on the market all the time and doctors want to try them. Insurance companies change their  minds about what meds they will cover under various policies, necessitating a change in meds. These things do not necessarily indicate any change in your actual health status, but count against you on the pre-existing conditions checklist. 

[Babr]

11 minutes ago, IslandThyme said:

The part that bugs me is using a change in medications as a health indicator. New meds come on the market all the time and doctors want to try them. Insurance companies change their  minds about what meds they will cover under various policies, necessitating a change in meds. These things do not necessarily indicate any change in your actual health status, but count against you on the pre-existing conditions checklist. 

 

Yes, but it is a problem only if it causes your condition to become unstable and/or contributes to the reason for your claim. Otherwise it is business as usual.

Edited July 30, 2023 by Babr