Trip insurance cover ship's doctor?

[caryatid]

This time next year we will be on a Carnival cruise. We don't usually travel in the winter, so I hadn't given it much thought, but currently both my kids are sick, and it has me thinking "what if this happened this time next year?" I know that if we are sick before the cruise that insurance will cover our cancelling the trip, but what if someone gets sick while on the ship? This year we made it home for Christmas just fine, but of course, three days into our trip, my youngest wakes up with an ear infection. If something like this happens three days into our Christmas cruise next year, I'm hoping that our trip insurance will cover the ships doctor! I know one thing for sure, I'm going to be loading my kids up with vitamins and preaching hand washing dawn til dusk, before our cruise next year!

[easyboy]

Ship’s doctor’s service fees are covered by travel insurance

 

 

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[sanmarcosman]

Ship’s doctor’s service fees are covered by travel insurance

All of them? Including those which are secondary and not primary policies? I think that's an overly broad statement and is not accurate.

 

OP - read the policies and ask questions before you buy. The devil is in the details.

[klfrodo]

You'll have to pay the bill upfront (rather, it will be billed you via your on board charge account), then you will file for reimbursement through the travel insurance

[billslowsky]

All of them? Including those which are secondary and not primary policies? I think that's an overly broad statement and is not accurate.

 

OP - read the policies and ask questions before you buy. The devil is in the details.

 

I think you are wrong.

[riclop]

This time next year we will be on a Carnival cruise. We don't usually travel in the winter, so I hadn't given it much thought, but currently both my kids are sick, and it has me thinking "what if this happened this time next year?" I know that if we are sick before the cruise that insurance will cover our cancelling the trip, but what if someone gets sick while on the ship? This year we made it home for Christmas just fine, but of course, three days into our trip, my youngest wakes up with an ear infection. If something like this happens three days into our Christmas cruise next year, I'm hoping that our trip insurance will cover the ships doctor! I know one thing for sure, I'm going to be loading my kids up with vitamins and preaching hand washing dawn til dusk, before our cruise next year!

Yes they are.

[sanmarcosman]

I think you are wrong.

How so? Do you know some policies are secondary which means first you must submit all claims to your primary health plan and IF they do not cover only then do you turn to your secondary travel policy for recompense?

 

I see earlier today you posted something along the line of what I am saying, medicare or not the procedures are often the same. Here's your post:

 

"But keep in mind that travel insurance - unless you really pay through the nose - pays only after your personal health insurance pays. Assuming you are on Medicare, Medicare pays first (if at all), then your supplemental policy, then your travel policy."

Edited December 31, 2017 by sanmarcosman

[Purvis1231]

It depends on the policy you buys so please research it. In general the travel insurance will cover ship board medical care (as a reimbursement) but preexisting conditions have certain exclusions.

[Keith1010]

Our experience is that if you purchase the plan from the cruise line or if you purchase one from a third party insurance company that it should cover your on board medical expenses. As mentioned you pay up front on your ship account and then how you get reimbursed depends on the company you are insured with. Of course it does depend on the actual cost versus your medical coverage and you must follow all of the steps that each insurance company requires including filing out paperwork and the forms it requires for submission.

 

Please note that most third party insurers have requirement for when to purchase the insurance to cover pre-existing conditions.

 

As they say the devil is in the details so best to read the coverage thoroughly so there are no surprises.

 

Happy New Year.

 

Keith

Edited December 31, 2017 by Keith1010

[caryatid]

I'm sorry, I forgot to add that we bought the trip insurance through Carnival, so that was why I was hoping that their insurance would cover their ship doc. Thanks everyone for your replies, we don't have any pre-existing conditions, so if we needed doctor services it would be typical kid winter crud, like ear infections. I don't have a problem with payment up front or submitting through my primary insurance, I'm sure I can figure it out, but it does make me feel much better to know that travel insurance would likely cover the ships doctor! Thank you everyone for your help!

