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Michael Moore was called down and did admit the hospital shown in his movie was one for paying medical tourists and not one for Cubans.
Just because "most" here don't know what the coverage entails, and just because "most" here have never had it - does not change the fact it's one of the few things in Cuba that delivers exactly what it says it will - and more
I would not want to be anywhere without Medical insurance. I sure would hate to have a serious medical problem in Cuba and find out they will not do much treatment or fly me home until I showed them the money. And, a policy issued by a US company certainly will not pay anything in Cuba.
The "my girl" always bothered me, but have noticed others using that terminology. If you are listening Pelo..................
I have never met Pelo face to face but I have met his his girl several times. She is very pleasant and unassuming.
#13 De nada vagabond!
BTW the 2.50/3CUC day options are detailed here
http://www.asistur.cu/indexi.php
Note can be bought at the airport on arrival or in Havana itself - can't remember the address off the top of my head
As John says, don't break a leg, as Bob says, don't slip on the tiles.
Vagabond: I am in no way disputing your truthfulness. But I would question if the person who told you that really knew the actual facts.
I would strongly suggest you have that statement communicated to you in writing to you if you are relying on them.
I hate to sound negative and only trying to be realistic. But I believe no US insurance company can send money to the Cuban Government (i.e. their medical system) without violating the trading with the enemy laws. Also, there is no way in the US banking system for a bank to transfer money or pay a check deposited into a bank in Cuba. It is possible they can reimburse you for what you paid but that loops back to the issue of you having enough cash to pay at that time.
What you and Vagabond were both told just seems to be at conflict with what everyone else has been told for 50 years.
But, your point is well-taken about coming up with the money for a medical emergency in Cuba for those of us who have U.S. based ATM cards and can't access funds. I usually only take cash ($100/day Canadian).
So has any TT poster from the U.S. ever had to get emergency care in Cuba? And, if so, what happened? Thanks and we've pretty much beat this one to death....
Will a US insurance underwriter reimburse someone for medical costs incurred in Cuba?
Will a US underwriter pay directly to a Cuban health provider?
Does a US health insurance policy satisfy the Cuban immigration requirements if stopped on arrival?
The answers are
1/.unlikely - despite what vagabond and krimbert have been told.
I suggest that either or both ask their insurer to provide them with a letter stating that they are covered for medical expences whilst in Cuba.
2/. No- is illegal
3/ No.
...as this extract from the actual Cuban Govenment advice establishes
To fulfill this demand, the traveller should have a travel insurance that includes medical expenses or a medical expenses policy, with cover inside of Cuba . In the case of residents in the United States that travel directly to Cuba, they will have to acquire a policy with Cuban insurance ……. due to the impossibility for North American insurance companies to guarantee covering in the national territory. The traveller who is checked when arriving to the country, should show the policy, certificate of insurance or travel assistance card, which is valid during the stay in Cuba.
#25
So has any TT poster from the U.S. ever had to get emergency care in Cuba? And, if so, what happened? Thanks and we've pretty much beat this one to death....
There have been heaps of posts on Trip Adviser of people from various countries who haven't been able to access a payment option via their own country and had to access a bank or whatever to pay for medical treatment including hospital stays. Do a search - you'll find a consistent pattern
ps as an aside medical expences are one thing - emergency evacuation is another. Most people's credit card limit wouldn't cover this - puttinga side the need to eventually repay a card debt of $20-30,000! Travelellers from my country going to the Cuba equivalent SEAsia get burnt regarding this all the time.
For those interested in what non-US insurance companies are or are not correspondents/covered in Cuba explore the Asistur web site.
Either you have correspondent coverage - or you do not - and if you don't it's your choice if you want to pay a nominal charge for Cuban insurance or not.
The "besting to death" here is from those presenting their internet search skills (limited at that) as experience.
It's your personal choice and on short term trips the cost is nominal - for a 30 days trip you are talking about USD/CUC$100.
Now - for anyone traveling direct from the US medical is covered in the "ticket" cost - and for those that are purchasing a air/hotel package brokered thru HavanTur the broader package often is included in the package as well.
You either feel more secure with the correct coverage, or you don't - that's all up to you !
For Cuba - with 24/7 assistance - consider it Cuban concierge service for emergencies..
It became somewhat of an urban myth around the time of the introduction of this policy that unless one's particular underwriter appeared on this list then you did not fulfill the 'mandatory' insurance proviso.
Very old news now but the Cuban government clarified not long after that "other travel insurances are valid as well" which of course is also iterated on the Asistur site I provided the link to in #17
E.g. Canadian provincial health cover which does meet the Cuban government requirements and indeed the insurance provided by my bank for my wife and I given that we do have to demonstrate on each visit that we have appropriate coverage (which is not a hassle given we have it as a matter of course wherever we travel).
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15
although I do agree with Michael Moore on many subjects, I don't know what hospital they showed him in Sicko, but the conditions were dismal!Michael Moore was called down and did admit the hospital shown in his movie was one for paying medical tourists and not one for Cubans.
Just because "most" here don't know what the coverage entails, and just because "most" here have never had it - does not change the fact it's one of the few things in Cuba that delivers exactly what it says it will - and more
I would not want to be anywhere without Medical insurance. I sure would hate to have a serious medical problem in Cuba and find out they will not do much treatment or fly me home until I showed them the money. And, a policy issued by a US company certainly will not pay anything in Cuba.
The "my girl" always bothered me, but have noticed others using that terminology. If you are listening Pelo..................
