What happens when Americans get sick overseas?

[Sunset]

We normally get year long secondary medical coverage insurance with evacuation coverage. It costs $200->$400 and covers both of us. It is limited to less than 70 day vacations.

We've seen too many folks choppered off a cruise ship to not travel with it.

After hearing some of these stories, I'm glad DW and I both carry a couple of our own separate CC's for traveling. Paying up front could be expensive.

 

[Boose]

We normally get year long secondary medical coverage insurance with evacuation coverage. It costs $200->$400 and covers both of us. It is limited to less than 70 day vacations.

Sunset, would you share the name of the insurance company? I'm making a list of companies to get quotes from, once we're able to travel internationally.

 

[Aerides]

In most countries there are big differences in how an ER/A&E trip is treated vs. an illness or less acute problem.

I was crossing the street and got hit by a cyclist in the UK back in 2002. Gash in my head, quite messy... Got taken to the hospital, had a bed for a few hours. Exams, Stitches, Tetanus shot. Then told I could go, no charge. No ID, no asking for name and address, no paperwork, nada.

 

[Bamaman]

My AARP United Healthcare covers 80% of hospitals out of the country with a $50K maximum.

We also are purchasing travel insurance on our next trip 10/2021.

 

[Surewhitey]

It's been several years but a school mate was in Mexico with her husband. They were on a scooter and were hit. She had a concussion and they would not treat her without a cash payment up front. By the time the husband could get funds, it was too late and she died. Then, even claiming her body was difficult (cash was the only language spoken, apparently.) Flight home was problematic and distressing and expensive. I hope things are different now but this was my only experience - second hand. YMMV

Yeah, everyone remembers the really bad stories. On the other hand, there are plenty of positives we experienced while living there. Great dentists for pennies / dollar and I had a great experience with the ER room while passing my first stone. 3 hrs, meds & fluids was a whopping <$200. Not to mention I was ushered in immediately...

We are helping a friend arrange for a trip for 2 crowns. She'll get a 10 day vacation with the dental for the same price as staying at home in Dallas and 2 here...

 

[tmm99]

In most countries there are big differences in how an ER/A&E trip is treated vs. an illness or less acute problem.

I was crossing the street and got hit by a cyclist in the UK back in 2002. Gash in my head, quite messy... Got taken to the hospital, had a bed for a few hours. Exams, Stitches, Tetanus shot. Then told I could go, no charge. No ID, no asking for name and address, no paperwork, nada.

Wow, that's strange, fascinating and scary all at the same time!

 

[audreyh1]

My AARP United Healthcare covers 80% of hospitals out of the country with a $50K maximum.

We also are purchasing travel insurance on our next trip 10/2021.

That $50K is a lifetime maximum just so people know. Typical of plans F and G. Maybe others - such as N? As good as it gets with overseas Medigap coverage.

 

[travelover]

..........

Even without insurance ER treatment and visits to a GP are free to visitors in the UK and many/most EU countries, plus any resulting prescriptions are very low cost compared to the USA. At a minimum I would get travel insurance that covers hospitalizations.

When I was in Scotland two years ago I suffered a retinal tear. They fixed it for me right away, but sent me a $2800 bill. Fortunately, I had travel insurance that reimbursed me.

 

[Freedom56]

If you have a PPO from BCBS, they have many in-network hospitals all over western Europe.

 

[Sunset]

Sunset, would you share the name of the insurance company? I'm making a list of companies to get quotes from, once we're able to travel internationally.

It was GeoBlue, ( I think someone mentioned it earlier).

If you go to https://www.insuremytrip.com/ , you get a choice of various insurance companies.
The site does have a weird thing, as it's hard to find the year long multi-trip health insurance plans.

If you are interested in multi-year, either search on their site or use this link https://www.insuremytrip.com/travel-insurance-plans-coverages/annual-travel-insurance/ for an overview and links.

 

[brett]

Our typical out of country medical/evac policies in Canada range from $1M-5M, plus $200K or so for evac. They usually include some provision for bringing the traveling partner home.

Our friends father had a heart attack in the Florida. After a several days in hospital they flew him home in an air ambulance. The insurance covered the cost of transporting his motorhome back to Canada.

The hospital bill was significant however he was told that this is not what the insurance company pays. They negotiate, In his case the insurance company negotiated the hospital bill down to 50 percent on condition that the insurer wire payment within 48 hours. He was told that this was standard practice.

 

[Alan]

..........