[billslowsky]

If your kids are prone to ear infections, you might ask your pediatrician for a prescription for amoxycillin (or whatever they treat it with) and fill it before you go. The medical centers have drugs (which they will charge you for) and you may also be able to get them filled onshore, but if it's something where there's a good chance you'll need it, you might want to get it cheaply before you go.

 

Something like amoxycillin isn't exactly an opioid and you can always pitch it later. And just put it in your luggage and don't invite an inquest by telling the cruise line you're bringing it.

[sanmarcosman]

If your kids are prone to ear infections, you might ask your pediatrician for a prescription for amoxycillin (or whatever they treat it with) and fill it before you go. The medical centers have drugs (which they will charge you for) and you may also be able to get them filled onshore, but if it's something where there's a good chance you'll need it, you might want to get it cheaply before you go.

 

Something like amoxycillin isn't exactly an opioid and you can always pitch it later. And just put it in your luggage and don't invite an inquest by telling the cruise line you're bringing it.

 

I think you are wrong.

Edited December 31, 2017 by sanmarcosman

[adamrosie]

I think you are wrong.

 

 

 

We recently cruised on the Disney Dream. Our 1 year old daughter spiked a fever of 104.4 so we took her to the onboard doctor. We had to pay $328 up front but since they billed it as emergency, when we got home we sent the claim to United Healthcare who reimbursed the entire amount. United healthcare informed me they do not cover medical incidents abroad EXCEPT for emergencies which then get billed as in-network. So IMHO, check with your healthcare provider but if they will cover emergencies, that’s all you really need when traveling.

 

 

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[evandbob]

If your kids are prone to ear infections, you might ask your pediatrician for a prescription for amoxycillin (or whatever they treat it with) and fill it before you go. The medical centers have drugs (which they will charge you for) and you may also be able to get them filled onshore, but if it's something where there's a good chance you'll need it, you might want to get it cheaply before you go.

 

Something like amoxycillin isn't exactly an opioid and you can always pitch it later. And just put it in your luggage and don't invite an inquest by telling the cruise line you're bringing it.

 

 

Or if you are on a western itinerary, you can get some antibiotics if needed over the counter in Cozumel and Belize.

[mom2girls]

My daughter got an ear infection while on a cruise a few years ago. I paid the ship's Dr, but when I got home I. Outfield my health insurance. I sent them the documents indicating how much I paid. The reimbursed me everything, but what the urgent care fee would be. We also do trip insurance, just not with Carnival. We had to go through the health insurance first.

[thinfool]

To the OP....you did not mention if you have medical coverage here in the US.

 

If yes, does it cover foreign travel?

If yes, then you would need to make a claim thru it first, then your travel insurance.

If no, then your travel insurance will care for your claim. You may have to show rejection by your US insurance.

 

If you have no US insurance, then your travel insurance will cover your claim.

 

It is likely that in either case you will need to pay cash for the services and request reimbursement after your trip.

[Purvis1231]

The ship's doctor is not considered foreign travel by most US based health insurance companies. It is treated as out of network urgent care.

[Bowie MeMe]

This time next year we will be on a Carnival cruise. We don't usually travel in the winter, so I hadn't given it much thought, but currently both my kids are sick, and it has me thinking "what if this happened this time next year?" I know that if we are sick before the cruise that insurance will cover our cancelling the trip, but what if someone gets sick while on the ship? This year we made it home for Christmas just fine, but of course, three days into our trip, my youngest wakes up with an ear infection. If something like this happens three days into our Christmas cruise next year, I'm hoping that our trip insurance will cover the ships doctor! I know one thing for sure, I'm going to be loading my kids up with vitamins and preaching hand washing dawn til dusk, before our cruise next year!

