It was during a delightful stay in Europe that this New Zealander suddenly had a heart attack necessitating emergency medical services and eventually an air ambulance to get back home. The result was a whopping $ 682,000 bill, but thanks to good foresight and a good travel insurance coverage the patient did not have to shell out a single penny for this health emergency.
Falling Sick in the US can Be Expensive for Tourists
It’s no secret that the health care in the United States is ultra-expensive, especially when compared to the rest of the world. Travel insurance companies around the world agree that health emergencies arising in the United States formed the largest of their claims. This, added with air ambulance cost to get back home can prove quite expensive.
Travel Insurance and Air Ambulance Coverage
It is always advisable to check whether the travel insurance provider covers air ambulance services or not. Plus, it is wise to check what additional services are provided by the insurance company. For instance, the good providers out there negotiate with hospitals to avoid the patients having to shell out huge cash deposits before availing medical services.
Such services serve two purposes – first the patients are assured hassle-free medical care and second, the insurance provider can keep a check on the expenses, resulting in smaller claims. The most important part is patients getting back home.
It becomes the primary objective of the travel insurance provider to get the patients back home as soon as possible. Again, this has a two-pronged advantage. The patient gets to be amidst the loved ones in the time of necessity and the insurance company is able to minimize the responsibilities as soon as possible, even if this means hiring an air ambulance service, which often turns out to be cheaper than availing extended medical services in a foreign country.
