Please Read if you are considering not buying insurance

[4_THE_HALIBUT]

No bashing, please. Help your fellow Carnival cruiser if you can.

https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2017/07/23/she-came-to-alaska-on-the-cruise-of-a-lifetime-now-shes-terminally-ill-and-stuck-in-anchorage/.

 

For those who have group coverage through their employer or an exchange, medical evacuation is normally covered. However, medical repatriation to get you home is not normally covered. This is especially true if your insurance has in out of network benefits. Normally excluded for out of network providers, which most likely will be the case.

[Crusingdiva62]

As an Insurance Agent I always let people know the large print giveth and the small print taketh away. Read your policy clearly and ask your agent questions if you can't understand it.

 

 

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[galfromkazoo]

Thank you for posting this. I hope she can get home soon.

 

 

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[poz222]

Trip insurance through third parties is fairly inexpensive as compared to medical,and evac costs if something happens. Some high end credit cards (Chase Reserve, Amex Platinum) include evacuation insurance as well as rental cars etc.... but just one incident can wipe u out financially.... and some countries will not even administer first aid until payment is made!!! Know a guy suffering from appendicitis in St Kitts that had to sit in waiting room of ER while wife went to get credit card cause they refused to help until they knew they could pay!

[spiritkat090909]

What a SAD story...they have until 7/27 (3 more days) until their insurance runs out and they will be kicked out of hospital.

[Drazil65]

You also want to make sure the travel insurance you purchase is primary coverage and will advance payment for you as in most cases hospitals out of the country expect and require payment up front. If you do not have a credit card to cover the entire bill or the cash at time of service, there will be no service.

 

This is very common outside of the USA especially on islands where they have a tourist influx, they would not be able to chase people with medical bills after the fact.

[coevan]

http://www.insuremytrip.com We like Nationwide cruise insurance. We own a business so we have cancel for any reason. We also would not buy insurance with less than 250K on medical evac. Carnivals insurance is woefully inadequate. 14 days was only $250 and the insurance is based on how much you spent, so if you want to insure 1/2 the value it's OK. Example: the cruise is about $5000, we could insure all or $2500 and take your chances, the coverage will not change.

[winddawn]

No bashing, please. Help your fellow Carnival cruiser if you can.

https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2017/07/23/she-came-to-alaska-on-the-cruise-of-a-lifetime-now-shes-terminally-ill-and-stuck-in-anchorage/.

 

For those who have group coverage through their employer or an exchange, medical evacuation is normally covered. However, medical repatriation to get you home is not normally covered. This is especially true if your insurance has in out of network benefits. Normally excluded for out of network providers, which most likely will be the case.

 

I'm wondering why the OP hasn't started a Go Fund Me page for this unfortunate couple.

[4_THE_HALIBUT]

I'm wondering why the OP hasn't started a Go Fund Me page for this unfortunate couple.

 

There is one. It's listed in the Comments section of the article.

[riclop]

We don't leave home without it.

[WaggesAZ]

www.insuremytrip.com We like Nationwide cruise insurance. We own a business so we have cancel for any reason. We also would not buy insurance with less than 250K on medical evac. Carnivals insurance is woefully inadequate. 14 days was only $250 and the insurance is based on how much you spent, so if you want to insure 1/2 the value it's OK. Example: the cruise is about $5000, we could insure all or $2500 and take your chances, the coverage will not change.

 

I was moved to tears and happy to contribute, as I know I am not alone in being devastated by cancer. Here you go: https://www.********.com/medevac-nancy-greathouse-home The asterisks are Go Fund Me (all together but if you type it that way, it gets asterisked out too.

[BlerkOne]

I don't know that trip insurance would do much for her return. She is in the US and receiving care. It could keep her from going bankrupt.

[springs741]

What a SAD story...they have until 7/27 (3 more days) until their insurance runs out and they will be kicked out of hospital.

This would have happened even if they had been at home. There are limits to all insurance policies.

[bingomamma19]

What a SAD story...they have until 7/27 (3 more days) until their insurance runs out and they will be kicked out of hospital.

 

 

This is the lifetime reserve days for inpatient under Medicare. It would be the same no matter where she is/was.

 

Even if she gets the 50k to medevac--the lifetime reserve days will be exhausted, so she will have to have other options in her home town also.

 

Now as an American in the US still ..just a different state..i would think Medicaid will take over her bills with no other funds to pay from the family or insurance to pay.

