When you travel abroad (Europe, S America), do you use your US health insurance if you need medical care?
jnderose asked:
I am planning two trips for later this year and I am wondering how health care works when in a European countyry or S. America. Does my US health insurance mean anything there or work there? Do I buy temporary insurance in the country where I am?
Tamara
I am planning two trips for later this year and I am wondering how health care works when in a European countyry or S. America. Does my US health insurance mean anything there or work there? Do I buy temporary insurance in the country where I am?
Tamara
July 17th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Joy
Health care throughout the world varies tremendously as do individual insurance plans. Traditional Medicare, for example, doesn’t do diddly for you outside the States BUT if you had an HMO, PPO, or PFFS Medicare Advantage plan you MIGHT be covered, so you MUST contact your insurer and see what, if anything, including emergency care, is covered.
Here is one of MANY sites that can give you other good ideas:
I assume you already have your passport–if not, do it now. You should make sure your vaccinations are in order. Look at the consular advisory sheets and if anything is required, get it done; recommended ask your doctor. Make sure to type up a good summary of your medical history:
date of birth
meds you’re on
allergies
known conditions
prior surgeries/hospitalizations
all your doctor’s contact info for primary care and any important specialists
pharmacy contact info could be useful as well
Make sure you have enough meds of any sort you need to take and take them in their original bottles as you never know what Customs anywhere will be like. Be smart to have another prescription written–probably won’t honor it in another country BUT I think it would cut some ice with a local doctor.
IF you have a medical condition, such as diabetes, I’d recommend wearing something like a MedicAlert bracelet/necklace–again even if not “recognized” fully it should attract attention and speed things up for you.
Good luck.
July 18th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Dolores
Check with your own insurance company to see if they will cover you outside the USA and for how much. Then, depending on what you find out you might want to buy travel insurance as a primary defense against costs or to augment what you already have.
There are two basic types of travel insurance plans that provide medical benefits abroad: package plans and travel medical plans. The package plans are pre-bundled by the travel insurance companies and offer several different types of travel coverages including medical expense and emergency medical evacuation coverages. The travel medical plans offer some bundled coverages but are primarily designed as medical plans and usually contain deductibles. Both the package plans and the medical plans are usually secondary coverage to whatever insurance you already have even though you can find some package plans that are primary and don’t care whatever other insurance you might already have.
It’s best to determine your own coverage first and then go to a travel insurance comparison site, like, to find a plan that best suits your needs.