In the end – if one is to be thorough – a buyer of insurance always has to go to the actual insurance contract. There is no other way.Somewhere down the line the contract had to be vetted by lawyers and accountants and submitted to a government agency which oversees and regulates insurance plans and coverage’s. Nothing will ruin the long weekend or even the month of administrators of any insurance firm than a letter from the “registrar “or regulatory board of any insurance industry.One has to examine that actual document.The firm may be resistant to provide it or hand it over.They may say and respond at great length (usually verbally) that such a document or paper does not exist.It has to.In the end the company will have to forward you to those insurance documents.Glossy marketing brochures and the like are no substitute for such information.Actual legal documents are the only means of determining your insurance coverage.In a pinch or negotiations the insurer will use the data and facts – why not you as well?
The key factor in terms of medical tourism and insurance coverage is that now an increasing amount of insurance companies – group plans, commercial coverage and coverage by employers are now covering overseas treatments as well as surgeries.
Read the small print of your medical insurance coverage and benefits and as well the extent to which the coverage by the medical insurance coverage covers any follow-up treatments required.A key question as well is what happens if mistakes or complications arise – what costs are covered or are not covered.Are out of pocket or additional costs covered.It is not a negative feature of the care provider chosen.Complications can arise at home, or at the best first world medical care intuitions.Why not could they not arise overseas?The major difference here is that you are far away from home – or even far away from other specialized medical care if need be.
The question and description often arises in terms of medical insurance and medical insurance coverage of “pre-existing illness”.
Specifically medical insurance coverage may not cover or include “pre-existing illnesses or pre-existing conditions”. What does this mean and what are the implications as well – both to you, your family and loved ones – and as well to your abilities to be insured and as well covered for treatment by your medical insurance plan ?
In a nutshell what this means is that if you had the illness previously – or even if was suggested in a medical diagnosis and you did not disclose or detail this on your submission and application for medical benefits coverage – then the insurance company has every right not to provide coverage. It is the patient’s and insured policy holder’s responsibility not the insurance company.
It is a similar case and situation to a person who has a heart condition – wishes and plans a trip for a wedding to Baltimore in the US – and proceeds either to not tell or disclose her pre-existing heart disease – having had a history of cardiac trouble with documented heart attacks and treatment by a recognized cardiologist . That person, patient , may of gotten away taking the chance before and simply thinks that “they will get away with it again” – that the chance of a cardiac attack or cardiac illness returning or being an issue or problem on a simple family wedding trip are slight if not unlikely. Most likely – they “got away” with it before – its a simple chance of low probability. Its all worth the risk.
The problem is that the insurer in this case ( the travel medical insurance coverage) , can easily dispute the claim – based on the well documented fact – with background medical documentation and records , that the illness – in this case – documented cardiac illness – had occured previous to purchasing the policy. The claim can simply and legally correctly be denied. The insured will be out of pocket themselves. No amount of protestations or twisting of facts will change the case and situation. It is a simple as that. It is the responsibility of the insured to disclose the facts – not the responsibility of the company to discover hidden or undisclosed facts and medical history and histories. Clerks and agents cannot be held liabile as well. On making and completing the insurance coverage application for the policy itself and requests for benefts and coverage various legal forms are signed by the applicant. It is the responsibility of the applicant for medical insurance coverage to disclose all. Simple as that. Otherwise the insurance company can deny claims. Simple as that. On top of that an insurance company that has been provided false , misleading or fraudulent information – has the responsibility to file this information to its industry sources – alerting the industry of this history – making it more difficult if not more expensive and maybe not possible for the insured to obtain medical insurance coverage from other insurance carriers.
Medical Tourism Blog: BUPA Insurance for Medical Tourists – Lastly, this is an informative blog, and we are dedicated to bring you the latest news and developments and expert opinion regarding medical tourism. We are not in any way affiliated with BUPA, BUPA International or any of their subsidiaries or … Perhaps you can also speak to CIGNA and Aetna for more info about coverage for overseas treatment. They are players in the international scene. If you;d like, you can email me re; med travel and insurance issues etc…. cheers! …