Can someone direct me to a site where I can purchase medical insurance for my 89 year old father while we are in Italy. I do not need trip interruption insurance just medical coveraage should he become ill.

We use American Express, which limits coverage to $100,000. I don't think you even have to have an AE card. The number is (800)297-2900. The cost is age-dependent.

Take a look at the website of Access America.

quote:

Originally posted by bobbix:
Take a look at the website of Access America.

Yes, you're right, bobbix; your post reminded me that there were a number of previous discussions in which Access America was mentioned.

kathyandrick, click here and you will have access to previous discussions on travel medical insurance and in which Access America was mentioned. You may be able to draw information and conclusions from there.

quote:

Originally posted by kathyandrick2:
Can someone direct me to a site where I can purchase medical insurance for my 89 year old father while we are in Italy. I do not need trip interruption insurance just medical coveraage should he become ill.

AAA sells just medical insurance. It was relatively inexpensive. There are some restrictions like you have to buy it xyz days in advance or after purchase of tickets, etc..

Just call the local AAA office or their 800 number. The agents can explain it all. There is even pre-existing coverage.

when i came over to France, my parents tag along and I found this lady and her service wonderful.
www.globalmedicalplans.com
ask for Patricia Hamrick

Look at the policies available at Travel Guard.

Dopnìt forget that the Italian health System offers free emergency care to anyone who is in Italy. Essentially, in case of emergency, insurance or not, your father will be cured for free at any Italian hospital. medical insurance, though, will cover his espenses in case of dental emergency (not covered) or in case he may need to be evacuated.

You can see the offerings of many insurance providers at insuremytrip.com. I found the comparison tables especially helpful.

Also depending on your financial resources check and see whether it is a direct payor policy (they pay the hospital) or a reimbursal policy (they reimburse you after you have paid the hospital). If something serious should go wrong you would need a credit card or something that could take the hit and then you'd have to go after the insurance company to get reimbursed. I gotta tell you it is an extremely difficult thing to do. They want translated, notario, notarized documents of the entire hospital stay. Some things just do not translate as some procedures are different than here in USA. '

Direct Payor policies are to be preferred.

Perhaps the most important thing is to have the kind of trip insurance that covers additional transportation -- including emergency transportation -- for not only the ill but others in the party caring for that person.

Access America does not have a waiting period.

quote:

Originally posted by Alice Twain:
Dopnìt forget that the Italian health System offers free emergency care to anyone who is in Italy. Essentially, in case of emergency, insurance or not, your father will be cured for free at any Italian hospital. medical insurance, though, will cover his espenses in case of dental emergency (not covered) or in case he may need to be evacuated.

Alice,

What is a medical emergency? I am thinking that a car accident, and trip and fall would be medical emergencies. Would the worsening of an existing medical condition be considered a medical emergency? Thanks for your help.
Linda

I'm not Alice, but my understanding is that whenever you go to the emergency department, the treatment is free. In my case, a couple of years ago,I had a very serious eye problem which needed immediate laser surgery, and that was free. On our most recent trip, my husband's recurrence of shingles was treated for free, including the expensive antiviral meds he needed.

Thanks for the information Ann. Ann is a beautiful name. My sister's is the Spanish version, Ana.

Cheers,
Linda

Thanks, Linda. I think it's a very plain and ordinary name, but what can I do - I've used it for 60 years now so I'm not gonna change. I like the Italian "Anna" better, and my husband of Ukrainian descent sometimes call me Hanya.

We spent the last three days of our spring 2005 trip with my cousin Pat (age 78) in the hospital in Vienna. I was very glad that 1) I had convinced him to buy insurance (I'm pretty sure he used TravelGuard) and 2) that we had cc with high limits!

The hospital provided great treatment, but we had to pay each day as we went, then get his reimbursement from insurance. Amazingly cheap...less than $5000 for the whole stay, including all the tests, but being that it was the end of a 5 week trip, if he hadn't raised his limit, he would have had trouble (in which case, we simply would have used my card or called home for an emergency increase).

When he got home, his medicare supplement paid first, then travel guard picked up the rest. I think his out of pocket was only about $100. The insurance also would have paid for medical evac home if it had been needed. In an absolute worst case situation, it also would have covered repatriation of remains.

Well worth the $200 or so cost of the policy, even if we hadn't needed it. Great peace of mind just having it.

Anne

quote:

Originally posted by bellisimaintoronto:
Would the worsening of an existing medical condition be considered a medical emergency?

Obviously! Any medical condition that requires fast hospital-level assistance is considered a medical emergency!!! This includes, for instance, cuts that require medication and stitches, broken limbs, sudden aggravation of preexisting conditions even if they pose no direct and immediate threat to survival, but it does not include all of those situations where the assistance of a single doctor is enough. if you know anything about traige, the cases that are not considered emergencies are only the "white codes", like flues (in otherwise healthy patients, obviously a very old patient with a preexisting heart condition would be accepted by the hospital as gren or yellow code) or periodic visits for chronic conditions that show no unusual aggravation.

Again, though, this does not cover all of the cases that may occur wbile traveling: it does not cover evacuation or dental care (if your father has false teeth, suppose they fall and break while he's wahing them ) or some things that may happen. I still suggest getting an insurance! Just look for one that covers more these areas and less the actual emergency care.

Thanks for your help Alice. Mom still has her own teeth
We'll stick with insurance, for peace of mind.
Linda

I've been a member of MedJet Assistance for several years. I don't know what the restrictions on age are, but you could go to:
www.medjetassist.com
and look it up. I feel the most important thing they offer is on-site assistance if you are hospitalized... intrepretors, etc..... and they arrange air transportation to wherever you want to go for medical attention. And they send attendants with you. I have never had to use it, but they monthly newsletters are filled with articles about people they've helped. (Even bringing people out of the jungles of the Amazon!)
JVP (Deep in the Heart of Texas)

Does your father have any pre-existing medical conditions? When I took my 81-year-old Mom to Italy last fall, that was by far the biggest problem we encountered in buying out-of-country medical insurance. So many insurers simply wouldn't deal with anyone who had a pre-existing condition.

Best of luck,
Sandra

Many insurers will cover a pre-existing condition if the coverage is purchased very shortly after the first payment for travel, e.g., deposit for cruise, payment of tax and fee for frequent flyer ticket. It is always smart to shop for insurance at the same time you start serious travel planning, so you know what conditions apply.

This isn't in regard to insurance for the elderly, but just in general. Is our regular health insurance that we have in the U.S. not valid in Italy? I haven't thought to check yet. Our trip is in Sept/Oct, and I didn't take out travel insurance. I have read the posts about how that could be important if you have to fly back at different times, etc., but what if you just have to go to the doctor while there for non-emergency?

If it's not an emergency, you can wait until you are back home. Essentially, in Italy "emergency" is what you can't postpone, regardless of its being extremely severe or milder. A flu is not an emergency, a broken finger IS.

cindy -- only your insurer can tell you what coverage you have. There is no such thing as "regular health insurance" for Americans -- some cover outside the U.S., many do not. Those that do cover outside the US may require you to pay for service on the spot and then submit bills (possibly requiring translations too) for reimbursement.