Your Medical Insurance May Not Cover You When You Travel

If you open your passport to page two, you will seeLocal authorities usually have tie-ups with certain
a warning that says that anyone who is consideringevacuation companies, which may not recognize
foreign travel should find out what travel medicaleither your credit card or your domestic insurance.
health insurance coverage, they will require while theyMost of the travel medical insurance plans, however,
are outside the United States. For any US citizeninclude medical assistance benefit giving you 24/7
going abroad, Medicare does not cover the medicalaccess to a creditable evacuation company or will
care costs outside the US and US territories, exceptactually arrange for an evacuation through their own
in rare cases in Canada and Mexico.medical personnel.
In fact, it might surprise you to learn that manyIf you have medical insurance cover in the US,
international travelers travel without appropriate andassess the plan that you have. Check with your
adequate insurance protection. US Governmentinsurance provider and determine exactly what kind
sponsored health insurance programs, like Medicare,of coverage you have, under the existing policy.
are highly unlikely to cover any emergency medicalIf you feel that the provided cover is not enough,
care that you may have to receive in a foreignhave your travel medical insurance cover increased
country.before you ever leave home.
Even employer sponsored plans usually have limitedIf you don't already have insurance, you know how
overseas coverage, for emergency care only,difficult things can sometimes get. Think about how
provided you can prove the emergency.much worse it can be in a foreign and unfamiliar
Whether you are traveling on business or forcountry.
pleasure, you probably have gaps in your travelThere are three major types of travel medical
medical coverage that you are not even aware of.insurance coverage to be considered before you
Always remember that adequate travel medicalleave. Most reputed travel insurance products will
insurance is critical for any international travel. Gettingoffer either all three of these, or, at least two of
good healthcare may be a tricky business in itself inthem:
some parts of the world.> Supplemental medical and accident insurance pays
Some hospitals, the world over do not providefor the doctor and the hospital bills. May sometimes
treatment or allow a discharge until they receive ainclude dental care as well as medications. Does not
guarantee of payment. In most cases, such acover preventive care, including annual physicals.
guarantee can most easily be provided by your travel> Medical Evacuation plans take care of expensive
medical insurer.evacuations which can cost as much as $50,000. In
So, if you don't have adequate cover, you may haveaddition to the insurance cover, they should provide
to pay in thousands of dollars advance, with yourassistance in arranging the evacuation.
credit card, provided the hospital accepts a foreign> Trip cancellation or interruption plans cover you
credit card, which many don't.financially in case you suddenly need to cancel or
In addition, in that pinch situation, your card must alsointerrupt your trip for a medical reason. If you can't
have a large enough credit limit to cover thetake the vacation because of a personal or family
estimated cost of medical care.illness, the insurance will reimburse you for the
Also, getting sudden medical evacuation, to return tonon-refundable parts of the trip.
the US, where the healthcare is of a known level andFind and purchase a comprehensive, secure and
your regular insurance is good enough, can be evenworldwide travel medical insurance plan. Don't leave
trickier.home without it.