Advice needed - Medjet Assist thru AARP

[Nana57]

I purchased the insurance for my upcoming Nov. 2015 cruise thru Royal Caribbean. Wondering if I should add Medjet Assist to this policy or would I be able to cancel the insurance thru Royal Caribbean and just get Travelguard or Travelex thru insuremytrip.com? Is there a window to book insurance thru these companies from when I booked the cruise? I booked this cruise on Aug. 27, 2014. My husband is 74 and I am 62. We have no pre-existing health conditions. But I would like the Medjet for $1,000,000 just in case. Should I just add it on thru AARP or just cancel the cruise insurance thru the line and get it thru insuremytrip.com. Any advice would be helpful.

[Algebralovr]

Medjet assist is not insurance. They will fly you from any hospital that is at least 150 miles from home to the hospital of your choice (usually near your home) as long as you are medically stable, just because you want to be near your family and your own doctors. The reason to purchase it is because you don't want to be in a foreign hospital and want your own doctors and to be near family in the event something happens. They will not pay any hospital fees should you have any.

[cherylandtk]

As for the rest of your question; you would have to read the DOC on both the RCI plan and the third party plan to determine which coverage amounts and conditions would best apply to you and your husband. Unless you already specifically paid for the RCI plan, you do not yet have coverage. If you need someone to walk you through third party coverages, the folks at Trip Insurance Store are knowledgable.

[Nana57]

When I booked this trip I added the insurance thru the cruise line. I am now wondering if I can cancel it and go with insuremytrip.com instead and pick out a better plan or just add the Medjet thru AARP to the cruise insurance. Any suggestions?

[cherylandtk]

Adding the insurance at booking is different than paying for the insurance at booking. Have you paid for it? This is an important distinction because probably 90% of people who buy the cruiseline insurance don't actually buy it until final payment.

 

If you did not yet pay for it, then you do not actually have it yet, and yes, you can cancel it. If you did pay for it, then you probably cannot cancel it for this trip. The rest of your question re: what to add to it is moot until we know if you actually have paid insurance.

Edited November 21, 2014 by cherylandtk

[SPacificbound]

We have the annual coverage with MedJet so obviously to us it is worth it.

[Nana57]

What company do you use and is $25,000 medical a decent amount? I will at Medjet to this as the Medical evacuation is $100,000.

[donaldsc]

What company do you use and is $25,000 medical a decent amount? I will at Medjet to this as the Medical evacuation is $100,000.

 

If you mean $25,000 of medical coverage, it is way way too little. The policy that we use for travel covers $500,000 of medical and also includes a lot of evacuation.

 

When we did our small ship Antarctica cruise, we were required to show that we had if I remember correctly 1 million of evacuation coverage.

 

DON

[sail7seas]

If you mean $25,000 of medical coverage, it is way way too little. The policy that we use for travel covers $500,000 of medical and also includes a lot of evacuation.

 

When we did our small ship Antarctica cruise, we were required to show that we had if I remember correctly 1 million of evacuation coverage.

 

DON

 

I agree $25,000 is not enough coverage. I would be very nervous traveling with so little medical insurance.

 

[sjlm]

Most people reviewing MedJet Assist say they never had to use it but they like it for “peace of mind.” I’ve had it for years and never had to use it, but when I did, I found out my peace of mind was misplaced.

 

My husband and I live in NY and were on a cruise in South Korea last Wednesday when he suffered massive rectal bleeding. We went to a hospital in South Korea and the doctor said we should not remain on the ship, but my husband could travel by air to go home to have surgery or other treatment. We had 3 hours to finish paper work at the hospital, get back to the ship, pack up, make arrangements, and get off the ship before it left the port. I called MedJet and the representative told me that unless my husband was in the hospital, MedJet could not assist me. I explained that he had just left the hospital merely to get ship personnel’s help in making arrangements (which involved 3 airports, 3 flights, one hotel, 4 car-and-drivers) and getting our belongings off the ship before it left. The rep insisted that unless my husband was currently in the hospital he could do nothing to help me. I then had 2 hours to make our own commercial arrangements, but when we got home, I read MedJet Assist materials. Massive bleeding may be considered a major medical event, but even if it were considered merely a minor medical emergency, MedJet was supposed to “determine the appropriate means of transport.” I made the rep repeat several times that if my husband was not currently in the hospital, MedJet would not assist me--no other choices even though he had just come from the hospital.

 

I think if MedJet is successful it’s because almost everyone who pays never attempts to use its services!

[GeezerCouple]

Most people reviewing MedJet Assist say they never had to use it but they like it for “peace of mind.” I’ve had it for years and never had to use it, but when I did, I found out my peace of mind was misplaced.

 

My husband and I live in NY and were on a cruise in South Korea last Wednesday when he suffered massive rectal bleeding. We went to a hospital in South Korea and the doctor said we should not remain on the ship, but my husband could travel by air to go home to have surgery or other treatment. We had 3 hours to finish paper work at the hospital, get back to the ship, pack up, make arrangements, and get off the ship before it left the port. I called MedJet and the representative told me that unless my husband was in the hospital, MedJet could not assist me. I explained that he had just left the hospital merely to get ship personnel’s help in making arrangements (which involved 3 airports, 3 flights, one hotel, 4 car-and-drivers) and getting our belongings off the ship before it left. The rep insisted that unless my husband was currently in the hospital he could do nothing to help me. I then had 2 hours to make our own commercial arrangements, but when we got home, I read MedJet Assist materials. Massive bleeding may be considered a major medical event, but even if it were considered merely a minor medical emergency, MedJet was supposed to “determine the appropriate means of transport.” I made the rep repeat several times that if my husband was not currently in the hospital, MedJet would not assist me--no other choices even though he had just come from the hospital.

 

I think if MedJet is successful it’s because almost everyone who pays never attempts to use its services!

 

We are copying our reply to your similar comment/complaint in another thread, to try to clarify the regular terms of MedJetAssist coverage (which has also been mentioned/described here on CruiseCritic elsewhere, previously).

 

 

We are very sorry to hear about your husband's medical emergency, and hope he recovers well.

 

However, as with all insurance policies (and all contracts), it is important to know precisely what is/is not covered.

 

The MedJetAssist website for the regular annual policies clearly states:

 

"MedjetAssist medical transport services are available to any Member who qualifies for medical transport services in accordance with these Rules and Regulations, is hospitalized as an inpatient 150 or more miles from his or her Residence Address, and is accepted as a patient into an available inpatient bed by an admitting physician at the hospital of the Member’s choice in the Member’s Home Country."

[emphasis added]

 

This requirement is made very clear and specific.

 

There are, of course, other details.

 

Had your husband first been admitted as an INPATIENT (not "ER" or "observation bed"), then MedJetAssist services would have been available.

 

GeezerCouple

[sail7seas]

I bought MedJet coverage for years directly with them. You don't have to book through AARP to get the discount. Tell them you have AARP, give them the member number and you get a discount.