If you have to use medical services onboard

[GAMOM4]

I am going on my 25th cruise on March 7th and thankfully have never had to use medical services - but I have a question - if you did have to use them and you have travel insurance how does that work?  Do you have to pay for use of the facility and the file on the insurance?  What if for some reason you had to be evacuated?

I tried googling for this information and didn't really find the answer.

[Lee Cruiser]

I only used the health services on my first cruise back in 2012.  Back then, you paid for the service through your sign and sail account and then got reimbursed later.

[klfrodo]

ALL travel insurance is reimbursement type insurance.

Whether its illness or injury on shore or experienced on the ship, you pay upfront, then file for reimbursement.

 

I have heard and/or read where the shipboard clinic didn't charge anything. In most of those instances the ship was at fault (slip & fall) or other occurrences.

 

Evacuation from the ship is usually at no charge because that is done under an international treaty and is only performed by a Government type Navy or Coast Guard.

Hospital to hospital evacuation is coordinated by the discharge hospital, the receiving hospital, and the insurance company themselves and the insurance company usually pays directly for the service.

[amyh13]

Unfortunately, we have used the medical services several times.  Mostly for minor things.  However, my son fell and got a concussion in Amber Cove.  The ship was leaving in one hour and the Doctor wouldn't let him sail without some tests.  Long story short, he and my husband went to the hospital in an ambulance and forced to get back to the states.  We always have travel insurance (that was the best $97 I have ever spent).  We definitely filed for our expenses when we got home for that adventure. But in the past, the fee just showed up our account.  If I filed for reimbursement I probably did it thru my regular health insurance.

[kona_wahine]

Hubby had a sinus infection once that was driving him nuts. He went and got some antibiotics. They charged it to our room. I turned it in to our insurance when we got home and was reimbursed, minus copay of course. 

[DallasGuy75219]

Before assuming you can file with your personal medical insurance when you get home, ensure it covers claims incurred outside your home country.  For example, Medicare does not.  This should be one consideration when deciding whether to buy travel insurance.

[BlerkOne]

53 minutes ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

Before assuming you can file with your personal medical insurance when you get home, ensure it covers claims incurred outside your home country.  For example, Medicare does not.  This should be one consideration when deciding whether to buy travel insurance.

Medicare generally doesn't, however, supplemental medicare plans often include foreign coverage. Medicare should kick in if still in US waters.