Salud Bucal or health insurance as tourist?

Dubcreator

Member
Sep 15, 2013
36
2
8
59
Belgium
Hey there Dr1'ers,
Is it possible for a tourist to get any local health insurance for short term stay, for exaple three months worth?
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
113
Normally you have a 3 month waiting period, so staying for three months won't work. A Travel Insurance plan might work for you based in your home country.
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
0
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yahoomail.com
Check with your health insurer where you live.
Most will cover any Emergency medical treatment you receive abroad.
Usually, you must report any treatment, hospitalization within 24 house of receiving said service.
You will often have to pay the service provider here BEFORE you get any services.
You home insurer will reimburse you later.
They will, however, make you have EVERYTHING in order before they pay.
A Few DR clinics, hospitals, doctors will accept US Health Insurance payments, VERY FEW!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
travel agents in europe have insurance option. as cccc said, you will have to pay cash and the company will give you money back. a tourist can have dominican health insurance based on passport alone but it takes too long to kick in to make sense if you only stay here for 3 months.
 

Uzin

Bronze
Oct 26, 2005
1,386
20
38
As a tourist you are permitted to only stay in DR for one month (according to the tourist visa rule I think), from what I understand after that you are really not suppose to stay here as a tourist, but everyone does ! I have a feeling picky insurance companies from US and Europe might question this and not pay up !?

If you stay more than a month with tourist entry visa they issue at the airport when you arrive, you have to pay a fine when exiting the country, i.e. for overstaying. I think I asked if it is possible to go to the DR embassy before arriving and apply for a longer period tourist visa but I don't think I got any replies to that.

I'm not sure of this, but hopefully someone with more info will reply....

(Also tourist/travel insurance usually covers 45 days continuous period of staying away - another issue. You need a back-packing insurance which is more expensive but allows longer stay - up to one year I think. I did that once for Asia...no need to actually do back-packing by the way !!! LOL)
 

Lobo Tropical

Silver
Aug 21, 2010
3,515
521
113
Hey there Dr1'ers,
Is it possible for a tourist to get any local health insurance for short term stay, for exaple three months worth?

Get travel insurance in your home country prior to departure.
Medical care in Santiago or Santo Domingo is good and relatively cheap if you're really stuck.
 

Dubcreator

Member
Sep 15, 2013
36
2
8
59
Belgium
As a tourist you are permitted to only stay in DR for one month (according to the tourist visa rule I think), from what I understand after that you are really not suppose to stay here as a tourist, but everyone does ! I have a feeling picky insurance companies from US and Europe might question this and not pay up !?

If you stay more than a month with tourist entry visa they issue at the airport when you arrive, you have to pay a fine when exiting the country, i.e. for overstaying. I think I asked if it is possible to go to the DR embassy before arriving and apply for a longer period tourist visa but I don't think I got any replies to that.

I'm not sure of this, but hopefully someone with more info will reply....

(Also tourist/travel insurance usually covers 45 days continuous period of staying away - another issue. You need a back-packing insurance which is more expensive but allows longer stay - up to one year I think. I did that once for Asia...no need to actually do back-packing by the way !!! LOL)
Actually if you want to stay longer then the one month or 45 days usually allowed by the regular tourist card all you have to do,in Belgium anyways, is to apply for an extended visa, and I can stay 6 months in the Dr, it just costs me some $$$$ more...
 

Dubcreator

Member
Sep 15, 2013
36
2
8
59
Belgium
As a tourist you are permitted to only stay in DR for one month (according to the tourist visa rule I think), from what I understand after that you are really not suppose to stay here as a tourist, but everyone does ! I have a feeling picky insurance companies from US and Europe might question this and not pay up !?

If you stay more than a month with tourist entry visa they issue at the airport when you arrive, you have to pay a fine when exiting the country, i.e. for overstaying. I think I asked if it is possible to go to the DR embassy before arriving and apply for a longer period tourist visa but I don't think I got any replies to that.

I'm not sure of this, but hopefully someone with more info will reply....

(Also tourist/travel insurance usually covers 45 days continuous period of staying away - another issue. You need a back-packing insurance which is more expensive but allows longer stay - up to one year I think. I did that once for Asia...no need to actually do back-packing by the way !!! LOL)
Actually if you want to stay longer then the one month or 45 days usually allowed by the regular tourist card all you have to do,in Belgium anyways, is to apply for an extended visa, and I can stay 6 months in the Dr, it just costs me some $$$$ more...
 

bochinche

Bronze
Jun 19, 2003
747
10
0
Salud bucal is dental insurance......never heard of anyone taking that out for a short stay, anywhere. Surely if you were that worried you would get a check up before travelling.....tell me i'm not wrong.
 

Dubcreator

Member
Sep 15, 2013
36
2
8
59
Belgium
Salud bucal is dental insurance......never heard of anyone taking that out for a short stay, anywhere. Surely if you were that worried you would get a check up before travelling.....tell me i'm not wrong.
Just had a check-up done, no worries on that part, but one never knows what can happen and rest assured,i'm well insured in Belgium and by travel insurance, just wanted to know if it was possible as for one would not have to pay up in front and then wait for eons to get reimbursed all my hard earned money spent on medical costs oversees in case of troubles, thanks for the reply though:cool:
 

Deyvi

*** I love DR1 ***
Dec 23, 2009
579
2
0
Check with your health insurer where you live.
Most will cover any Emergency medical treatment you receive abroad.
Usually, you must report any treatment, hospitalization within 24 house of receiving said service.
You will often have to pay the service provider here BEFORE you get any services.
You home insurer will reimburse you later.
They will, however, make you have EVERYTHING in order before they pay.
A Few DR clinics, hospitals, doctors will accept US Health Insurance payments, VERY FEW!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

CC, are you saying that, even though your health ins. stateside stipulates the providers in the DR you gotta pay up front?
I've been buying the trip ins. with my AA ticket lately, the "low lifes" don't want to divulge what clinics honor their coverage. I specifically asked about Clinica Abreu and they said yes----word of mouth means nothing though. Do you know if the US Embassy still does business with them? If you're cash poor, will Abreu get you ready enough to fly home and work it out with the ins. mongers later?
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,097
6,247
113
South Coast
I read my United Health Care policy about foreign travel, and they will cover emergency treatment overseas, for the first 3 months only. I'd have to pay in full, and then try to get them to reimburse me upon return. "Try" being the operative word.

And Deyvi, I'm sure Clinica Abreu will want to be paid up front, when my mother-in-law was taken there my BIL had to hand over his credit card upon admission.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
i will also add that dental work in DR is a lot cheaper than in belgium so it will not hit your pocket hard.
 

pelaut

Bronze
Aug 5, 2007
1,089
33
48
www.ThornlessPath.com
Why bother with insurance? Medical costs in the DR often come under the deduction and/or so-called co-pay of home countries' insurances. You'll have a happier visit by not trying to reconstitute your own society's mistakes while you are here. The Dominicans are fast catching up to them by themselves.
 

Uzin

Bronze
Oct 26, 2005
1,386
20
38
Actually if you want to stay longer then the one month or 45 days usually allowed by the regular tourist card all you have to do,in Belgium anyways, is to apply for an extended visa, and I can stay 6 months in the Dr, it just costs me some $$$$ more...

That's good to know that there is an option from DR Embassy abroad for extended tourist visa of up to 6 months (how much did you pay for that !?). Then you just need that back-packing travel insurance that I mentioned. It covers you for basic stuff.