Anthem of Seas medical visit on ship free or not?

[mango skin]

Can anyone confirm if there is an additional charge for visiting the nurse or doctor on board or is it complimentary?

Thanks.

[Ashland]

Can anyone confirm if there is an additional charge for visiting the nurse or doctor on board or is it complimentary?

Thanks.

 

Sorry...no...not complimentary at all...I remember reading a post about a $160.00 charge but can't remember the details of that. It's charged to your SeaPass account and then you would need to file a claim with your insurance provider whether that be through your own plan or that of a travel insurance policy.

[sherilyn70]

Nope, not free. In fact it's rather expensive. It's the last place i choose to go since it's limited hours, limited abilities and at whatever price the independent doctor sets (he does not work for the ship in most cases).

 

I developed an extremely painful ear infection on one cruise. My doctor at home told me not to wait until i got home since there was a flight involved. I ended up finding a private doc in St Martin (thanks to our wonderful private tour guide who actually took me there) and it cost me $60 total for the visit and 3 prescriptions!

 

Of course i don't recommend ever planning on needing a doctor while on a cruise. I would use whose i have to if i got sick enough with no worry about cost. My health is more important. But if you can do it before or after your trip then you absolutely should.

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy 7 edge using Tapatalk.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Sorry...no...not complimentary at all...I remember reading a post about a $160.00 charge but can't remember the details of that. It's charged to your SeaPass account and then you would need to file a claim with your insurance provider whether that be through your own plan or that of a travel insurance policy.

 

 

If your insurer is Medicare and/or a non-convertible-to-basic (outside the US) Medicare supplement, you're SOL once you've left the US. Also remember that, if you need to see the ship's doc about something that qualified as a pre-existing condition (PEC) during your travel medical policy's "look back" period and you didn't get a waiver for PEC at purchase, you're SOL there as well. So, that shipboard med visit can be extremely expensive unless you've done your insurance homework.

Edited July 31, 2016 by Flatbush Flyer

[qualifiedcruiseologist]

Can anyone confirm if there is an additional charge for visiting the nurse or doctor on board or is it complimentary?

Thanks.

 

Only if it is gastro related. When I had norovirus on the Rhapsody and Radiance, I recieved complimentary treatment by the nurse. This is also the same for Celebrity cruises. However on Princess and Cunard I noticed gastro related treatment was not complimentary. :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Unfortunately I had to visit the doctor twice on HAL -- not free. They gave me the number to contact HAL's office to get a detailed report for me to send into Security Blue and Medicare.

[cb at sea]

There may be no charge if you are injured on the ship by something the ship might have caused...a chair that breaks or a slippery floor caused by something the staff did..

 

But, if it's just "one of those things" that can happen, you will be charged for a visit to the infirmary.

Edited July 31, 2016 by cb at sea

[spookwife]

if you are seen by a doctor, there is a charge. you can walk in to the clinic, describe your symptoms and the Nurse MIGHT slide a basket of meds in those little individual foil packets over to you

 

I had a very sore throat on one cruise, which I knew was caused by a chronic sinus issue I have, but had been dormant. the Nurse told me I could grab a few throat lozenges out of the basket, or wait and be seen by the door and be charged for the visit( and it wasn't an inexpensive charge).

 

Yeah. I took the throat lozenges than at the next port of call found a drug store and bought my usual OTC stuff which made it tolerable until I got home.

 

the only time you are seen 'free'; is if you are seen for something DIRECTLY caused by the ship or crew

[luddite]

Get the cruise insurance.

[Kartgv]

We always purchase insurance and did have to file a reimbursement claim for a doctor visit for an ear infection onboard. The travel insurance would only consider our claim after we submitted proof that our primary insurance refused payment. After jumping through hoops for weeks, we finally gave up - the $130 or so just wasn't worth any more effort.

 

One question - does it make any difference if you have the cruise line's insurance instead of 3rd party coverage or do you still have to prepay & file paperwork later?

[Flatbush Flyer]

We always purchase insurance and did have to file a reimbursement claim for a doctor visit for an ear infection onboard. The travel insurance would only consider our claim after we submitted proof that our primary insurance refused payment. After jumping through hoops for weeks, we finally gave up - the $130 or so just wasn't worth any more effort.

 

 

 

One question - does it make any difference if you have the cruise line's insurance instead of 3rd party coverage or do you still have to prepay & file paperwork later?

 

 

The difference is whether the travel policy is the "primary" or "secondary" payer. Where you bought it is not the issue in this situation.

[SadieN]

Only if it is gastro related. When I had norovirus on the Rhapsody and Radiance, I recieved complimentary treatment by the nurse. This is also the same for Celebrity cruises. However on Princess and Cunard I noticed gastro related treatment was not complimentary. :)

 

 

Or otherwise ship related. Friend tripped on a Carnival ship. She wasn't charged.

 

 

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[CPT Trips]

We always purchase insurance and did have to file a reimbursement claim for a doctor visit for an ear infection onboard. The travel insurance would only consider our claim after we submitted proof that our primary insurance refused payment. After jumping through hoops for weeks, we finally gave up - the $130 or so just wasn't worth any more effort.

