Make sure you have travel insurance

[TSOCM@704]

I was on a 11 day cruise on the Beyond. I felt ill on the first night of the cruise. I went to the infirmary in the morning. They gave me a pain shot and some pain pills: I felt somewhat better but the next day the pain returned. I went to the infirmary again and they determined I was having a gall bladder attack and I needed to get to the hospital ASAP. Fortunately we were in the Grand Cayman so I was taken off the ship and went by ambulance to the hospital. The care I received on the ship was outstanding. Additionally, the care I received at the hospital was also top notch. However, I had to pay my entire hospital bill before I left…it was extremely expensive because I was there 6 days. Fortunately, my private health insurance reimbursed me.  My travel insurance reimbursed me for 8 unused days and paid my flight home.  My main point here is ensure you have travel insurance.

[DennysDad]

Suppose you don't have enough money/credit to pay the bill while waiting for reimbursement? Always wondered.

[carolina_yankee]

1 minute ago, DennysDad said:

Suppose you don't have enough money/credit to pay the bill while waiting for reimbursement? Always wondered.

Some policies state they can advance or verify payment to the provider. The policy I get with Travel Insured through USAA offers that. Also, health care is generally much less expensive outside the US so the total could be potentially be handled with a card.

[canderson]

Perhaps more to the point, or at least equally important -- Be sure you have a way to pay silly sums of money prior to the reimbursement if you ever want to check out of the hospital!

 

All of the insurance you had wouldn't have done you much good if you hadn't had a large open amount of credit available to you, or a quick way to move liquid assets around via wire transfer, etc. 

[NMTraveller]

12 minutes ago, canderson said:

Perhaps more to the point, or at least equally important -- Be sure you have a way to pay silly sums of money prior to the reimbursement if you ever want to check out of the hospital!

 

All of the insurance you had wouldn't have done you much good if you hadn't had a large open amount of credit available to you, or a quick way to move liquid assets around via wire transfer, etc. 

So how much credit is enough?  100k on cards?  200k on cards?

[hcat]

All good points.. U.S Medicare &  our pvt  secondary health ins  do  not cover treatment out of the US.  And we bring Several credit cards with "room!"

 

Essential!!!!

[canderson]

21 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

So how much credit is enough?  100k on cards?  200k on cards?

A longer stay, something that would run to six figures, would also provide more time to organize the necessary finances. 

 

For more normal 'events', I'd say it'd be best to have an ordinary card good for $30K, and an Amex with some good history that could make up any differences.

 

People who are accustomed to being billed after the hospital submits the bill to their insurance company, or who rely on 'national health', are often rudely surprised when they discover that when they travel in much of the world, while there's no 'cover charge' to get in, you gots to pay to get out.

[Tigermad]

11 minutes ago, canderson said:

A longer stay, something that would run to six figures, would also provide more time to organize the necessary finances. 

 

For more normal 'events', I'd say it'd be best to have an ordinary card good for $30K, and an Amex with some good history that could make up any differences.

 

People who are accustomed to being billed after the hospital submits the bill to their insurance company, or who rely on 'national health', are often rudely surprised when they discover that when they travel in much of the world, while there's no 'cover charge' to get in, you gots to pay to get out.

I certainly could not afford to pay for the treatment up front. Not everyone that cruises is well off..

Edited September 7 by Tigermad

[TSOCM@704]

Yes I did have several credit cards on me and I was able to get my credit extended thank goodness.  I thought the hospital would take my insurance so I never gave a thought of having to use my credit card.  I was just lucky I had several credit cards on me.   Believe me the situation of money made the whole situation even more stressful.  

 

 

[canderson]

6 minutes ago, Tigermad said:

I certainly could not afford to pay for the treatment up front. Not everyone that cruises is well off..

Then be sure your insurance, should you choose to purchase, will manage a timely direct payment to a hospital, not just "reimbursement".

