MEDICAL TRAVEL INSURANCE

Medical travel insurance is an excellent way to protect yourself if you become injured or ill while traveling out of the United States. Your private medical insurance may only cover emergency medical care while you’re out of the country. Some health insurance companies don’t even provide this. Talk to your provider to determine your exact coverage while you’re traveling internationally.

Medicare covers almost no medical expenses outside the U.S. so an individual with Medicare should plan on having the funds to cover all of their doctor, hospital, medication and other health-related expenses while traveling. Medigap plans may provide out-of-country coverage but you’ll need to check the terms of your Medigap plans.

Because of all these variables, savvy international travelers often purchase medical travel insurance for their trip. What type of care is typically covered by this insurance?

• Ambulance service
• Hospital costs
• Surgical costs
• Doctor bills
• X-rays
• Medicines
• Lab tests

Some prescription medication coverage include medical evacuation insurance to pay for evacuation to an adequate medical facility to treat their illness or injury. This can also cover the cost to bring a person home on a commercial flight, including a medical escort if it’s needed.

Getting the right medical travel insurance can be complicated. For guidance, contact MBhealth to get the exact coverage you need.

Travel insurance protects a traveler from financial losses that result from trip cancellations, lost baggage and trips ruined by catastrophic weather or natural disasters. It also covers costs resulting from missed airline connections and luggage delays. Many travel insurance plans also cover emergency medical care provided while in the travel destination. In this case, travel insurance supplements a person’s usual medical insurance to help cover the cost of sudden illness or injury while traveling.

Medical travel insurance will cover the cost of emergency medical care plus the cost of doctor or hospital visits, x-rays, medicines and more. It may also cover medical evacuation to a medical facility qualified to treat your illness or injury.

The more comprehensive your travel insurance or medical travel insurance, the more these policies prevent financial losses while you are traveling. It’s vital to get very familiar with all the provisions of your travel insurance or medical travel insurance to make sure you have the coverage you want. Having the right insurance as you travel out of the country is a good way to maintain peace of mind so you can just enjoy your trip.

Getting the right medical travel insurance can be a little complicated. For help obtaining the exact travel coverage you want, contact MBhealth today.

An insurance company offering medical travel insurance ideally wants to provide coverage for people who are currently healthy and do not engage in activities that are likely to cause them to file claims for medical care while traveling out of their home country.

Therefore, most insurers will not cover costs resulting from:

• Pre-existing health conditions
• Preventative or routine medical care
• Elective medical treatments
• Childbirth
• Dental or vision care other than emergency treatment
• Cancer treatment
• Injuries resulting from extreme sports
• Accidents or injuries resulting from alcohol intoxication or drug use
• Emergency evacuations unless this is specifically included in your plan
• Transport to your home country after an injury or illness unless specifically included in your plan

If you experience an “acute onset of a pre-existing condition,” many insurers will deny coverage. In other words, an illness or health condition that previously occurred but was not chronic suddenly shows up again. If you think you need this type of coverage, you will need to carefully check a plan’s details to make sure you have the coverage you want. To get help obtaining the exact medical travel insurance you want, contact MBhealth today.

An insurer providing medical travel insurance may refuse to provide coverage for certain pre-existing health conditions. You may be able to get coverage for other health conditions or injuries but not for a problem that existed before your trip.

There are quite a few restrictions related to what a pre-existing condition is. The definition of pre-existing condition and the restrictions related to it vary from one insurer to another. One insurer states that it is:

• An injury, illness or medical condition that a reasonable person would have sought treatment for that was experienced in the 60 days before insurance takes effect
• An injury, illness or medical condition that you suffered symptoms of, got treatment for or needed to take medication for in the 60 days before you purchased your plan
• The exception is when the symptoms of that condition were controlled by the prescription and the prescription has not changed.

Medical travel insurance may provide coverage for the sudden onset of a pre-existing condition if that falls outside the limits described above or is specifically covered by your plan. 

Obtaining medical travel insurance when you have a pre-existing condition is tricky. It’s vital to understand all the conditions and waivers of a plan you are considering. To ensure you have the coverage you want, contact MBhealth and let them help you choose the best medical travel insurance for your situation.

The ideal amount of medical travel insurance you need before a trip depends on the kind of trip you are taking and where you are going. If you are traveling internationally where your usual medical insurance may not be helpful, you would be wise to obtain at least $50,000 in emergency medical coverage.

If you are taking a cruise or traveling to a particularly remote destination, a higher level of medical travel insurance is advised. Look for a policy providing $100,000 in medical travel insurance. Medical evacuation insurance is also available that covers the cost of transporting you to the nearest adequate medical facility, including transporting you home if needed.

Medical travel insurance typically covers charges for ambulances, doctors, hospitals and surgery, x-rays, lab tests and medications. There is usually some limited coverage for emergency dental care that may be needed. The duration of the insurance is normally set just for the time you will be on a trip.

Medical travel insurance is a smart addition to your travel plans that could also include travel insurance to protect you from loss because of trip cancellation, trip interruption or lost baggage. If you have international travel in your future plans, consult with MBhealth to obtain any types of insurance needed to provide peace of mind.