o you want to leave the (well, specifically France,
homeland for a while, see Canada, and Cuba) provide
the sights, take the affordable, sometimes free,
pictures, or perhaps, do some healthcare to their citizens, but
business. You’ve packed the how does it work for us,
swimming trunks, the extra Americans, abroad? Well, the
layers, the hiking boots, the sun truth is, unless you make special
screen, but the question remains: preparations, the outlook is not
is your medical insurance good. According to
traveling with you? What happens www.worldwidemedical.com, “most
if you get to Brazil like you US insurance companies, HMOs,
always wanted to, and then, in a PPOs or Medicare [plans] do not
freak spilled mojito accident, provide adequate medical
you break your ankle? What if the insurance.” There may be
escargot from that charming exceptions, and you should look
Parisian restaurant reacts badly into the fine print of your plan,
with your American digestive but every major US health
system, and you are suddenly in insurance providers suggests
the throes of the worst food getting some form of traveler’s
poisoning you’ve experienced in insurance. Unfortunately, there
your life? It is no small matter; is no foreign country that
according to the US Center for provides free health care for
Disease Control and Prevention, travelers.
one half of US travelers heading
Travel insurance plans provide
to another country will three types of coverage: for
experience some sort of health medical care when abroad, the
problem while abroad. cost of emergency medical
Ever since the Michael Moore evacuation, and reimbursement for
film, “Sicko,” came out, we all sudden trip cancellations and
know that many other countries lost luggage.
Should you require medical one airline. Most travel
attention while abroad, most insurance plans provide the
insurance companies provide option for specific coverage for
support in the form of emergency this contingency.
hotlines. They will advise you on
Another aspect to consider
the best hospitals in the area, when traveling abroad, is the
as well as the ins and outs of cost of sudden cancellations, or
the local systems. It is strongly changes in travel plans as a
advised that, if possible, you result of medical or other
consult your provider before emergencies. In an era when
seeking medical attention in a airline companies are logging
foreign land. Also, insurance record numbers of lost luggage,
providers warn that most third this aspect of travelers
world countries’ hospital systems insurance provides reimbursement
require payment upfront for for the purchase of clothes and
services rendered. This fee would other necessities. In this sense,
be reimbursed by the plan.
you could come out a winner:
The most pressing concern is imagine an ‘emergency’ shopping
the case of an emergency medical trip at the fabulous designer
evacuation from a foreign country stores of Milan.
back to the US. Evacuations are
So, whether you are planning a
necessary when a very serious road trip to Canada, or a
medical condition arises, and the fourteen day hike in Machu Pichu,
traveler/patient must be pack some warm socks, swim
transported back to the care of trunks, and your new friend, Mr.
his/her primary care physician or Traveler’s Insurance.
a home-based expert. This can
cost upwards of $10,000 as it is
a coordinated effort between
several hospitals and at least
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About the Author:
Pucher Insurance: Providers of health insurance, travel medical insurance and group travel insurance for Canadians traveling abroad and visitors medical insurance for non-Canadians who visit Canada.
