Travel Insurance again

[katy]

Another example of why you should not just rely on the EHIC card.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -coma.html

[Martin Page]

Thats doent mean that she isnt being treated..

[fincalospinos]

Thats doent mean that she isnt being treated..

Thats correct, and if she pops her clogs they can bring her back in an urn as hand luggage, Easyjet to Liverpool, cheap as chips !!

[Julie]

I am totally confused as what the EHIC card covers, the UK lead us to believe it is for emergency treatment only, but here in Spain they tell me we can go to the doctors and hospital at anytime, and not just in an emergency, I went to the dentist a year ago and was treated free, but it was for a abscess, but also I went to the doctors a year or so ago with a chest infection and was also treated free, but now I am being told that I can go to the doctor for routine things and only part pay for my prescriptions, this as come about as I was telling my friend that I have to go back to the UK for a consultants appointment, then I decided I would look into going private here instead, when we enquired the doctor tell me that I can go free here to see a consultant, even though I told here I am not resident and only spend just short of 6 months a year in Spain, she already told me that I am in the system, but was registered outside Andalusia, never had any medical treatment anywhere else in Spain ! Anyway now I am totally confused as to which is right, I was also told the same by a girl who works as a receptionist at our local medical centre, so I don't want to say the doctor is wrong, but I am lead to believe by our goverment that this isn't the case, any thoughts on this anyone.

[katy]

Thats doent mean that she isnt being treated..

I don't recall saying she wasn't The point is for long term illness most people prefer to be near to where they live. eg if you and your family live in Spain and pop to London for a shopping trip wouldn't you prefer to be transfered back to Spain for long term treatment?

[El Cid]

The EHIC is not just for emergency treatment - this is the information on the UK NHS website:-

What does the EHIC cover?

It will cover any medical treatment that becomes necessary during your stay because of either illness or an accident.

The card gives access to reduced-cost or free medical treatment from state healthcare providers.

It allows you to be treated on the same basis as a resident of the country you are visiting i.e. you may have to pay a patient contribution (also known as a co-payment). You may be able to seek reimbursement for this when you are back in the UK if you are not able to do so in the other country.

It includes treatment of a chronic or pre-existing medical condition that becomes necessary during your visit.

It includes routine maternity care, (not solely illness or accident) provided the reason for your visit is not specifically to give birth. However, it does cover the cost of all medical treatment, for mother and baby, which is linked to the birth where that occurs unexpectedly.
It includes the provision of oxygen, renal dialysis and routine medical care.

It doesn't cover repatriation which is the problem that this lady in Mallorca is having. That's why travel insurance is still necessary.

The UK Embassy have some information at:-
http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for ... -insurance


Sid

[katy]

Julie I think it varies according to which health centre you go to. They have tightened up a lot on the CDS. One guy who we knew had a stroke, they kept him in hospital a few days. Was told he needed an operation but would have to return to his own country for that because he only had an EHIC.

Years ago I had an eye problem similar to conjuntivitus which got worse. Went to urgencias 3 times as everything they gave me made it worse. The last visit I was told that I needed to see an eye specialist but they could not refer me as it was not urgent!

[katy]

Sid I think the reason is how the authorities interpret "necessary". eg. if someone on a EHIC has a heart attack they will treat them until fit to be discharged. However they may need eg. a heart bypass. Waiting time maybe 2 months, their reasoning is that the patient as non-resident has time to return to their home country. This is how it works on the CDS.

[frank]

I have travelled many many times, and have never travelled without private insurance, but I now find it costs me as much for a fortnight as I was paying for a year! (age,existing conditions) Thought long and hard the last time about travelling without it for the first time, but decided in the end to take it. It seems it´s only the repatriation bit the EHIC doesn´t cover, is that correct? I would think the number that end up being repatriated must be tiny, almost worth the risk!

[katy]

Just imagine the cost if you had to be airlifted off a cruise ship in the middle of the Med

Insurance does worry me though as the small print is horrendous. They can link visiting the Doctor for something trivial as part of a serious illness.

[frank]

Just imagine the cost if you had to be airlifted off a cruise ship in the middle of the Med

Never ever fancied a cruise tbh, Katy, I think I'd get cabin fever stuck on a boat! The thought of being stuck on a boat for a week with some rich Americans (and Brits!) fills me with dread, I'd rather stay home. My wife and I have always said, if it's a body, leave it there, don't bother shipping it home.

