When planning a long trip abroad or just taking a short holiday, having adequate health insurance while traveling is essential. Take into account your coverage needs and budget before selecting an insurance plan that meets both.
Comparing plans from different providers can be beneficial. Doing so gives you a better idea of what’s available and which ones offer the most value for your money.
Cost
No matter if you’re traveling for business or pleasure, or live abroad, it’s essential to consider travel health insurance. Without one, you could end up facing expensive out-of-pocket medical costs and be left struggling to navigate foreign healthcare systems alone.
Consider this scenario: you break your leg while traveling abroad, and are uninsured. Without coverage, you could owe tens of thousands in hospital bills, ambulance fees and surgery expenses.
Additionally, you could require special transportation on a medically staffed flight back home and have to deal with language barriers and questions about paying hospital bills.
In such cases, you should contact your travel insurance provider to file a claim and they’ll take care of everything from there.
Coverage
Travel medical insurance can help cover the costs of emergency care, dental treatment and transportation in case of an unexpected illness or injury while abroad. In some cases, it may even reimburse for prescription drugs or other supplies necessary for treatment.
Some policies even offer pre-existing condition waivers; however, you’ll need to consult your provider for more details.
GeoBlue provides customized travel medical insurance plans with a range of benefits that can be tailored to fit your needs and budget. There are general plans like Voyager and Trekker, as well as specialty options for group, education and long-term travel experiences.
Traveling abroad can present many obstacles, such as accessing quality health care and services. For instance, the language barrier and currency differences may make it difficult to receive the necessary medical care.
Deductibles
Deductibles and copays are important factors to take into account when searching for affordable health insurance while traveling. Generally speaking, higher deductibles equal lower premiums.
Conversely, higher copays mean greater out-of-pocket expenses. You should carefully read your plan summary to determine what your deductible and copays will be before comparing these to what you’ll pay out-of-pocket for covered services.
A health care plan’s out-of-pocket maximum is the amount you must pay out of pocket for medical expenses in a given year, including your deductible, copays and any out-of-network visit fees. This includes any deductibles, copays and additional out-of-pocket costs you incur during that year.
Most health plans require you to meet a deductible before they will cover medical services. Deductibles vary between plans and are generally adjusted for inflation. Furthermore, most travel health insurance policies give you the option to increase or decrease your deductible; this can save money while traveling abroad by reducing out-of-pocket expenses associated with travel.
Copays
A copay is a fixed dollar amount that enrollees must contribute towards the cost of medical items and services covered by their health insurance plan, such as prescription drugs or visiting a doctor.
A deductible is another common cost-sharing requirement, but it’s not a copay. In fact, this is one of the more economical ways to cover healthcare costs since it only kicks in once you meet the deductible threshold.
According to your health plan, you may have to pay a copay or other cost-sharing fee each time you receive treatment at the doctor’s office, emergency room or urgent care center. While these small out-of-pocket payments can save you from large bills in the future, it’s best to read all details involved with your policy so that you understand exactly what is covered and how it applies to you. Ultimately, make sure the policy meets all of your needs.