medical insurance

adrienne79 says on Dec 13, 2007, 08:02:

That isn't quite true. You should call your current US ins and ask if they cover you overseas. Normally it will be for emergency coverage and you will have to pay cash and wait to get reimbursed.

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lawyer CO says on Dec 13, 2007, 08:18:

pay with a master card credit card your travel and you will have the right for an insurnace. Otherwise hospital doesnt accept in most of the cases normal american insurances.

Happened to a client of mine, who had to pay 1000 dollars because his insurance did not work while normally colombian pay for the same 75 dollars.

Esteban

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bhill says on Dec 13, 2007, 09:17:

Buy travel insurance with emergency medical coverage. If you are especially worried about it, you can get some which includes medical evacuation. You'll still have to pay up-front -- they reimburse you later. There are a gizillion people trying to sell you this, but, this company actually paid off a claim I had on one trip: http://www.accessamerica.com/ so I've stuck with them since.

Most decent health insurance will accept a claim for services provided overseas, so you should probably just check with your provider.

-Brian

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miamimike says on Dec 13, 2007, 09:51:

Foreign Based Claims submitted to US Insurance companies vary with each company. There isn't a simple Yes or No. DON't accept ANYONE'S Word for this; Check yourself! I used my American based Insurance company, MailHandlers, which I had when I worked with the Federal Government. They informed me I had to PREPAY and send in my forms afterwards which were completed by my Colombian Medical Provider. I received my payments within 2-3 weeks after I submitted them. CALL your Company and ask-also ask if you need to Prepay prior to treatment as I did. Do Not assume because ONE company pays Foreign based Claims that ALL companies do; it just isn't true. Many US health Insurance companies love nothing better then to Deny your claim!

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.

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ColombianoGringo says on Dec 13, 2007, 10:07:

Call your insurance provider. I am with Aetna and they stated that they will reimburse emergency medical care while abroad. It does not cover standard doctor visits.

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Mr. Hollywood says on Dec 13, 2007, 10:25:

This is, of course, a question for your specific provider.

I've had US insurance pay for emergency treatment abroad before.

Travel insurance is pretty inexpensive, too, if you want to go that route.

And, finally, just paying for an emergency room visit in Colombia is about 1/10 the price of the same thing in the US, so don't fret too much.

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betty81 says on Dec 13, 2007, 10:32:

thanks guys :)

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jatoler says on Dec 14, 2007, 08:44:

I called my rep. (Blue Cross) today and he said they'll pay for emergency procedures but not for check-ups and non-urgent care.

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aztec says on Dec 14, 2007, 11:14:

http://international.worldaccess.com/bcbsa/index.asp?page=login

With your policy number you can enter the international BC/BS site. They list several hospitals and physicians in Colombia. It appears you can even file through the site.

Don't understand that your BC will not pay for non emergency. Perhaps it is a restriction only on your policy. Most, but not all by any means, will pay eventually if you submit the paid bills. It is only prudent to get approval before hand.

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ColombianoGringo says on Dec 14, 2007, 11:17:

The emergency only restriction seems pretty common. Aetna does it and Cigna did it as well when I was with them.

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aztec says on Dec 14, 2007, 11:27:

Well I guess we were just lucky. My wife had a major operation in Bogotá and we paid the bill. The cost would have been prohibitively high in the States.

As an afterthought, upon our return, we submitted the bills and BC paid them. The surgery was not an emergency and the bills as submitted were still in Spanish.

Admittedly, that was over ten years ago. Since then, insurance has changed tremendously.

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ColombianoGringo says on Dec 14, 2007, 11:39:

My parents have had their dental insurance pay for non-emergency services, but my dad has union-negotiated insurance which is really good.

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