[annfoto]

15 years ago my parent's booked a 2 week holiday in Majorca. 6 weeks before they left my father was in hospital having angioplasty, he was told that he really needed a bypass operation but he wasn't strong enough to survive it but he would be fine for 6 months and was UK to travel. Amazingly he got travel insurance!
On the last night of their holiday he had a massive heart attack. He was taken to a private hospital in Palma and told that he needed an urgent triple bypass. My brother who is a cardiologist told me that there was less than 5% chance of him surviving the op. in his opinion. The operation was a total success, he lived for a further 10 years and eventually died of a brain tumour.
The insurance paid for everything including a hotel room for my mother for 2 weeks, ambulance plane back to Scotland and private ambulance back to their house all accompanied by a paramedic. The total bill was about £48K
If they did not have insurance he probably would still have had the operation on his health card but maybe not carried out by such a talented surgeon. He would have had to pay the repatriation costs which were about half the bill.

[katy]

Just imagine the cost if you had to be airlifted off a cruise ship in the middle of the Med

Never ever fancied a cruise tbh, Katy, I think I'd get cabin fever stuck on a boat! The thought of being stuck on a boat for a week with some rich Americans (and Brits!) fills me with dread, I'd rather stay home. My wife and I have always said, if it's a body, leave it there, don't bother shipping it home.

You could alway do one of those out of Málaga which are 80% spanish passengers not to mention all the kids in summer

Actually we are going off cruising, went in Dec and it same ole everything, even the islands. Now the prices have come down they get a different class of people. Had 2 landbased hols this year and think that is what we shall do this winter instead. Don't think you would be bored, especially on the Cunard ships as they have lectures and various courses, especially if you choose only about 2 sea days with lots of ports. I nearly went stir crazy on a transatlantic though...6 days at sea and cold weather

Back on topic When I see and talk to some I wonder how they have managed to get insurance. I just wonder if they take it out and don't read the T&C's Spoke to people who have heart conditions, cancer etc holidaying in the USA., must cost them.

[katy]

Yes Annfoto, insurance is good when it works. Suprised they picked up the bill for an existing condition though.

My cousin was holidaying in Goa. Tried to get up from a sun lounger and something happened to her back. So bad they had to carry her off the beach on the lounger. She was in a nice clinic for 3 weeks, Husbands hotel bill paid. They then flew her by private plane to Mumbai and then business class to Heathrow where a private ambulance was waiting. Only had to stand to the first £60.

[Campo Steve]

We always have an annual insurance to cover us when we go away.Better safe than sorry.

However, as Katy says, The T&C's can be a bit daunting or worrying. They always seem to be written in such a way that they could link any illness to any other if they really wanted to. There's always the bit that says that, after purchasing the policy and before travelling, if you have an illness you should tell them, or words to that effect. If you don't then you won't be covered. But if you do then they can use it as an excuse to introduce exclusions. A no win situation.

[Mowser]

What the large print giveth, the small print taketh away.

[Julie]

Thanks for the replys and links, having read what Katy and sids link have said I really think I shouldn't be covered, I only went to ask for a reccomendation for a private consultant, I wasn't looking for a free revision, but the doctor insists it free Lol !

I imagine the appointment would probably not be soon enough as I need to go soon, but I will see what she says later today when she rings me,I get the impression she thinks I am a bit strange, she can't seem to understand why I would want to pay

[El Cid]

What the large print giveth, the small print taketh away.

Very true

Sid

[Campo Steve]

Don't know what you are going for Julie but good luck with it, paying or non-paying.

[chrissiehope]

A couple of points gleaned from experience of travel insurance:

1. some policies nowadays do NOT cover you for ANY kind of manual work - dodgy if you have a house or garden to attend to - read the small print (I found this right at the back in the General exclusions)

2. We are always told to advise the insurance co of any medical changes, but when I did this for hubby (who was undergoing tests) I was told that they wouldn't cover him for anything related to his 'problem' unless & until he was given a definite diagnosis - damned if you do & damned if you don't

3. Whilst it is possible to get cover once you have been diagnosed with cancer, it usually costs as much as another holiday ! I now rely on my EHIC card should anything crop up in that department, and exclude it from the insurance. That way I''m still covered for accidents, car crashes, other non-cancer illnesses etc.

Relating to Julie's experience, on our last trip hubby lost his insulin pen. We went to the doctors (via urgencias who couldn't help as they can't write prescriptions), and hubby is now the proud owner of an Andalucian Health number ! We said we didn't live there (true), but it didn't seem to matter, they just took details from his EHIC card & passport and we got a prescription for some pens to replace the lost one (which we found on the parcel shelf of the car when we arrived home !!! )