Travel Health Insurance, GET. IT.

[tvp2003]

+1 -- thanks for the tip for AMA. I get it through extended health care benefits right now but there is no way we would travel without it.

A few years back we got travellers insurance for an extended trip to the US (through the cooperators -- they go through TIC) and used it a week and a half into our trip. The small clinic we first went to was a little surreal with the waiting room and the "cashier" out the back. We were there sent to an urgent care clinic -- top notch in every respect. You pay for that quality of care though -- or in our case, the insurance paid!

[Locke]

I always get AMA travel health insurance. Its super cheap but I've never had to use it.

I remember sitting in a casino in Vegas chatting with some Americans and they asked me whether or not it was true that Canadians will buy travel insurance to go to the US even for a few days.

I dont know about everyone, but I do. I was going to Vegas for 3 days and I buy travel insurance. Its cheap.

Also, when I went to Cuba they wont let you in unless you have proof of travel health insurance.

[nik-]

I always get it through RBC whenever I go to the states, it's like $30. Definitely an important purchase

[Mccree]

Originally Posted by fotze

You are leaving the most interesting parts of that story out.

Not really all that interesting


Booze, Fall, wife thinks I had a stroke, ambulance ER CAT, MRI, etc.... Bam $20,000 later but insurance paid for it all so all is good.

[redforever]

A lot of people do not know that medivac between provinces is not necessarily covered either...so even if you take a trip within Canada, it is worthwhile to check your plan to see if you are covered for that.

[Flamenspiel]

I agree with most of what is said here but two points to be aware of is insurance is not cheap if you have pre-existing medical conditions and-or are over 55-60.

Also watch out for the insurance questionnaires, they are very tricky and can result in coverage being denied if not 100 percent accurate(marketplace did an episode on them).

[Rathji]

So, I have something for travel insurance through my work, that seems to be fine for anything that comes up. I have never needed to use it though, so who knows if it

How is AMA better? or is it likely just the same (maybe a bit better service)?

[GreenLantern]

This is a great thread that I don't have time to through at the moment but wanted to post in so I would remember to come back to it.

I will be in the states twice this year, March and Oct, so I wanted to make sure I had full health coverage.. hopefully Menonite Socialist Regime SGI can compete with that top notch coverage you got from AMA.

[GGG]

One other thing is that it is a good idea to have some credit card space to pay out of pocket while your insurance company deals with the paperwork. So when traveling it is always good to have 5k of room on a credit card or line of credit just in case.

If you are going to non 1st world countries generally you will have to pay up front and then submit to the insurance companies afterwards so Credit Cards go along way in helping.

[normtwofinger]

About 6 years ago while traveling in Thailand my wife was hospitized. We had Cooperators medical insurance. A hospital insurance rep came and took down our information and contact information and said the insurance company would be able to pay the hospital right away. She stayed 2 nights. On the day she was discharged this hospital insurance rep was no where to be found. So after hours of the trying to locate I asked how much is the bill, thinking it would be thousands. They replied $150. I quickly ran to the atm, paid the bill and we were on our way. Made a claim when back in Canada and was reimbursed.

So like it has been said, most 3rd world countries will likely have you pay and then you make a claim.

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

Not really the same at all. It only covers emergencies, and counts on Alberta health insurance paying a good portion of any bill.

This is incorrect - the text below is from the AHC website:

Alberta Health covers only limited physician and hospital costs outside of Canada. It is strongly recommended that Albertans obtain private supplementary insurance when outside the province or outside Canada, as costs for services can be much higher than in Alberta.

[GP_Matt]

My Grandparents live in Manitoba and no longer qualify for travel medical.
They spoke to Manitoba Health and were told that Manitoba would pay their equivalent cost for any treatment in a foreign country. So if the local health care is cheaper then you pay nothing but if it is more expensive then you pay the difference.
He was told that Mexico was okay to travel in as it is generally cheaper than Manitoba but the US is quite the opposite.
Every province is probably different though.

[Ryan Coke]

Originally Posted by Rathji

So, I have something for travel insurance through my work, that seems to be fine for anything that comes up. I have never needed to use it though, so who knows if it

How is AMA better? or is it likely just the same (maybe a bit better service)?

