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OverrRyde
join:2007-04-10
Waterdown, ON

OverrRyde to jaberi

Member

to jaberi

Re: What happens when travel insurance rejects your claim

said by jaberi:

OverrRyde......................what exactly does a credit card cover health wise, and or requiring medical attention when out of the country?

most travel insurance does not cover air-ambulance.....some foreign countries will not look at a patient unless they pay up front....they can then put in a claim to their insurance once they are back home...
people travel for reasons other than vacation, and might not think anything will happen.........one can slip and fall anywhere at anytime and break a leg and require medical attention....... what does that have to do with some questionnaire that is asking about ailments?....a pregnant woman, can require hospitalization, accidents can happen home or abroad.

Credit card usually cover emergency medical treatment and are automatic when you travel for a certain amount of days. They are usually annual policies that start on the first day you leave for a certain amount of days, 3-9-15 or 30 days depending on the card. They also are usually for clients up to a certain age, usually 65.

For air ambulances, good travel insurance has airam service and is usually arranged by the insurance company air paid by the insurance company upfront as long as the claim is payable.

The questionnaire is for people over 60 or 65. It is used to assess the risk and establish the premium the client is going to pay for what category. Having a pre ex condition does not exclude you from coverage so long as you have been stable for a certain amount of time, 90 or 180 days before departure depending on the coverage. If you are seen for any condition you are covered as long as the questionnaire was answered correctly and that you are stable.

Keep in mind people under 60 don't answer a questionnaire so they are only subject to the stable clause. Like I said, say you have a pre ex heart condition and you break your leg, you are 110% covered as this has nothing to do with your heart. Now if you are seen for a pre ex condition we may have to look at your past health history to determine if you were stable. If you were, covered.

Gone
Premium Member
join:2011-01-24
Fort Erie, ON

Gone

Premium Member

So let me ask you this...

I had Pancreatitis in September. I have been going for regular blood tests and the condition is improving at a rate that my doctor is very pleased about, but pancreatitis is a long drawn-out healing process, taking 6-12 months to fully recover prior to the condition first appearing. Is this considered "stable" ? If it flares up when I'm down in Vegas for whatever reason, am I SOL?

Just the same - I was told I had a kidney stone two years ago. To the best of my knowledge, it has not passed. Otherwise no changes. Is this considered stable if that little fucker decides to ruin a trip stateside, or will I be on the hook for whatever pain killers I need to have pumped into me?

What about my Crohn's Disease? It flared up in November 2011 and I was on medication until the Pancriatitis. I am under a doctors care, but otherwise there has been no change to my condition other than being taken off medication as per my doctor's orders.

Do you see how the whole idea of travel insurance can be outright intimidating for someone with health conditions?

OverrRyde
join:2007-04-10
Waterdown, ON

OverrRyde

Member

said by Gone:

So let me ask you this...

I had Pancreatitis in September. I have been going for regular blood tests and the condition is improving at a rate that my doctor is very pleased about, but pancreatitis is a long drawn-out healing process, taking 6-12 months to fully recover prior to the condition first appearing. Is this considered "stable" ? If it flares up when I'm down in Vegas for whatever reason, am I SOL?

Just the same - I was told I had a kidney stone two years ago. To the best of my knowledge, it has not passed. Otherwise no changes. Is this considered stable if that little fucker decides to ruin a trip stateside, or will I be on the hook for whatever pain killers I need to have pumped into me?

What about my Crohn's Disease? It flared up in November 2011 and I was on medication until the Pancriatitis. I am under a doctors care, but otherwise there has been no change to my condition other than being taken off medication as per my doctor's orders.

Do you see how the whole idea of travel insurance can be outright intimidating for someone with health conditions?

Absolutely it is intimidating, but you know what's worse? A 150k bill from a hospital in California plus the air ambulance bill 50k back home.

Simple rule of thumb is to follow the stable clause. In your case, as long as you are stable you are OK, and that is stable as per the policy. No new symptoms, recurring symptoms, new treatment, new meds, change in meds, new tests ordered, pending tests, specialist visits.

Say none of the above apply to you, you are considered stable. And again, this is only for the pre ex conditions. Anything new and unforeseen such as a cold, broken limb etc, is not subject to stable clause.

