Catastrophic Medical Insurance for Ex-Pats?

scronster

New member
May 13, 2013
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I will be spending a year in Las Terrenas with my two children, and am interested in purchasing a bare-bones medical insurance plan that would cover, essentially, just all costs to transport/medivac us to the US in the event of a life-threatening accident that required hospital care. Our regular medical and dental plans will remain intact in the US, and we will be visiting doctors on our visits home for checkups and preventative care. All we need is something to get us home in the event of a true emergency.

Any thoughts on a good plan for this?
 

Maxie143

New member
Jun 3, 2010
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I too am interested in this since we will be spending the winter months in the DR soon. I do plan to check with our insurance company but would love to hear additional options. Thanks...
 

bhale

New member
Mar 1, 2004
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I was in Cabarete for a month about a year ago, and purchased a plan that covered medical and medical evacuation, etc. It was quite cheap, around $55. You can search for international insurance or medical travel insurance and find some companies. After you tell them where you are going and for how long, they will quote you a price. As I remember, it was great coverage and not too expensive. The plan I had required you to pay out of pocket, then file a claim, so you may want to have a high limit credit card for emergencies.
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
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My experience with medical insurance companies can be summed up as followed:

If your policy covers medical evacuation and it is cheaper to fly you home (or the procedure is not available locally), they will put you on a commercial flight if at all possible.

If it is cheaper to treat you locally, most insurance companies will proceed that way.

Medical insurance rarely allows the covered party to dictate treatment terms while expecting the insurer to pay. If you want to pay your own way, then you can do whatever you want. An "air ambulance" flight is only used if death is imminent and there are no other reasonable options.

Be careful what you buy as you could be very surprised to find that you won't get what you were expecting in an emergency.
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
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elizabetheames.blogspot.com
I believe that Cpt Gringo is right and that you will only be evacuated under most plans if there is no possibility of being treated where you are.. this might apply in Haiti, for instance. But for the DR, the call would most likely be that anyone would have to go to a local hospital first. Why not call these guys and check?

Preferred Travel Insurance Plan | RoamRight

then let us know.

There used to be an air ambulance service that fly from LT to SD but Portillo airport is closed now and I do not know if they are in operation. They had a couple of medivac choppers and you could get insurance for that.
 

Lobo Tropical

Silver
Aug 21, 2010
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I will be spending a year in Las Terrenas with my two children, and am interested in purchasing a bare-bones medical insurance plan that would cover, essentially, just all costs to transport/medivac us to the US in the event of a life-threatening accident that required hospital care. Our regular medical and dental plans will remain intact in the US, and we will be visiting doctors on our visits home for checkups and preventative care. All we need is something to get us home in the event of a true emergency.

Any thoughts on a good plan for this?

In the event of a life-threatening accident you need immediate care where you are now.
You can't be medivaced until stabilized.
 

pauleast

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Jan 29, 2012
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If its trauma or acute ( bad laceration, bad fracture ,cardiac event, respiratory distress etc.) get yourself or loved one to Santiago HOMS hospital. Stuff yourself in a taxi or vehicle and bring a credit card.
Anything that's chronic or that requires any level of complex diagnoses or not so complex get on an airplane and go to Miami.
 

retiree

Bronze
Jan 18, 2008
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I agree - the insurance company will not evacuate you if you can be treated where you are. They will not evacuate because you want to be treated back home.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
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I can't seem to find it but there is a helicopter service in RD that guarantees arrival in 30 minutes..... people have the sticker on their cars and the office is near Ilumel.

That is one way - albeit a local one - to handle severe cases
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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I agree - the insurance company will not evacuate you if you can be treated where you are. They will not evacuate because you want to be treated back home.

That is an interesting point to keep in mind. Who has the decision making capability for evacuation in such a situation? You or the insurance company?
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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I can't seem to find it but there is a helicopter service in RD that guarantees arrival in 30 minutes..... people have the sticker on their cars and the office is near Ilumel.

That is one way - albeit a local one - to handle severe cases

Probably a better solution than trying to get to the United States.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
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That is an interesting point to keep in mind. Who has the decision making capability for evacuation in such a situation? You or the insurance company?

there was a Cdn in Florida years ago who had a heart problem while visiting FL...

The Ontario gov't - the health provider - chose to fly him back rather than pay the US rates for treatment

My guess is - He who pays makes the final decision
also, the patient may not be able to reason/talk /communicate during the decision making process
 

DR_Guy

Bronze
Feb 17, 2010
891
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Any ex-pat wanting to know the choices should try brokerfish.com. I bought mine through them with IMC Global.

When I had an accident and needed a new hip, sure they could do it here, but they sent me and my wife to a great hospital in Florida. You are an ex-pat, that is why you buy insurance to get treated in the USA or wherever.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
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Travel Insurance, Travel Health Insurance, International Travel Insurance

especially for offshore/travelling expats

maybe -- maybe not

Any ex-pat wanting to know the choices should try brokerfish.com. I bought mine through them with IMC Global.

When I had an accident and needed a new hip, sure they could do it here, but they sent me and my wife to a great hospital in Florida. You are an ex-pat, that is why you buy insurance to get treated in the USA or wherever.

are we talking about the same company here.... IMGlobal?

or does yours really have a 'c' in it.... I couldn't find IMC Global

we are very happy w/ IMGlobal
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
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There is a local air ambulance service.. http://www.aeroambulancia.com/Web/Home.aspx/Company

The cost, about 8 years ago, when I took a medical chopper from LT to SD with a wounded neighbor was $3000US which they insisted on .. in cash.. before the pick up. This was a different company than this one operating now but it give you perhaps the idea to the cost.

The web site is not the best, does not actually HAVE the plans, but perhaps there is a plan which would take the OP back to the States. For myself, i would rather be in SD or Santiago FASTER in case of a catastrophe than in the air on the way to Miami.

I do not know what the plans cost but if I still lived up North, I would certainly think about having this insurance.