Some Countries Requiring Proof of International Health Insurance

[klfrodo]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/these-countries-now-require-international-health-insurance-for-entry/ar-BB17GAIu?li=BBnb7Kz

 

Hopefully Steve reads this and comments, but I'm curious if this might not change the current practice of travel insurance, the medical portion anyways, changing from a reimbursement type plan to a direct pay plan?

[iamtrustworthy]

2 hours ago, klfrodo said:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/these-countries-now-require-international-health-insurance-for-entry/ar-BB17GAIu?li=BBnb7Kz

 

Hopefully Steve reads this and comments, but I'm curious if this might not change the current practice of travel insurance, the medical portion anyways, changing from a reimbursement type plan to a direct pay plan?

Hi klfrodo,

 

I was invited to be interviewed for this Conde Nast article, but I don't think they liked my responses seeing that I didn't make the final cut.

 

I don't think that the medical portion of a trip cancellation plan that includes medical will change from being a reimbursement plan to a direct pay plan. There are too many expensive changes that would have to take place in the plan administration to justify adding this without relatively large price increases.

 

The article says "coverage abroad is rarely included in U.S.-based health policies", but the opposite is true. In fact, most individual and group medical plans have a maximum out of pocket limit plus deductibles and copays.

 

The article doesn't address, in my opinion, the fact that a trip cancellation won't cover someone if a screener in the destination country flags you to be quarantined. You are only covered if a licensed physician diagnoses you. I included this in my response that they didn't use.

 

I hope this makes sense.

 

Steve Dasseos

 

 

 

 

[iamtrustworthy]

2 hours ago, Dwight1 said:

Interesting, being over 65 my Medicare and Supplemental insurance thru Anthem does not cover any foreign medical costs. I wouldn’t even know where to get such coverage that includes covid 19 or the cost. Without cruises going to Aruba and St Maarten is now off my list. Things just keep getting worse.


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Hi Dwight1,

 

Do you have a Medicare Supplement or an Advantage plan? Or is are you covered through a retiree health plan?

 

Steve Dasseos

[klfrodo]

5 hours ago, Dwight1 said:

Interesting, being over 65 my Medicare and Supplemental insurance thru Anthem does not cover any foreign medical costs. I wouldn’t even know where to get such coverage that includes covid 19 or the cost. Without cruises going to Aruba and St Maarten is now off my list. Things just keep getting worse.


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I just buy a regular travel insurance plan, but I put the trip cost at $500 instead of the total cost.

My trip cancellation and such is limited to % of trip cost but I still receive the full medical and evacuation that the policy allows.

 

This way my travel insurance is about $30 to $40 per person and I get the full $250K medical

[iamtrustworthy]

20 hours ago, Dwight1 said:

It’s a retiree supplement plan with Anthem thru my former employer , the Commonwealth of Virginia. It pays whatever Medicare covers but  does they do not pay. But if Medicare doesn’t cover it, like foreign medical costs, it pays zero.

Hi Dwight1,

 

Do you need coverage for pre-existing medical conditions?

 

If so, there are two companies I know that don't require you to insure your full trip costs, but still cover pre-existing medical conditions if bought by the deadline and cover the Coronavirus as any other illness.

 

If you don't need coverage for pre-existing medical conditions, then any plan will cover you, but not all plans Coronavirus as any other illness.

 

As for the medical limits, you don't need more than $100,000 medical and $150,000 medical transportation.

 

Steve Dasseos

[klfrodo]

23 hours ago, Dwight1 said:

Does your travel insurance cover any doctor/hospital in all the locations visited ? I looked some international health policies and they wanted to the locations and Length of stay and seemed to note certain Plans only.

To be honest, I'm confused by your question.

My scenario is for a "single trip" travel insurance plan. None of these have anything to do with where you may or may not receive medical treatment or with who may treat you. Has nothing to do with my "normal everyday while at home" health insurance plan.

 

Yes, this single trip plan allows me to be treated by any facility that is capable of providing the service. However, as with most "travel" plans, I have to be able to pay the costs out of my pocket. Then, I have to file a claim to be reimbursed. In some instances, some plans "might" wire money to a healthcare facility to allow treatment but that would be a rare circumstance.

 

I do not have an "annual" multi trip travel insurance plan. Not yet anyway.

 

Just a side note to add to the confusion:

Here in the states, when you go to the doctor or the ER or wherever and they take your insurance card and file the claim for you????  That is only done as a convenience for the patient. (I'm sure it's convenient for the hospital also. Ensures they get paid and much faster) There is no law or regulation that says they must file the claim for you. There a few places that do not do that for the patient. (There are laws that state they do have to provide life saving measures whether or not you have the ability to pay, but that's it. And that's only in the US.)