If a foreigner unexpectedly needs health care in the U.S. while visiting, how's it handled?

On DU, we've read testimonials from people who unexpectedly become ill or injured while visiting a foreign country. They receive good health care in that country and pay a fraction of what they would have paid if the same thing occurred in the U.S.

How is it handled in the U.S. if a visitor has the same experience? Is it all out-of-pocket at the going, sky-high U.S. health care rate? Are they covered under their country's system?

Just curious.

usually take out travel insurance which covers any medical bills and repatriation if necessary. They do need to declare if they're skiing or white water rafting whatever.

Edit to add : example here, medical cover up to £10 million - that's £'s Sterling : not US$. Is that enough ?
http://www.insurancechoice.co.uk/product/travel/pre-existing-medical-conditions/gaw624?gclid=CJK-4qbsupwCFc0B4wod318WnA

does the travel insurance cost?

I just checked out this one : http://www.aatravelinsurance.com/index.asp?advertid=32393&gclid=CL-g1MDuupwCFUYA4wodh18XoA

I'm 65 and entered a week in the USA and the answer was about £90 / $145. :shrug:

and got a quote of 26.77 pounds or $44.31. Doesn't sound too bad to me.

traveling to countries that do NOT have socialized medicine.

when visiting countries (like costa rica) that DO have socialized medicine, i of course have not.

once in costa rica, i got rather nasty 2nd degree burns. i went to the local clinic and had no problem getting free medical care.

Most major medical US policies offer 1-5 million (dollar) of lifetime coverage maximum. 10 million would be considered a huge lifetime max, 20 mil (or thereabouts depending on the exchange rate) is insane -- especially considering this is just temporary insurance until your repatriated.

I know, we had that experience with dad.

Some folks buy tourist insurance, and some folks have insurance that is accepted by uS hospitals.

If you are a foreigner looking to visit the US I recommend seeing if you can get travel insurance.

I can't imagine how expensive that is. But I don't blame them. I wouldn't step foot in here without some. Did you see Sicko? That one golfer had a torn ligament and went home to Canada before seeing a doctor. They also had Michael Moore's family members buying insurance from, I think, Sears. They speak on the subject a bit.

It is an international embaressment that we treat people the way we do. And the fools and tools out there screaming at townhall meetings calling people fascists, nazis, etc. They are the majority of Americans who have never stepped foot in another country, yet feel justified to call names and claim to be "the best." Ugh. Ugh to it all. :eyes:

In the UK we drive on the left which means you look right first when crossing the road : not left.....lol. If you don't you may get run over which is not an unknown event with US tourists here.

However, I'm thinking that perhaps some of our International Townhall Idiots may need a visit overseas. And it would give them a chance to see socialist healthcare in action. I bet they wouldn't gladly accept it... and then badmouth it later.

posts. As I don't live abroad, I don't have intimate knowledge of the proceedures involved in buying short-term health insurance for traveling to and throughout America from other countries. However, Mr. kt and I may be living abroad within the next year or two, and we've been advised to look into traveler's insurance when we return to visit our parents in the states. However, being that we haven't left yet, I haven't looked into all the details.

What makes this "assertion" so interesting? It seems rather boring to me. And pretty "common sense" to me since Americans purchase car insurance when driving into Mexico, as we have on a number of occassions. (And, before you ask, Mr. kt grew up in San Diego, so he always takes care of that when we travel south. I'm originally from San Francisco, and know little to nothing about purchasing car insurance for driving in Mexico.)



Edited to add: If you need to direct information regarding purchasing health insurance for a trip to the United States, I can contact some DUers and let them know you're curious about the process.


And... you can look upthread! :)

I just got back from two weeks in the US, and I was damned sure to have medical travel insurance before I got on the airplane. Any travel agency here will strongly advise medical travel insurance when going to the US.

We even take out holiday insurance for holidays in Europe. Doesn't cost a bundle and covers all sorts of other things too including flight cancellations, damaged luggage , stolen possessions etc.

My daughters last BF was from Canada. School policy was thru Kaiser

here
and don't pay anything

Its hard to collect from someone living in another country

This is one of the little discussed issues about this type of system - usually you have no coverage when you're overseas (though I think within Europe there are reciprocal agreements between nations to provide care for each others' citizens.) My job provided travel insurance, though.

Back when I was working in the states I had a PPO program through my employer which basically covered everything worldwide, but this was back during the silicon valley boom when they couldn't throw money and bennies at you fast enough.

...is how the the government puts it. I just did a quote, and a month's cover for me in the US would be NZ$210 (US$143), with a NZ$100 (US$68) excess.

(edit for typo)

is their tourist insurance for Americans that other countries have to recognize?

But my mom got an infection in her leg while traveling to Hong Kong.

They went to a doctor, who then brought in a specialist.
He treated her leg and gave her a prescription.
Total time? About 5 hours.
Total cost? Nothing.

(And just a few years later, Mom's bought into the "evil social medicine" thing...) :eyes:

when I was working EMS in TJ... how were you going to pay for this never crossed my lips.

In the US, do you have insurance is pretty much next to my name is, and I am an EMT. I am not kidding you.

My husband was also in the USN... he twisted his uncle in the UK. They took him to the ER... and ONLY AFTER he was taken care off did somebody come in and asked the national statistics questions, but never was asked how are you going to pay for this?

He twisted another ankle in the US. he was given top of the line care at a US Civilian tacitly THIS FAST, since his guv'ment insurance would pay.

How many has he got?
:P

:-)

Bad enough to need crutches.

I'm wondering why his uncle wasn't treated?
:evilgrin:

I don't want to cross Mr B, if he's willing to chase his uncle to the UK just to give him a twist.

-Hoot

UK--er visit, I suddenly became quite sick, possibly a stomach bug that was going around while I was there. They asked me all kinds of info & I truly expected a bill, either there or after I got home. Five years later, still nothing.

Oz--non-emergency er visit; had to pay $50 US (I think; it's been a few years); supposedly if I'd kept the receipt, my insurance would have reimbursed me, but as it was way under my deductible & I was traveling all over the outback, it got "lost." Wouldn't have had to pay anything had the US accepted Oz health care cards.

dg

one in Ontario and one in BC, they were basically treated as though they were Canadian transients and hospital administrators had no interest in their insurance. It is probably easier for the Canadian hospital to say your a bum than bother making a claim with your insurance company.

some US insurance companies will cover you. some won't . check yer policy.

i have bought traveler's insurance before on occasion when traveling to certain countries.

in other countries, like costa rica, that have socialized medicine, i have not purchased travel insurance. obviously.

i got excellent treatment in costa rica for some 2nd degree burns and it cost me nada.

including the US. Still when I'm traveling to the US I purchase additional coverage for about US$30.

in the waters of a foreign country. I think foreigners probably have to do something similar.

I am stunned that no one replying has a clue about the answer to the OP's query. Part of the problem? Yes.

If they become ill enough to need medical care but it is not an emergency, they might look for a clinic or ask their hotel about a local MD.

Last year my bosses travelled to Quito for a week's holiday then some work. After 2 days he was taken very ill and became comatose. Quito was not equiped to deal, so he was transferred to Jackson Memorial by plane with an emergency medical crew. His wife was flown seperately and put up in a hotel for a month while he recovered from septic shock.

He was then flown back to Australia with a medical escort of 2 paramedics.

The total cost including flights, hospitalization and everything else came to close on $600,000. All paid for by travel insurance.

When you buy a plane ticket to the usa, from outside the usa, you can buy travel insurance with it, and that should cover hospital bills.

maybe take a kidney for collateral.