[hcat]

People in our local area just had to pay $ 50,000 to a hosp in Jamaica after dad had a stroke  first

day of his vacay..

 

Had to also hire an EMT to accompany him home  and pvt flt...  He is finally getting home.    Sees no trvl med/ evac ins

scary!

[billc23]

Speaking as someone from the US. While U.S Medicare does not cover treatment out of the US, some secondary health insurance policies do have coverage outside of the US. I know mine does and it becomes primary. Still, one needs to have adequate credit when traveling to remote places. Medjet, while not insurance, will bring you back to the US at which point your health insurance may pay directly or at least you shouldn't need a credit card or cash at the point of service. Medjet coverage is very different than the typical medical evacuation policy and worth taking a look at even for trips in the US.  

[billc23]

7 minutes ago, hcat said:

People in our local area just had to pay $ 50,000 to a hosp in Jamaica after dad had a stroke  first

day of his vacay..

 

Had to also hire an EMT to accompany him home  and pvt flt...  He is finally getting home.    Sees no trvl med/ evac ins

scary!

Perfect situation for Medjet. Once hospitalized and stable he could have Medjet transport him (air ambulance with support) to a hospital of his choice. Does not matter if the hospital that he is at is able to provide care. Very different than travel insurance that offers medical transfer. 

[1Virgo]

Thank you for posting.  There are those that think travel insurance covers you, but are not aware you pay up front first.  DH ended up hospitalized in El Salvador (excellent care by the way) but, I had to pay first.  Hospitals have been stiffed by travel insurance companies as was explained to me. 

One other point. Make sure you contact insurance immediately and get a case number. I did that and next day another agent said no coverage as you didnt call first.  DD went to a walkin clinic in Florida Her travel insurance would not cover as she didnt call first and go to where they wanted - 40 miles away

 

Do hope you are feeling better and healing

[DennysDad]

I couldn't cover more than $20k on credit cards and nobody who could come up with it. I always buy travel insurance, but I would have to do time in a local jail before coming up with $50k. 

 

What travel insurance is best for quick upfront payment direct to hospital?

[catspaw1]

We have always bought the big box store trip insurance. Even if you don't buy the trip from them, you can get the insurance but it costs 1.5% of the trip more as long as you are a member. Your must call them as you can't do it online. they were cheaper than all other travel insurance with better coverage. We have not put in any claims however thankfully. have 3 more trips booked with them. You need to purchase within 21 days of initial payment for preexisting medical conditions to be covered. Hope this helps others!

[DaKahuna]

 

 We bought cruise insurance from Celebrity when we booked our cruise.  Hopefully that will be all we need.  The first time we've done it.  

 

[NMTraveller]

5 hours ago, canderson said:

Then be sure your insurance, should you choose to purchase, will manage a timely direct payment to a hospital, not just "reimbursement".

Any idea which travel insurances will do this?

[canderson]

1 hour ago, NMTraveller said:

Any idea which travel insurances will do this?

The particular Allianz policy that we usually prefer does.  Those from some of the companies we had used some years back did not.

 

Here's a little blurb from their web site. You definitely want to avoid Scenario #1, and be sure you'll get Scenario #2 from your insurer, so picking the right company is important.

 

https://www.allianztravelinsurance.com/travel/medical/emergency-medical-insurance.htm

 

While we have other means for dealing with things like this, it's really nice to know that we don't have to fret about it.

[NMTraveller]

5 minutes ago, canderson said:

The particular Allianz policy that we usually prefer does.  Those from some of the companies we had used some years back did not.

 

Here's a little blurb from their web site. You definitely want to avoid Scenario #1, and be sure you'll get Scenario #2 from your insurer, so picking the right company is important.

 

https://www.allianztravelinsurance.com/travel/medical/emergency-medical-insurance.htm

 

While we have other means for dealing with things like this, it's really nice to know that we don't have to fret about it.

Thanks.  Truly appreciated...