I have never met Pelo face to face but I have met his his girl several times. She is very pleasant and unassuming.
17
#11 don't break a leg#13 De nada vagabond!
BTW the 2.50/3CUC day options are detailed here
http://www.asistur.cu/indexi.php
Note can be bought at the airport on arrival or in Havana itself - can't remember the address off the top of my head
18
My two cents - and I would repeat this ad nauseam: I can't imagine travelling anywhere without travel/medical insurance. And Cuba is definitely part of that anywhere.As John says, don't break a leg, as Bob says, don't slip on the tiles.
19
I just spoke with my health care provider and they assured me that I am covered for emergency medical care in any and every country, including Cuba. I pressed them on the matter and they confirmed that I am covered for Cuba. BTW, my provider is Kaiser Permanente of Northern California.21
I just spoke with my health care provider and they assured me that I am covered for emergency medical care in any and every country, including Cuba. I pressed them on the matter and they confirmed that I am covered for Cuba. BTW, my provider is Kaiser Permanente of Northern California.Vagabond: I am in no way disputing your truthfulness. But I would question if the person who told you that really knew the actual facts.
I would strongly suggest you have that statement communicated to you in writing to you if you are relying on them.
24
krimbert: will you have the cash in your pocket to pay for any medical care while in Cuba? Being reimbursed is encouraging but I question if the Cuban government will provide extensive medical care and then let you out of the country without paying based on your promise to later do so.I hate to sound negative and only trying to be realistic. But I believe no US insurance company can send money to the Cuban Government (i.e. their medical system) without violating the trading with the enemy laws. Also, there is no way in the US banking system for a bank to transfer money or pay a check deposited into a bank in Cuba. It is possible they can reimburse you for what you paid but that loops back to the issue of you having enough cash to pay at that time.
What you and Vagabond were both told just seems to be at conflict with what everyone else has been told for 50 years.
25
First, I do believe my insurance carrier when they tell me they will reimburse me for any emergency medical expenses incurred in Cuba. As with any out of the country medical costs, you would need to provide the carrier with receipts for reimbursement - they do not send payments to medical facilities in other countries.But, your point is well-taken about coming up with the money for a medical emergency in Cuba for those of us who have U.S. based ATM cards and can't access funds. I usually only take cash ($100/day Canadian).
So has any TT poster from the U.S. ever had to get emergency care in Cuba? And, if so, what happened? Thanks and we've pretty much beat this one to death....
27
There are 3 issues here.Will a US insurance underwriter reimburse someone for medical costs incurred in Cuba?
Will a US underwriter pay directly to a Cuban health provider?
Does a US health insurance policy satisfy the Cuban immigration requirements if stopped on arrival?
The answers are
1/.unlikely - despite what vagabond and krimbert have been told.
I suggest that either or both ask their insurer to provide them with a letter stating that they are covered for medical expences whilst in Cuba.
2/. No- is illegal
3/ No.
...as this extract from the actual Cuban Govenment advice establishes
To fulfill this demand, the traveller should have a travel insurance that includes medical expenses or a medical expenses policy, with cover inside of Cuba . In the case of residents in the United States that travel directly to Cuba, they will have to acquire a policy with Cuban insurance ……. due to the impossibility for North American insurance companies to guarantee covering in the national territory. The traveller who is checked when arriving to the country, should show the policy, certificate of insurance or travel assistance card, which is valid during the stay in Cuba.
#25
So has any TT poster from the U.S. ever had to get emergency care in Cuba? And, if so, what happened? Thanks and we've pretty much beat this one to death....
There have been heaps of posts on Trip Adviser of people from various countries who haven't been able to access a payment option via their own country and had to access a bank or whatever to pay for medical treatment including hospital stays. Do a search - you'll find a consistent pattern
ps as an aside medical expences are one thing - emergency evacuation is another. Most people's credit card limit wouldn't cover this - puttinga side the need to eventually repay a card debt of $20-30,000! Travelellers from my country going to the Cuba equivalent SEAsia get burnt regarding this all the time.
28
No American insurance company is a correspondent provider with Assistur - and Assistur is the ONLY active travel insurance company in Cuba.For those interested in what non-US insurance companies are or are not correspondents/covered in Cuba explore the Asistur web site.
Either you have correspondent coverage - or you do not - and if you don't it's your choice if you want to pay a nominal charge for Cuban insurance or not.
The "besting to death" here is from those presenting their internet search skills (limited at that) as experience.
It's your personal choice and on short term trips the cost is nominal - for a 30 days trip you are talking about USD/CUC$100.
Now - for anyone traveling direct from the US medical is covered in the "ticket" cost - and for those that are purchasing a air/hotel package brokered thru HavanTur the broader package often is included in the package as well.
You either feel more secure with the correct coverage, or you don't - that's all up to you !
For Cuba - with 24/7 assistance - consider it Cuban concierge service for emergencies..
29
For those interested in what non-US insurance companies are or are not correspondents/covered in Cuba explore the Asistur web siteIt became somewhat of an urban myth around the time of the introduction of this policy that unless one's particular underwriter appeared on this list then you did not fulfill the 'mandatory' insurance proviso.
Very old news now but the Cuban government clarified not long after that "other travel insurances are valid as well" which of course is also iterated on the Asistur site I provided the link to in #17
E.g. Canadian provincial health cover which does meet the Cuban government requirements and indeed the insurance provided by my bank for my wife and I given that we do have to demonstrate on each visit that we have appropriate coverage (which is not a hassle given we have it as a matter of course wherever we travel).
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