Even without insurance ER treatment and visits to a GP are free to visitors in the UK and many/most EU countries, plus any resulting prescriptions are very low cost compared to the USA. At a minimum I would get travel insurance that covers hospitalizations.

When I was in Scotland two years ago I suffered a retinal tear. They fixed it for me right away, but sent me a $2800 bill. Fortunately, I had travel insurance that reimbursed me.

The GP or ER fixed your retinal tear or were you transferred to the eye unit within the hospital?

 

[brett]

DW got a prescription in Portugal a few years ago. She was surprised at how inexpensive it was compared to what she paid in Canada. About 35-40 percent less

Same experience in Malaysia except less than half what she would pay in Canada. When she left the hospital she was given a CD of her MRI, her Xrays, a full report on her treatment for insurance purposes, AND a bag that contained several prescribed medications. Plus directions to a pharmacy for refills prior to cover off her upcoming visit to Australia.

 

[Boose]

It was GeoBlue, ( I think someone mentioned it earlier).

Sunset, thank you for the links and info!

 

[tmm99]

Our typical out of country medical/evac policies in Canada range from $1M-5M, plus $200K or so for evac. They usually include some provision for bringing the traveling partner home.

Our friends father had a heart attack in the Florida. After a several days in hospital they flew him home in an air ambulance. The insurance covered the cost of transporting his motorhome back to Canada.

The hospital bill was significant however he was told that this is not what the insurance company pays. They negotiate, In his case the insurance company negotiated the hospital bill down to 50 percent on condition that the insurer wire payment within 48 hours. He was told that this was standard practice.

That sounds great. I assume your friend's father's policy covers pre-existing conditions? Do you happen to know which travel insurance he had?

 

[travelover]

The GP or ER fixed your retinal tear or were you transferred to the eye unit within the hospital?

Went to ER and they said, yup got a tear, come back tomorrow. The next day an ophthalmologist lasered it for me, then a week later they followed up and decided to lay me on a table and laser the heck out of it.

Funny thing was I told them I was from Vancouver and they assumed Canada, so no charge, but I live in a US city named Vancouver, then all of a sudden they started talking about charging. I guess Canada has some kind of reciprocal agreement.

 

[Alan]

Went to ER and they said, yup got a tear, come back tomorrow. The next day an ophthalmologist lasered it for me, then a week later they followed up and decided to lay me on a table and laser the heck out of it.

Funny thing was I told them I was from Vancouver and they assumed Canada, so no charge, but I live in a US city named Vancouver, then all of a sudden they started talking about charging. I guess Canada has some kind of reciprocal agreement.

Yes, the UK has reciprocal agreements with a lot of countries around the world including the EU countries but Canada currently does not seem to be one of them.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-reciprocal-healthcare-agreements-with-non-eu-countries

 

[2017ish]

We normally get year long secondary medical coverage insurance with evacuation coverage. It costs $200->$400 and covers both of us. It is limited to less than 70 day vacations.

...

We carry the same type of annual coverage via Geoblue. For trips longer than 70 days, they will sell you single-trip insurance that you can tack onto the underlying policy beginning with day 71. Even those aren't that pricey.

____________
(e.t.a.: Maybe tacked on beginning on day 70? Check the terms, as its been a couple of years since we had a single trip of that duration.)

 

[brett]

Yes, the UK has reciprocal agreements with a lot of countries around the world including the EU countries but Canada currently does not seem to be one of them.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-reciprocal-healthcare-agreements-with-non-eu-countries

There are some agreements with the UK. My mother was a British Army veteran.

As she developed dementia and went into a home the Canadian DVA (department of veteran's affairs) covered costs for the home and for the majority of her medications. Plus a wheelchair, physio, etc.

All we had to do was send her WW2 British Army pay book to the DVA as proof. We were quite surprised and did this only on the off chance. Fortunately she had kept it all this time through emigrating to Canada and numerous subsequent moves.

Apparently there is a reciprocal agreement between the two countries.

 

[Alan]

There are some agreements with the UK. My mother was a British Army veteran.

As she developed dementia and went into a home the Canadian DVA (department of veteran's affairs) covered costs for the home and for the majority of her medications. Plus a wheelchair, physio, etc.

All we had to do was send her WW2 British Army pay book to the DVA as proof. We were quite surprised and did this only on the off chance. Fortunately she had kept it all this time through emigrating to Canada and numerous subsequent moves.