My best advice is first speak with your GP to discuss any peers conditions, then contact the insurance and ask specifically about your condition. Good travel insurance have nurses and medical case managers that can give you a clear answer to your question. Nurses and case managers don't get paid to sell you a policy so nothing to worry about wanting to make a sale. The nurses and case managers are there for people on trip requiring assistance for their condition.

Gone
Premium Member
join:2011-01-24
Fort Erie, ON

Gone

Premium Member

said by OverrRyde:

My best advice is first speak with your GP to discuss any peers conditions, then contact the insurance and ask specifically about your condition.

I spoke with my gastroenterologist/internist about travelling and he had no issues with it. I saw him yesterday and my ongoing regularly-scheduled tests showed continued improvement. I took that as a good sign.

Still, this is daunting. I sort of resigned myself to the fact that if I do get sick and insurance is denied for whatever reason they can come up with, I'll just go bankrupt and wash my hands of it.
peterboro (banned)
Avatars are for posers
join:2006-11-03
Peterborough, ON

peterboro (banned)

Member

said by Gone:

Still, this is daunting. I sort of resigned myself to the fact that if I do get sick and insurance is denied for whatever reason they can come up with, I'll just go bankrupt and wash my hands of it.

Same here.

OverrRyde
join:2007-04-10
Waterdown, ON

OverrRyde to Gone

Member

to Gone
said by Gone:

said by OverrRyde:

My best advice is first speak with your GP to discuss any peers conditions, then contact the insurance and ask specifically about your condition.

I spoke with my gastroenterologist/internist about travelling and he had no issues with it. I saw him yesterday and my ongoing regularly-scheduled tests showed continued improvement. I took that as a good sign.

Still, this is daunting. I sort of resigned myself to the fact that if I do get sick and insurance is denied for whatever reason they can come up with, I'll just go bankrupt and wash my hands of it.

Yeah don't get me wrong it is daunting. But honestly, we don't "come up" with a reason to deny. If I had your case, I would ask you about you history for said condition and depending if this was something in the last 3 months, I may ask for your last 3 months if you were stable or not, that is what determines payability.
MaynardKrebs
We did it. We heaved Steve. Yipee.
Premium Member
join:2009-06-17

MaynardKrebs

Premium Member

said by OverrRyde:

said by Gone:

said by OverrRyde:

My best advice is first speak with your GP to discuss any peers conditions, then contact the insurance and ask specifically about your condition.

I spoke with my gastroenterologist/internist about travelling and he had no issues with it. I saw him yesterday and my ongoing regularly-scheduled tests showed continued improvement. I took that as a good sign.

Still, this is daunting. I sort of resigned myself to the fact that if I do get sick and insurance is denied for whatever reason they can come up with, I'll just go bankrupt and wash my hands of it.

Yeah don't get me wrong it is daunting. But honestly, we don't "come up" with a reason to deny. If I had your case, I would ask you about you history for said condition and depending if this was something in the last 3 months, I may ask for your last 3 months if you were stable or not, that is what determines payability.

So what about the questions specifically about women I asked before, only add in going on/off birth control pills? Those weren't answered.

What about a guy who gets/uses Viagra for the first time in the 90 days prior to a trip?

Are women systematically discriminated against because of issues like these? It just seems that they might be.

OverrRyde
join:2007-04-10
Waterdown, ON

OverrRyde

Member

said by MaynardKrebs:

So what about the questions specifically about women I asked before, only add in going on/off birth control pills? Those weren't answered.

What about a guy who gets/uses Viagra for the first time in the 90 days prior to a trip?

Are women systematically discriminated against because of issues like these? It just seems that they might be.

Actually no, viagra or the birth control wouldn't fall under stable. there is no way a dr can say that you had an upset stomach or gastro because of an adverse reaction to viagra or pill. we've had cases with older men using the pill and getting a stiffer longer than usual and he was covered. All that happens is that we chuckle about at work and wonder why he was the only one on the policy, travelling alone! hehe
jaberi
join:2010-08-13

jaberi to OverrRyde

Member

to OverrRyde
thanks for answering my questions OverrRyde, sounds so simple yet it can get complicated... here is to living and learning every day!