Americans are spending more on travel in 2021, and a greater percentage of them are purchasing travel insurance. With the COVID-19 pandemic, more travelers are interested in policies that include “cancel for any reason” coverage. However, one of the biggest reasons to purchase medical travel insurance is to provide coverage if you are injured or become ill while traveling. Of course, there are many policies and options available. Policies can vary widely by cost and coverage limitations. So here are six things to look for when evaluating travel medical insurance.
1. Coverage for pre-existing conditions. Travel medical insurance does not fall under the Affordable Care Act’s protections for pre-existing conditions, which are defined by most policies as previous accidents, injuries, or medical conditions. Waivers may be available in some situations, so be sure to evaluate travel medical insurance policies closely if this is a concern for you.
2. Coverage limits. Most travel medical insurance policies have limits on coverage, including the cost of treatment and type of care (emergency, dental, loss of a limb, or medical evacuation). In some cases, coverage under a travel medical insurance policy may apply only after you’ve submitted a claim to your primary medical insurer.
3. Primary coverage versus secondary coverage. If you have primary medical insurance coverage, you’ll want to review what your policy includes before purchasing travel medical insurance.
If your travel medical insurance offers primary coverage, you’ll pay your medical provider and then submit a claim for reimbursement. If your travel medical insurance provides secondary coverage, you’ll be required to submit your claim to your primary insurer first. If your claim is denied, you could then submit it to your travel medical insurance provider.
4. Choice of provider. Travel medical insurance policies are available from big-name providers as well as smaller, specialized companies. Different providers have different offerings, including policies for a single trip, multiple trips, expatriates living abroad, and non-U.S. citizens. You'll want to choose a provider that has good reviews and meets your specific needs.
5. Medical transport limitations. Some travel medical insurance policies provide coverage for medical evacuation, which may be necessary if you become seriously injured or ill while traveling. Emergency medical transport by air can be extremely expensive. For example, the cost of an emergency medical transport from Asia to the United States can be as much as $220,000, according to Allianz Travel Insurance, a SentinelMED partner. Make sure to compare medical transport limits when evaluating travel medical insurance.
6. Medical case management. Medical case management is a benefit that’s included in some, but not all, travel medical insurance policies. With medical case management, a physician acts as a third-party expert to review your medical records and make care recommendations. At SentinelMED, we regularly provide medical case management services when people become sick or injured while overseas.
Other Sources of Travel Medical Insurance
Before purchasing travel medical insurance, be sure to check the coverage you may already have through your health insurance policy and credit cards. Some employer-provided health insurance policies cover limited out-of-country medical care. Medicare does not, but Medigap and Medicare Advantage cover worldwide emergency care.
You also may have travel medical insurance as a credit card perk; coverage is more common with cards that have an annual fee. Check the details of such coverage carefully. Some cards offer travel insurance for trip cancellations and lost luggage, but not travel medical insurance.
About SentinelMED
SentinelMED works with individuals and insurance companies to ensure the safe care and transport of people who become injured or ill while traveling. Our logistics and transport professionals can easily tailor the mode of transport to the care needs of individual patients and the terms of their insurance policies. In many instances, patients can be transported on commercial airlines with the aid of a medical escort, a cost-effective alternative to air ambulances.
At SentinelMED, we understand the complexity of delivering exceptional care and transport services to insurance companies’ subscribers. Please contact us to learn more about the services that SentinelMED offers or its staff.
