REVIEW YOUR HEALTH PLAN BEFORE TRAVELING
Q: For many, summer means trips, on which some 20 percent of people suffer some type of illness or injury. What precautions should travelers take before they depart?
A: Review your health plan and understand what it covers. People traveling domestically should check if their plan offers a national or local network of hospitals and health care providers, and confirm what level of coverage is available at outof-network facilities. For people planning to travel overseas, it’s important to contact their primary care doctor or travel medicine clinic to determine what pre-screenings or immunizations might be recommended or required. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention enables people to search a list of countries and determine what vaccines they should consider.
Many health plans now offer telemedicine and mobile apps to support their customers’ health needs, including the ability to access a digital ID card, connect with a registered nurse 24/7, and identify nearby care providers, hospitals, pharmacies and urgent care facilities. Public websites, such as uhc.com/transparency and guroo.com, enable people to compare cost information for hundreds of common medical services, helping people evaluate their options for care. For international trips, contact your global insurance carrier to find out about the availability of approved medical facilities at planned travel destinations.
Q: What should international travelers, in particular, consider?
A: They should consider international medical coverage to help alleviate concerns about quality of care and financial anxiety. People should look for global policies that can provide foreign-language translation, direct you to appropriate facilities or support evacuation to alternative facilities, and work with local health care providers to coordinate and monitor care. Most domestic insurance won’t cover prescriptions abroad, so for long vacations ask your care provider for enough medication to cover the duration of the trip, as well as check that specific medications are legal in the countries you are visiting. Some international health plans may include prescription drug coverage that enables people to fill prescriptions at local retail pharmacies.
Even with international coverage, consider carrying an extra credit card with a large limit to use for unanticipated medical expenses. Foreign hospitals will typically want upfront payment, rather than billing the health plan. Get clear and complete copies of all bills, medical records and discharge notes for reimbursement from your health plan. Some global health plans do provide direct payments to foreign hospitals and care providers, eliminating a potential inconvenience and providing peace of mind.
Q: What about Medicare?
A: Original Medicare in nearly all cases applies to the United States only and doesn’t extend overseas or across the border, other than in cases in the Northern U.S. where the nearest hospital is in Canada. Some Medicare Advantage and Medicare supplement plans offer worldwide emergency coverage for foreign travel, although some have restrictions and lifetime limits.
Q: Are there any other considerations?
A: Yes. It’s important to account for the working condition of durable medical equipment needed for the trip, such as glucose monitors and insulin pumps, before departure. For more information, visit uhcsafetrip.com.