Single-Trip Medical Travel Insurance Coverage: When and Why Do I Need One?

In the United States, people associate medical bills with several themes. For example, consumers consider insurance plans, out-of-pocket expenses, and covered/not covered procedures when they undergo health care treatment. Upon traveling abroad, however, the story is different. Because of this, a single-trip medical travel insurance plan can prevent your vacation or business trip from turning into unwanted financial burden. For instance, many health insurance plans don’t cover medical treatment outside of the country. Similarly, international policies mainly cater to people who live abroad, rather than short-term visitors.

Yet this doesn’t mean that you should travel without any coverage or, alternatively, purchase an expensive plan. Your U.S-based insurance company may pay for overseas costs, especially when its an in-network facility. Many providers, including Medicaid and health insurers, also offer affordable international plans that supplement your existing one. Even if this isn’t an option, you could still find expansive and worthwhile single-trip medical travel insurance coverage.

Single-Trip Medical Travel Insurance and Your Existing Coverage

Whether or not your current health insurance company covers you abroad depends on two factors. Firstly (and obviously) is your provider’s policy. That is to say, some insurance companies offer overseas coverage. Secondly, several providers will allow patients to undergo certain procedures abroad instead of in the United States. This is because the insurer saves money when foreign hospitals treat policyholders at cheaper prices.

Your Current Coverage Abroad

Blue Cross Blue Shield, as an example, has an app that patients may use when they travel outside of the U.S. The platform identifies the nearby hospitals and medical facilities that a policyholder’s plan will cover. Similarly, other insurers, such as United Healthcare, allow you to enroll in a temporary or single-trip medical travel insurance plan. Usually, it complements your existing coverage in the U.S. Above all else, several insurance companies may cover their policyholders overseas but only during emergencies.

What if you have Medicaid? Firstly, the program could apply to beneficiaries in very limited circumstances. In short, Medicaid pays for your health-related costs only when you travel to Alaska through Canada. There are other exceptions, but your best option is to enroll in a supplementary program. For instance, a few Medigap insurance policies specifically cover you outside of the U.S. This is similar to how private providers offer secondary international plans to existing policyholders.

Foreign Health Insurance for Special Procedures

Medical costs in the United States are more expensive than in several other countries. Since insurance companies pay these bills, they save money when policyholders visit an overseas health care facility. In fact, the medical tourism industry exists for this very reason. To clarify, some countries specifically attract travelers who are looking for relatively low-cost and/or high-quality treatment.

If you want to get a knee or hip replaced, to name a couple of examples, many U.S insurers cover you overseas. However, this only applies to existing policyholders who would otherwise qualify for the same procedure in the U.S. Additionally, patients must schedule their travel plans and medical appointments before they go abroad. Just as importantly, their insurance company must initially approve the hospital and doctor that the patient will visit.

Your Destination’s Health Care System

Keep in mind that, even when your insurance provider offers overseas coverage, your destination is just as important as your health plan. Many hospitals operate across the U.S and Canada, for instance. If one of those facilities is part of your insurance network, then your policy could cover both the American and Canadian hospitals. Meanwhile, several countries have government-sponsored health care systems. Yet this may not include foreigners and short-term visitors.

Before you travel, check your destination’s medical policies and who they apply to. If you can obtain coverage or health care, a multiple or single-trip medical travel insurance plan becomes unnecessary. Above all else, many countries require foreigners (or patients, in general) to pay up-front. Otherwise, the hospital doesn’t help them. In the US, most health care providers bill you after your visit.

Travelers should note this distinction and, in the same vein, see how their insurance plan approaches overseas payments. A few companies may require policyholders to initially cover the bill. In turn, the insurer reimburses them in the future. A good way to handle these costs is through utilizing a medical credit card. Moreover, some credit card companies give you flexibility and benefits when it comes to international health care expenses.

What if you can’t get coverage abroad?

At times, your insurance company doesn’t cover international travel and/or the country of your destination charges patients for medical services. You would, in this scenario, need overseas coverage. Luckily, many providers offer single-trip medical travel insurance, although there are potential downsides. Before you purchase a policy, carefully examine its provisions.

Firstly, if you’re worried about up-front payments, even a single-trip medical travel insurance plan may not fix the problem. To put it simply, just as with your regular health insurer, the company might ask you to cover the payment, and afterwards, they give you a refund. Similarly, international health insurance plans could exclude preexisting conditions and medical tourism. On certain occasions, the coverage might only apply to emergencies.

This is not to say that you shouldn’t enroll in an overseas plan, but keep in mind that several gaps may exist. To save money, you should initially check if your primary insurance entails health treatment abroad. The same could be said about Medicare recipients. This is even more worthwhile when you are traveling as a medical tourist. Checking the health care policies of your destination is just as important.

When all else fails, a single-trip medical travel insurance plan becomes the best choice. It may be costly, but the premiums are minimal in comparison to what you could end up paying. Moreover, an existing health plan that covers international medical bills is definitely better.