 

I hope she can somehow get home and get comfortable with her family for her remaining time

[Organized Chaos]

This would have happened even if they had been at home. There are limits to all insurance policies.

But at least she'd be HOME. That's all she wants, to go back home to see her family and see her son get married.

 

I'm kind of shocked that her son is going through with his wedding with what's going on.

 

It's stories like this one that makes me wish I was a wealthy man who could afford to give her the help she needs just to get back home.

[bingomamma19]

This would have happened even if they had been at home. There are limits to all insurance policies.

 

Medicare has the limit in this case of inpatient hospital days and lifetime reserve days.

 

But anyone under the ACA plan does not have a maximum benefit.

[BamaLady#13]

www.insuremytrip.com We like Nationwide cruise insurance. We own a business so we have cancel for any reason. We also would not buy insurance with less than 250K on medical evac. Carnivals insurance is woefully inadequate. 14 days was only $250 and the insurance is based on how much you spent, so if you want to insure 1/2 the value it's OK. Example: the cruise is about $5000, we could insure all or $2500 and take your chances, the coverage will not change.

 

 

Coevan, I just purchased Nationwide cruise insurance last week thru insuremytrip and was told by their agent that I must purchase insurance for the entire prepaid cost of the trip to include hotel bills, etc. Not doing so would void my coverage including medical and evacuation. Why would you think it's ok to only purchase insurance for half the value without voiding coverage. Please, I'm not trying to start an argument, just don't understand why I was told the exact opposite.

[easyboy]

It is the reason why, in addition to our 3rd party travel insurance with Travel Insured to cover medical expenses, we also get Medjet Assist for medical evacuation, when hospitalized in port, to a hospital near home and be treated by our physician of choice and accessible to family members. I really feel sorry for her.

[pe4all]

I also feel terrible for this family. I am sure the travel insurance policy was not purchased by the husband due to the cost. He knew his wife had cancer, and other pre-existing conditions. I know I just "jumped" to another premium cost for my travelguard gold policy due to my age group. The older you get, the more the policy costs. No one ever thinks they will need trip insurance - until they do.

[JaniceB]

I always purchase and just know that I need to take into account the cost when I consider cruising. My main concern is always the medical evacuation but I guess I should think about other issues too.

[BlerkOne]

Coevan, I just purchased Nationwide cruise insurance last week thru insuremytrip and was told by their agent that I must purchase insurance for the entire prepaid cost of the trip to include hotel bills, etc. Not doing so would void my coverage including medical and evacuation. Why would you think it's ok to only purchase insurance for half the value without voiding coverage. Please, I'm not trying to start an argument, just don't understand why I was told the exact opposite.

 

Depends on what is in their contract. Nationwide has some (to me) gimmicks, like paying for itinerary changes. A number of companies will sell you Medical insurance/Evacuation only. I don't know of many that would pay for an evacuation when she was receiving the medical care needed.

 

A big cost of travel insurance is not the medical, but the trip cancellation features. These go up more with age.

 

This is a selling point for the insurance Carnival resells (and some others). Carnival insurance is a group policy and the price doesn't depend on your age. Not sure it covers preexisting conditions, though.

 

One of the biggest shocks to me is that there are limits on Medicare.

[aenglish1609]

Never used it on 8 cruises, and many land vacations. But we are young, and healthy. I totally understand getting it when you're older, or out of shape and unhealthy.

[It's a Ship!!!]

She's actually at almost $48,000 of her $55,000 goal. Just 2 days left. I hope she makes it home.

[summersigh]

I understand the lady in question is in the USA ... but many cruisers don''t realize that Medicare does NOT cover outside the US. Thus being retired and on Medicare (with a supplement) we always buy special insurance for cruises outside the US.

DH has pre-existing conditions but I don't and our bill for the extra insurance reflects that. We also make sure it's good for 'cancel for any reason" while we're at it. :)

[DavyJoneses]

No bashing, please. Help your fellow Carnival cruiser if you can.

https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2017/07/23/she-came-to-alaska-on-the-cruise-of-a-lifetime-now-shes-terminally-ill-and-stuck-in-anchorage/.

 

For those who have group coverage through their employer or an exchange, medical evacuation is normally covered. However, medical repatriation to get you home is not normally covered. This is especially true if your insurance has in out of network benefits. Normally excluded for out of network providers, which most likely will be the case.

 

A sad story, but a lesson for all of us who regularly bypass travel insurance.