I suppose it depends on the specific plan, but if you have travel insurance through work it should be just as good as supplementary. I don't see the need for both.

I have a good plan through work, and have used it a couple of times. I also use supplementary for my wife and kids since they exceed the time limits my work plan covers (60 days).

I'm generally not a huge fan of insurance, but if you got in a car accident while in the states you could end up in financial ruin. It doesn't matter how young and healthy you are, or how short a time you are away, it is a significant risk.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Rathji

So, I have something for travel insurance through my work, that seems to be fine for anything that comes up. I have never needed to use it though, so who knows if it

How is AMA better? or is it likely just the same (maybe a bit better service)?

The hospitals will not direct bill a lot of plans is what we were told. They said AMA was one of the ones they would. If you have a huge credit line, or savings account, I suppose it really wouldn't matter to you, but a lot of people don't have 20k available at their beck and call.

[Hanni]

Originally Posted by pylon

The hospitals will not direct bill a lot of plans is what we were told. They said AMA was one of the ones they would. If you have a huge credit line, or savings account, I suppose it really wouldn't matter to you, but a lot of people don't have 20k available at their beck and call.

The question is what exactly are they going to do? I have coverage, but the hospital can't direct bill them. I also have no money to pay a portion of the 20k I owe them as some kind of down payment. Are they going to keep me hostage until payment goes through?

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Hanni

The question is what exactly are they going to do? I have coverage, but the hospital can't direct bill them. I also have no money to pay a portion of the 20k I owe them as some kind of down payment. Are they going to keep me hostage until payment goes through?

I am pretty sure they just won't treat you. They wouldn't even look at my niece until the coverage with AMA was confirmed with a phone call. Unless you are dying right then and there, like mangled and unconscious in a car wreck bad, you get sent home unless you have your credit card pre-authorized. Both the walk in clinic and the hospital demanded confirmation of one or the other before you get past the front desk.

It is a sick system.

[Hanni]

Originally Posted by pylon

I am pretty sure they just won't treat you. They wouldn't even look at my niece until the coverage with AMA was confirmed. Unless you are dying right then and there, like mangled and unconscious in a car wreck bad, you get sent home until you have your credit card pre-authorized. Both the walk in clinic and the hospital demanded confirmation of one or the other before you get past the front desk.

Maybe I misunderstood regarding the difference between direct and non direct billing of insurance. It sounded like if you didn't have insurance that could be direct billed you would be expected to somehow pay.

My question is, I have insurance coverage but the hospital can't direct bill them and will have to wait for a cheque. The coverage is confirmed by the hospital by calling the insurance provider. I assume in that case I wouldn't be expected to pay out of pocket first?

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Hanni

Maybe I misunderstood regarding the difference between direct and non direct billing of insurance. It sounded like if you didn't have insurance that could be direct billed you would be expected to somehow pay.

My question is, I have insurance coverage but the hospital can't direct bill them and will have to wait for a cheque. The coverage is confirmed by the hospital by calling the insurance provider. I assume in that case I wouldn't be expected to pay out of pocket first?

I am pretty sure you would be SOL. In our case because they wanted to look at her right away, they took a $500 credit card deposit just for the walk in clinic appt, and the receptionist called AMA while she was in the examination room. Without the $500 deposit, she was told she would have to wait until the insurance was confirmed.

[Ryan Coke]

But yes, in my experience once they call and confirm coverage then they will happily treat you.

I have not used AMA, but I have used 3 other different insurers for medical treatment and they were all quite good, and once coverage was confirmed we got good service.

Having said that, I agree with much of what pylon says about the sad state of the American health system.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

But yes, in my experience once they call and confirm coverage then they will happily treat you.

I have not used AMA, but I have used 3 other different insurers for medical treatment and they were all quite good, and once coverage was confirmed we got good service.

Having said that, I agree with much of what pylon says about the sad state of the American health system.

And that is the thing. Once the know they had a blank cheque for treatment, she was essentially treated like royalty. IMO, that's not how it is supposed to work. This is your health and well being. Not a 5 star hotel.