How to Obtain Healthcare Overseas





Obtaining healthcare overseas takes a bit of foresight but it is not difficult. A person that is traveling abroad should look into health care options before embarking on a trip.

Being prepared for any eventuality can actually save one’s life. Even a person that is in good health should know how to obtain health care should he or she travel to a new country.

Following are some overseas health care options that should be considered.

Obtaining Overseas Health Care Insurance

There are some health insurance policies that offer coverage to a person that is outside his or her home country. However, most policies do not provide coverage for health care obtained outside of one’s home country. Usually, healthcare coverage will need to be purchased separately. When purchasing overseas health insurance, one should carefully note what is or is not covered by the policy. If a particular sickness is endemic in the area that one is going to, then one will naturally want to ensure that he or she is covered for this. A person that has a chronic health condition should obtain healthcare overseas coverage that specifically covers the ailment in question. Medical evacuation insurance coverage is also good to have.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance will usually cover healthcare overseas. A basic policy will cover minimal expenses while a premium policy will provide more coverage. A person that travels on a regular basis should invest in a yearlong travel insurance policy, while a person that travels irregularly would only need a single trip policy. A senior citizen traveling abroad will want to invest in a senior’s travel insurance policy.

Traveling Without Insurance

Traveling without healthcare coverage is not usually the best idea, but it can be done if one is traveling to a country with economical medical care. India and Mexico, for instance, have US-trained doctors that provide high quality, low cost treatment. In fact, thousands of people travel to these and other countries every year as “medical tourists”, obtaining costly medical care at only a fraction of what it would cost in the EU and US. A person that is traveling without insurance should know where to find good medical care should it be needed. Write down the names, addresses and phone numbers of several doctors and hospitals and keep these on hand at all times.

Medicare

Medicare is available for those over 65 years of age. While it does not usually cover medical treatment abroad, a Medicare C plan may in some instances provide healthcare compensation. A person with Medicare C coverage should check the details of his or her policy to see if this is provided.

It is not uncommon to get sick or hurt while traveling abroad. A person should have a plan for obtaining medical help should an unfortunate incident occur. There are several ways of obtaining healthcare overseas. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. A person that is traveling abroad should consider the options as well as his or her budget and come up with a practical plan for obtaining healthcare overseas should it be needed.

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