Apparently there is a reciprocal agreement between the two countries.

Excellent. I knew there used to be agreements between the UK and both Canada and the USA as evidenced when relatives were visiting (we have a number of relatives in both countries). On the link I posted, dated July 1st this year, I was surprised to see that Australia is still on the list but not Canada. It would be very strange if Canada and the UK no longer had a reciprocal agreement but that now seems to be the case.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/canada/health

[CANADA]
Medical treatment
The cost of medical treatment can be very expensive and there are no special arrangements for British visitors. For emergency health care you can go to a hospital’s emergency room or to a large number of walk-in clinics where an appointment is not required beforehand.

Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.

 

[brett]

Excellent. I knew there used to be agreements between the UK and both Canada and the USA as evidenced when relatives were visiting (we have a number of relatives in both countries). On the link I posted, dated July 1st this year, I was surprised to see that Australia is still on the list but not Canada. It would be very strange if Canada and the UK no longer had a reciprocal agreement but that now seems to be the case.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/canada/health

In Canada we have universal health care. Funded in part by the Federal Government.

But....health is a Provincial matter. So..there can be issues even between out of Province health care. Medical care will not be interupted but it can result in some paperwork.

The reality is that in a physicians office they seldom bother with trying to bill another Province's health care system. It becomes a gratis service. Hospital or Urgent Care will never refuse service or demand cash in my experience. This is how it was when my spouse worked in health care-private practice and hospitals

Years ago my coverage was from Quebec. I attended university in Ontario. Had a vision problem that was seen to. The specialist knew I had coverage from another province. He did not bill. Same for one or two other visits to physicians offices.

Always some give and take between Provincial plans and out of Province care. Health care is viewed as an essential service...not much different than police, fire, or clean water from the tap. Service is not refused.

Our son moved to the UK for a year. He was fortunate enough to have a certificate of patriality. It gave him immediate access all services including an NI number when he applied for his first job. About the only thing he could not do was vote. As I recall, this status was, and might still be available to anyone who has 2 parents or 2 grandparents born in the UK.

 

[philelltt]

Quarantine

Often now there are covid tests before you can fly international. If you test positive in some countries, you would not be allowed to fly and be put in quarantine. Or you might even lose your ticket. This is a murky insurance area as it isn't hospitalisation and isn't medical treatment, nor is it a travel delay specified in travel insurance. I saw an article in NYT the other day interviewing tourists from USA being stuck in Europe. And insurance not paying the quarantine costs. Anyone have ideas? I guess it could affect anyone this day and age.

 

[a60dan]

We’re looking at ACA coverage that is in network only except for emergency.

When my bride had swelling in her leg in Florence Italy, the hotel gave us directions to ER but warned only of “long wait”.

My employer coverage would have covered any “out of network” emergencies but we were fortunate that we didn’t need to go.

I’m concerned about all out of area travel domestic & international.

My understanding is that Medicare doesn’t cover anything outside US. Is that correct?

 

[athena53]

My understanding is that Medicare doesn’t cover anything outside US. Is that correct?

True for Medicare A and B and Medicare Advantage. My United Healthcare supplement covers up to a lifetime limit of $50K, which isn't much.

Often now there are covid tests before you can fly international. If you test positive in some countries, you would not be allowed to fly and be put in quarantine. Or you might even lose your ticket. This is a murky insurance area as it isn't hospitalisation and isn't medical treatment, nor is it a travel delay specified in travel insurance. I saw an article in NYT the other day interviewing tourists from USA being stuck in Europe. And insurance not paying the quarantine costs. Anyone have ideas? I guess it could affect anyone this day and age.

I think you're pretty much on your own for this. Quarantine has a much higher likelihood these days and a policy that would cover it would be very expensive. This isn't just restricted to foreign countries. The two people who were taken off our small-ship cruise in Alaska this week after testing positive (one had symptoms and he'd sat across from the other at dinner one night) had to quarantine and were placed in lodging that accepted people who were quarantined- not just any hotel with a vacancy.

 

[isisdave]

I know a guy who had an unanticipated cardiac incident in Germany. Ended up with a stent, I think, and a pacemaker, at Juliusspital Wurzburg, founded 1576. Although it would have cost a lot less than an uninsured patient in the US, he had stunningly good travel insurance, including evacuation coverage, that got him fixed and home [first class air with a travel nurse who had 15 years experience in the Air Force] for almost nothing. And his river cruise refunded.

As they say, don't leave home without it.