[Folsomdoc]

Glad this all turned out OK! We never travel without insurance. But the specifics of coverage and payment are different from company to company and even among polices from a company. We always insure about the time we pay our first deposit on a trip as you us all only have 10-14 days rom the if you want pre-existing conditions covered. We “shop” policies on insuremytrip.com. We have found their customer service reps, who are licensed insurance agents, to be very good and help us to sort through the ins and outs. Our last cruise we purchased through Celebrity out of laziness…

[MikeMary4449]

FYI:  For people who travel frequently, you might want to check out GeoBlue's annual policy.

Mike and Mary

[Bellfree Bat]

So very important to make sure your medical insurance, esp here in the US, has international/cruise coverage. Not all Medicare Supplemental have international coverage. 

 

Case in point, my BIL fell in Thailand and shattered his shoulder. The hospital in Bangkok would not perform surgery until he paid approx 10K. Luckily, my husband was able to use his credit card to pay up-front as BILs Medical had not kicked in yet.

 

Another case in point: On land travel to Scotland this past June, my husband had a DVT which traveled to his lungs and also had a heart attack. Luckily, I was able to get an ambulance to transport to the best cardiac care hospital in Edinburgh where he had an angioplasty stent insertion and treated for pulmonary embolism. We did have to pay NHS $12,000 for his 5 day hospital stay and his Supplemental reimbursed all but $2500 which we submitted to our Travel Insurance. My advice to anyone treated overseas, make sure you get DETAILED records and Invoices before you leave. Had to jump through hoops for reimbursement...NHS does not give detailed invoices! Good news is that fast and excellant medical intervention saved his life and has NO heart muscle damage. If it all this happened a day later, we would have been in the Highlands and may not have had the same outcome!

[the penguins]

37 minutes ago, Bellfree Bat said:

So very important to make sure your medical insurance, esp here in the US, has international/cruise coverage. Not all Medicare Supplemental have international coverage. 

 

Case in point, my BIL fell in Thailand and shattered his shoulder. The hospital in Bangkok would not perform surgery until he paid approx 10K. Luckily, my husband was able to use his credit card to pay up-front as BILs Medical had not kicked in yet.

 

Another case in point: On land travel to Scotland this past June, my husband had a DVT which traveled to his lungs and also had a heart attack. Luckily, I was able to get an ambulance to transport to the best cardiac care hospital in Edinburgh where he had an angioplasty stent insertion and treated for pulmonary embolism. We did have to pay NHS $12,000 for his 5 day hospital stay and his Supplemental reimbursed all but $2500 which we submitted to our Travel Insurance. My advice to anyone treated overseas, make sure you get DETAILED records and Invoices before you leave. Had to jump through hoops for reimbursement...NHS does not give detailed invoices! Good news is that fast and excellant medical intervention saved his life and has NO heart muscle damage. If it all this happened a day later, we would have been in the Highlands and may not have had the same outcome!

we live in the UK and never travel without medical insurance.

Our Insurance company settles everything direct with the hospital wihout us having to pay a single cent.

Our biggest claim to date was for the  2 nights we both spent in the Marina Del Rae Hospital (now closed) in LA  with food poisoning where the bill was $15,000 (makes your 5 days in the UK look a bargain). The total claim including extra hotel costs ( our bags were in the room) and new flights to New Zealand came to $20,000 - again all settled without us paying anything.

We have annual worldwide insurance covering an unlimited number of trips provided no trip is more than 31 days. Trips must start and end in the UK. 

[edgee]

12 hours ago, catspaw1 said:

We have always bought the big box store trip insurance. Even if you don't buy the trip from them, you can get the insurance but it costs 1.5% of the trip more as long as you are a member. Your must call them as you can't do it online. they were cheaper than all other travel insurance with better coverage. We have not put in any claims however thankfully. have 3 more trips booked with them. You need to purchase within 21 days of initial payment for preexisting medical conditions to be covered. Hope this helps others!

Ah, sounds great except for those of us who live in NY State where policy cannot be sold.😡