Health/Medical Insurance: Multi-country

danely18

Member
Feb 22, 2018
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Does anybody here have expertise and recommendations of big providers to share? ...would be appreciated. I expect to spend time between the DR, SE Asia, and my home country of US this year, maybe others, and I need seamless coverage for unexpected medical problems. I have US coverage and for emergencies abroad but prefer an international travel health insurance policy and overlapping coverage. You never know when the wayward moto concho or tuk-tuk will invade your space on your walk to Playero or Sukhumvit, or a plain vanilla heart attack gets you.
 

Brandi

New member
Oct 10, 2016
6
2
3
Does anybody here have expertise and recommendations of big providers to share? ...would be appreciated. I expect to spend time between the DR, SE Asia, and my home country of US this year, maybe others, and I need seamless coverage for unexpected medical problems. I have US coverage and for emergencies abroad but prefer an international travel health insurance policy and overlapping coverage. You never know when the wayward moto concho or tuk-tuk will invade your space on your walk to Playero or Sukhumvit, or a plain vanilla heart attack gets you.
Cigna has a good international plan
 
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Lucas61

Well-known member
Jun 13, 2014
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retired English teacher (30 years)
Cigna has a good international plan
Re: Cigna, maybe you can explain this confusion: I have Kaiser Permanente in the U.S. Their website recently advertisesd Cigna PPO International. I thought, great, I can use my Kaiser card in the D.R.! When I inquired further at Kaiser, I was told that I'd have to pay out of pocket and be reimbursed. What?? That's the same situation I already have, so how does Cigna PPO confer a benefit? They couldn't answer the question, so I filed a complaint and I'm waiting to hear the answer.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
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Re: Cigna, maybe you can explain this confusion: I have Kaiser Permanente in the U.S. Their website recently advertisesd Cigna PPO International. I thought, great, I can use my Kaiser card in the D.R.! When I inquired further at Kaiser, I was told that I'd have to pay out of pocket and be reimbursed. What?? That's the same situation I already have, so how does Cigna PPO confer a benefit? They couldn't answer the question, so I filed a complaint and I'm waiting to hear the answer.
EVERY plan like this is the same here. PAY first and fight later for your money. Worthless...........I don't believe that there is ANY clinic here that will let you leave without paying the entire bill. And it will be higher when you show the Gingo Card................
 
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La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
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I don't believe that there is ANY clinic here that will let you leave without paying the entire bill.
I walked out of Bournigal in Puerto Plata twice without paying a peso. I was admitted, given anesthesia in an OR for reduction of a fracture and kept overnight each time.

My US insurance covers hospitalization in full, I had out of area coverage and Blue Cross, for my policy, requires participating providers (Bournigal participates) to submit claims to them before billing the patient. So they could not risk demanding payment upfront. It would have been a violation of their contract with my insurance company.
And it will be higher when you show the Gingo Card................
Agreed! They charged more for each of 2 overnight admissions than my company paid for a nine day admission when I returned to the US after my leg was mangled in Puerto Plata.
 

melphis

Living my Dream
Apr 18, 2013
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We use a company called Tugo out of Vancouver, BC in Canada. The policy covers you for 35 days each time we leave Canada regardless of where we go. When we leave for more than 35 consecutive days, I call them and buy a top up for the lenght of our stay beyond 35 days. We are currently in Europe and will be gone for 40 days so I bought us a 5 day top up for around $30.00 CDN. The few times we have had to make a claim they were excellent to deal with.

I do not know if they sell to people outside Canada but I would recommend you check with them as they may be able steer you to a US provider if they can't help you.
 

Brandi

New member
Oct 10, 2016
6
2
3
Re: Cigna, maybe you can explain this confusion: I have Kaiser Permanente in the U.S. Their website recently advertisesd Cigna PPO International. I thought, great, I can use my Kaiser card in the D.R.! When I inquired further at Kaiser, I was told that I'd have to pay out of pocket and be reimbursed. What?? That's the same situation I already have, so how does Cigna PPO confer a benefit? They couldn't answer the question, so I filed a complaint and I'm waiting to hear the answer.
 
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