 

One question - does it make any difference if you have the cruise line's insurance instead of 3rd party coverage or do you still have to prepay & file paperwork later?

 

What hoops? If you bought secondary insurance you file a claim with your primary plan. They either pay or deny. If they deny, you go back to the travel insurance.

[mango skin]

Thanks very much for all of your replies. The info very helpful.

[Kartgv]

What hoops? If you bought secondary insurance you file a claim with your primary plan. They either pay or deny. If they deny, you go back to the travel insurance.

 

First had to have Medicare deny coverage, in writing, which took several follow-up calls. Just pointing out that Medicare didn't cover issues outside the US didn't work. Then we submitted to our secondary Part B insurer - more phone calls, trying to find out status of claim. We finally Just got tired of holding on the phone and getting disconnected and starting all over. Since our trip had been a long one and we couldn't start the process until we got home, we ran up against the 90 day limit for filing claims on the travel insurance. We might have been able to fight them over the time limit, but decided our time and energy were worth more than the hassle. If there had been more money involved, we would have pursued it.

Edited July 31, 2016 by Kartgv

[Ashland]

If your insurer is Medicare and/or a non-convertible-to-basic (outside the US) Medicare supplement, you're SOL once you've left the US. Also remember that, if you need to see the ship's doc about something that qualified as a pre-existing condition (PEC) during your travel medical policy's "look back" period and you didn't get a waiver for PEC at purchase, you're SOL there as well. So, that shipboard med visit can be extremely expensive unless you've done your insurance homework.

 

My response post was just a generalization, and while it may apply to many I was not assuming it might apply to "everyone" or their specific insurance situation...Sorry you felt the need to quote me.

[Guest maddycat]

First had to have Medicare deny coverage, in writing, which took several follow-up calls. Just pointing out that Medicare didn't cover issues outside the US didn't work. Then we submitted to our secondary Part B insurer - more phone calls, trying to find out status of claim. We finally Just got tired of holding on the phone and getting disconnected and starting all over. Since our trip had been a long one and we couldn't start the process until we got home, we ran up against the 90 day limit for filing claims on the travel insurance. We might have been able to fight them over the time limit, but decided our time and energy were worth more than the hassle. If there had been more money involved, we would have pursued it.

 

To avoid insurance hassles in the future, buy primary coverage.

[SPacificbound]

It depends on what the doctor visit is for.

 

I had a gash on my head that required 6 stitches and there was no charge.

[Shmoo here]

It depends on what the doctor visit is for.

 

I had a gash on my head that required 6 stitches and there was no charge.

 

Yep. My husband had to see the doctor for GI issues. As we'd been on the ship for 8 days by then, they determined he got it onboard, and there was no charge. He was quarantined for 24 hours, however.

[GUT2407]

Can anyone confirm if there is an additional charge for visiting the nurse or doctor on board or is it complimentary?

Thanks.

 

Nope.

 

You pay..."............ Through the nose.

 

 

INSURANCE

[maureencruiser]

Or otherwise ship related. Friend tripped on a Carnival ship. She wasn't charged.

 

 

I fell on RC and tore my ACL, it costs me hundreds for xrays on the ship, although, I did get to use a wheelchair free for the rest of the cruise. :D

[kitty9]

There may be no charge if you are injured on the ship by something the ship might have caused...a chair that breaks or a slippery floor caused by something the staff did..

 

But, if it's just "one of those things" that can happen, you will be charged for a visit to the infirmary.

 

Wrong!!!!! My mom fell and broke her hip on a ship when a loose door swung open and knocked her down and had a huge bill. I fell on a slippery floor and broke two bones in my foot, and they charged me $598 for an X-ray and bandage.

[bean24]

I fell on an NCL excursion and they didn't charge me at all, either the ships doctor or the hospital we went to in Roatan. When my husband told the excursion staff we had insurance info in the cabin they assured him it wasn't necessary and they were right.

 

 

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[Grandma Dazzles]

Wrong!!!!! My mom fell and broke her hip on a ship when a loose door swung open and knocked her down and had a huge bill. I fell on a slippery floor and broke two bones in my foot, and they charged me $598 for an X-ray and bandage.

 

Curious as to what cruise line this was; perhaps it varies from line-to-line. I trapped my hand pretty badly when a sliding door closed on it. As far as I was concerned it was an unfortunate accident - no blame. I was treated in the medical facility on the Allure, including x-rays. I had trip insurance plus my primary insurance, and did not pay anything. My insurance also did not pay - RC said they would take care of it, and they did, including PT and x-rays at home. Not sure why RC paid, as I said I considered it an accident, but treatment and follow up was excellent.

[CPT Trips]

Wrong!!!!! My mom fell and broke her hip on a ship when a loose door swung open and knocked her down and had a huge bill. I fell on a slippery floor and broke two bones in my foot, and they charged me $598 for an X-ray and bandage.

 

Thanks for pointing that out.

It's one more example that a big pile of posts isn't an indicator of a posters accuracy or knowledge.