 

 

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[NoName]

Here is an example of the "devils in the details" from my own personal experience....where I lived and learned! Back in the day, before i understood how travel insurance works, after a recommendation from someone on cruise critic, I went to a website (insuremytrip.com) and just bought a travel insurance without really understanding what I needed, nor did I understand what I was buying.

 

Of course, I became sick on the trip and went to the ships doctor. I paid my onboard bill and was given a form to turn in to my travel insurance for reimbursement. I was excited to think that I was going to get my money back. I went home, filed the claim and waited.....Unfortunately, I didn't get ANY of my money back.

 

The reason? The insurance company required that I prove I was outside of the united states. I had purchased a policy that ONLY worked outside of the US and I had no way of proving the ships location at the time of my illness. So, I learned my lesson and did more research. Now I ONLY buy policies from the website tripinsurancestore.com. They only sell a handful of policies that they have pre-screened for me. So as you can see....the devil is in the details and if you don't read the fine print you might find yourself in the same boat as I was:)

 

Here is a link to the original thread I posted about this incident back in 2009: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=751745&highlight=Insurance

 

Kim

[janert]

I was on Princess's World Cruise earlier this year. I had to see the medical staff on the ship 9 times for an infection on my leg.

I had Princess Insurance. I had to submit to my secondary--my primary is Medicare and they do not pay outside US--and what they did not pay Princess's insurance paid. Be sure to keep all the receipts you receive everyday you see the medical staff. It was fairly easy, although you do have several pages of forms to fill out.

[RWolver672]

If your kids are prone to ear infections, you might ask your pediatrician for a prescription for amoxycillin (or whatever they treat it with) and fill it before you go. .

 

When our boys were little, they always got ear infections. Amoxicillin is a powder that the pharmacist adds water to before they give it out. Our doctor gave us a script for amoxicillin but told us to tell the pharmacist not to add the water. That way, it kept longer and we always had it in case there was a flare up. Then we just added the water.

[Havingfun2010]

1. Go to Doctor.

2. Pay the doctor

3. Submit claim to your health insurance at home.

4. If they don't pay it, or a portion of it.....

5. Submit to travel insurance

6. Six months later, you get a check in the mail

 

 

Travel insurance is usually "secondary" insurance. In some cases like with my wife, travel insurance is the "third" insurance. Honestly, a simple visit to the doctor on the ship, would not cost as much as the insurance costs. Many insurance companies, will cover emergency care while traveling. That's not the everyday runny nose. There is no one set of rules to fit everyone. Best thing is check your policy, see what it covers, and than get secondary insurance for the rest. My insurance will cover all emergency care as an out of network provider. My annual travel policy covers 20K in emergency care and 100K in transportation.

[Flatbush Flyer]

We recently cruised on the Disney Dream. Our 1 year old daughter spiked a fever of 104.4 so we took her to the onboard doctor. We had to pay $328 up front but since they billed it as emergency, when we got home we sent the claim to United Healthcare who reimbursed the entire amount. United healthcare informed me they do not cover medical incidents abroad EXCEPT for emergencies which then get billed as in-network. So IMHO, check with your healthcare provider but if they will cover emergencies, that’s all you really need when traveling.

 

 

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Unless, of course, it's Medicare, which covers zippo out of the US. Always make sure that any Medicare supplement you may acquire converts to regular coverage (including internationally) when you're out of the country.

As for the ship's MD, the key phrase in any insurance policy is "reasonable and normal" charges. Same goes for shoreside services and carry the highest limit CC for which you can qualify.

 

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[ricew001]

I always take scripts for things that may be common for my issues. I have a lot of allergies so I try to be prepared with "anecdotes". Always prepare for the worst and hope for the best, so I like the OP comment about getting a script to take with you but do have it filled ahead of time.

[MsMot]

I had an asthma attack while sailing and had to visit the ship's doctor. We left with a $300 bill. The insurance would not reimburse me. I was told that I would have to get my insurance company to reimburse me. After several weeks of back and forth, I threw up my hands.