Traveling abroad? Don't leave home without health coverage

It’s something most of us probably plan for, save up for, even borrow money for, but surely look forward to. I do, I do! I’m not talking about my bucket list  those places I dream of visiting before I, uh, kick the bucket. I’m talking about those long vacations abroad, something I passionately, resolutely starve and save up for, or those package tours I take with family or with the old barkada because they’re just too tempting to pass up  or those trips I was unbelievably lucky to have won in press raffles (I kid you not). Of course, before I embark on a much anticipated long trip, I make a checklist of what wardrobe to bring and a pasalubong list of what to buy for family and friends I would be visiting. Of course, I make sure I file my vacation leave at work. Reason: To recharge worn-out batteries. Now, that’s a tired cliche. So, the last time I filed for my vacation, I concocted a more creative excuse: “To find out if there’s life outside work.”

So, what have I found out? I’ve found out that vacations can be so tiring and stressful I need a vacation to rest from my vacation. I’ve found out that truly, the best part of leaving is coming home  safe and sound. But that’s getting ahead of our story.

What if, while enjoying a grand vacation with nary a care in the world, something bad happens, something totally unexpected? For instance, heaven forbid, you get sick or get into an accident and get hospitalized. A dream trip can turn into a nightmare. Like what happened to two very nice colleagues who were suddenly taken seriously ill while on assignment abroad  one had aneurysm while the other went into a diabetic coma.

“Getting sick is the last thing on your mind when you’re on vacation,” says Luis Montoya, MEDICard Philippines, Inc. SVP for special projects. “You psyche yourself, ‘I’m not going to get sick, nothing will happen to me.’”

But what if something happens to you, what if you get sick and end up in a hospital?

“MEDICard offers overseas health coverage,” Montoya points out. “We have a tie-up with Assist America. What happens is the reach of MEDICard is extended outside the Philippines. Assist America is the one that facilitates everything if you’re confined in a hospital abroad, they will guarantee your expenses. Even if your MEDICard is in the Philippines, if you’re enrolled with Assist America, you have another card which you can show  you can advise them you’re enrolled in this program and they will coordinate with us.”

Who covers the enrollment fee with Assist America? What are the terms?

“Actually, MEDICard covers it,” Montoya explains, “it’s integrated in our premium. There are no terms. But you have to advise us if you’re going to travel because you’re not automatically enrolled in the program. Advise MEDICard on what dates you’ll be going to what countries. We will coordinate it with Assist America. You will get a card which has the toll-free number which you can call from anywhere in the world, say you’re in South America. If you get sick, normally if you have no insurance, you’ll just go to the embassy. But with the Assist America card, they can direct you where to go, which hospital to go, or who to call, they’ll make the arrangements. The most important thing is the financial consideration  you’re not really burdened and bothered that you might max out your card.”

What is Assist America?

Expecting the unexpected: Getting sick is the last thing on your mind when you’re on vacation. But what if you get sick and you land in the hospital?

Here are bits of helpful information on Assist America: Assist America is a provider of global emergency medical services for travelers. If a member gets sick or injured while traveling more than a hundred miles away from home, Assist America assists members with assorted services, including medical referrals, monitoring, evacuation, repatriation, and a lot more. It does whatever it takes to assist a member, such as arranging the return of a car to a member who was not well enough to drive home or in a worst case scenario, refitting an air ambulance to accommodate a special needs patient or sending a toboggan to bring an injured member, on a mountaineering jaunt, down Mt. Kilimanjaro.

But as its site will tell you, Assist America is not an insurance company; its services are a value addition to the health, life, disability or other policies administered by independent insurance companies.

“It’s important to have an HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) card for your peace of mind,” Montoya stresses. “A trip can be stressful. You could be fighting with your wife about where to go or where to shop. But at least you know that in case something untoward happens, there’s somebody or some company who will handle the bills. More so if you’re abroad; your pocket money is for shopping, you don’t really want to spend it on something else like hospital bills.”

MEDICard started offering overseas health coverage a few years back, one of the first HMOs to do so. Not all HMOs offer overseas health coverage. “What they may offer is just a reimbursement of whatever you paid if you happened to get sick and wind up paying that hospital. They may offer some sort of assistance when you come home,” Montoya explains.

Not all overseas health coverages are created equal. There’s one that’s probably more superior to the others: MEDICard which boasts international coverage. “With our partnership with Assist America, as long as we know where you are (you told us where you were going), we will make sure you’ll be in good hands,” says Montoya with a reassuring smile. “You have a number to call if you get into trouble of any sort. Assist America is found all over the world. In extreme cases, they can repatriate you, as in the case of one journalist who suffered from aneurysm while on a coverage in India. They actually fly to rescue mountain climbers who get into an accident. If you go to their website, you can read all these amazing stories.”

Montoya believes that overseas health coverage should be a standard feature of HMO cards. “Especially with executives who travel. Generally, with globalization, the world is getting smaller and travel is getting cheaper.”

From the amazing stories you’ve probably read or heard, this program has been a heartwarming success. And plans are afoot to make the program even better for members.

Indeed, wherever you’re going, it pays to have health coverage. Have a safe  and healthy  trip!