medical evacuation insurance
Replies: 7 - Last Post: Mar 22, 2013 7:18 PM Last Post By: JoeToo
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medical evacuation insurance
Sometimes I've seen questions about medivac insurance, so thought I would relate my recent experience.Jan 4th 2013, my wife and I arrived in Zihuatanejo, Mex. for a two month stay. She had heart surgery a year and a half ago, so to be on the safe side I had bought an evacuation policy from MedJetAssist. I picked it because it advertized they would fly you to your home hospital (or hospital of choice) instead of just the nearest appropriate facility.
On Sat. Jan 19th my wife went into atrial fibrillation with a dangerously high heart rate. I took her to a local clinic because I learned a respected cardiologist was there for the weekend. He was quite capable, but the clinic was small and not well equiped. He was unable to restore normal heart rhythm or reduce her heart rate. She was there Sat. night and into Sunday.
I called MedJet.
They had a quick consult with the cardiologist and began preparations to come get her. The process took a few hours mostly due to our home hospital, Kaiser, Fresno CA being slow to accept the tranfer (another story).
The medically equiped Lear jet arrived at about 8pm Sunday and she was at Kaiser by midnight.
She still has problems, but is home and out of immediate danger.
I have no experience with other evacuation policies, but this one was a positive experience.
In my opinion comprehensive travel insurance is a waste of money, but evacuation insurance is a different story.
It cost $300somthing for a one year family subscription.
Curtis
3
A question for the OP: are you sure it's only about $300 for a year long family plan?I've been researching evacuation/travel insurance this last month as I get set to leave for a year+ trip in Asia. I also heard about someone having a good experience with MedJetAssist, and looked into it. A one year policy for an individual for a year seems to be $665, assuming you are under 75. I am looking at the numbers on their website right now.
When I looked into some reputable travel insurers, like World Nomads, they offered evacuation insurance PLUS a variety of other coverages, for $911 per year for a US citizen. The extra $250 to have electronics, luggage, trip interruption, etc.--plus coverage for local hospital stays if I got sick but not enough for evac. did seem worth it.
How were you able to pay only $300 for a year-long family plan? I am open to evac. insurance only if the cost were in this ballpark!
4
Wanderinz, I just looked at the MedjetAssist page and it quoted $395.00 for a one year family membership. We paid a little less, $365 I think, because we are AARP members.Where are you located? I wonder if they set different fees for different regions.
I didnt look it up before my post and thats why I said $300something. Close to $400 would have been better. Still, what you are seeing is quite different than what we paid and what I am seeing on their website.
Hard to figure.
Here is another issue. I see you will be gone a year. MedJet only covers you for 90 days out of the country per trip.
May not work for you if you are goingt to be gone a year.
5
Thanks for this info. Sounds like the confusion is this:Medjet offers a policy that is effective for one year, but for only for 90 days or less out of the country at a time. That costs just shy of $400. If you want a year of continuous coverage--i.e. you are not coming back to your home country for a year----or even of you're going to be gone longer than 90 days--then you'd have to pony up more than $650 for an individual and almost $1000 for family for their service.
I agree that it is a good deal for people who take several trips a year, each less than 90 days. For longer trips, traditional travel insurance with a reputable company is probably the winner.
Thanks again for taking the time to clarify!
