Is My Health Insurance Good Abroad. Health Insurance: You are on vacation in some remote corner of the world when he is bitten by a raccoon. Blood is drawn and you’re worried about infection or even rabies. Or imagine you are living abroad, and suddenly you have severe abdominal pain that may be more than a spicy dinner last night.
While we all hope to stay healthy while traveling or living abroad, there are times when a trip to a doctor or hospital may become necessary. And since health can be so expensive at home and in many countries abroad – that can be useful to know in advance if your health insurance will cover you if you get sick or injured while traveling.
PRUDENT STANDARD LAY:Standard insurance policies typically cover health medical emergencies when traveling abroad. To determine what qualifies as an emergency, insurance companies refer to the prudent person rule: if a reasonable person thinks that the condition can lead to death or permanent injury, is a covered emergency, regardless of diagnosis.
For example, if you experience chest pain and going to the emergency room thinking they might be having a heart attack (which is, of course, exactly what to do), you will be covered even if it turns out to be nothing more indigestion.
Pay attention:Even if your insurance covers medical expenses, you probably still have to pay in advance for any care you receive abroad. Keep in mind, hospitals and doctors abroad can not bill your health insurance company directly, since they are not in the network.
When you return home, you must file a claim and submit receipts for reimbursement. The costs can be covered in the same way you would if you were at home, but may have higher co-pays, deductibles or coinsurance.
WHAT ABOUT emergency evacuations?According to the State Department of the United States, a medical evacuation can easily cost $ 10,000 or more, depending on where you are and your condition. Very few health insurers cover medical evacuation or the costs associated with getting back to the US for further treatment.
A temporary health insurance travel policy can provide this type of coverage for a relatively small cost . Some credit cards offer travel insurance even that might help.
WHAT’S MEDICARE?
In general, Medicare only covers the services you receive in the US, which includes 50 states; Washington DC.; and US territories (such as Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, the Mariana Islands and American Samoa North).
- There are three situations, however, when Medicare may pay for services you get outside the US .:
- You have a medical emergency in the US, and a foreign hospital is closer than the nearest US hospital.
- You have a medical emergency in Canada while traveling through the direct route between Alaska and another state, and a Canadian hospital is closer than the nearest US hospital.
- You live in the US and a foreign hospital is closer to your home than the nearest US hospital (applies to emergency and non-emergency care).
The bottom line:Health insurance policies vary greatly, so it is important to check with your insurance company or agent ahead of time to find out exactly what your policy covers – and what it does while traveling abroad. Be sure to ask about:
Deductibles – the amount you owe for covered services before insurance kicks in
Copayments – a fixed amount you pay for a covered health service
Coinsurance – Your share of the cost of covered health service.
Many health insurance policies cover foreign travel medical emergencies, and you can buy a travel insurance policy to cover other medical and evacuation expenses. If you have a credit card with travel insurance, or are buying travel insurance for your trip, be sure to check out exactly what the policy covers.
If you live abroad, you will probably need a policy to cover their health in their new country.
In addition to ensure they are adequately covered, there is something you can do even before leaving home that can prevent or reduce some risks: Get vaccinated, especially for diseases prevalent there. Some countries require foreign visitors to carry an International Certificate of Vaccination (also known as Yellow Card) or show other proof of having certain vaccinations or medical tests in order to enter the country.
Before traveling, check the Country specific information is available on the State Department of the United States and consult the embassy of the country or countries you plan to visit for current entry requirements.
You can learn about recommendations and not only the requirements for vaccinations and other health precautions trip by visiting the Health travelers Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
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