IF YOU GET SICK OR INJURED
WHILE TRAVELING OUTSIDE THE US
IF YOU BECOME SICK ON AN AIRPLANE
- Tell a flight attendant or crew member as soon as possible so they can alert others &
get help - If there is a doctor on the plane, you may be examined by that person
- If you are coughing, understand that you may be asked to wear a surgical mask to cover
your mouth & nose to avoid infecting others - If the illness is serious, medical professionals &/or the crew may move you to a different
part of the plane & may redirect the plane so you can receive medical care
IF YOU BECOME SICK ON A CRUISE SHIP
- Cruse ships typically have a small medical facility & you may be treated there
- If you are coughing, understand that you may be asked to wear a surgical mask to cover
your mouth & nose to avoid infecting others - You may be evacuated off the ship to seek treatment on land
FINDING A DOCTOR ON LAND
If you are unfamiliar with the area in which you are traveling or the local language,
it can be tricky to find a medical care provider who can help
- The International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM) maintains a directory of health
care professionals with travel medicine expertise in nearly 50 countries - The American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (ASTMH) maintains a list of clinicians outside the US that is also helpful for locating tropical medicine experts in the US
MEDICAL INSURANCE
- If you are treated in a medical facility that isn't contracted by your health insurance,
you may be responsible for 100% of the costs - If you have travel insurance with medical coverage, you may be reimbursed for those costs
or your travel insurance company may make arrangements to pay the hospital directly - If you are evacuated off a cruise ship, it will typically be at your own expense, so having
medical evacuation coverage will help in this situation because your travel assistance
services representatives will coordinate & arrange for the evacuation.
LOCATING A DOCTOR
If you have to locate a health care provider abroad, you must consider the local language of the health care provider & transportation
There are a few sources that can help travelers locate medical care abroad
- The International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM) maintains a directory of health care professionals with travel medicine expertise in nearly 50 countries
- The American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (ASTMH) maintains a list of clinicians outside the U.S. & may also find the directory helpful for locating tropical medicine experts
back home. - Travelers can also search the Joint Commission International website for accredited health
care facilities at their destination.
PAYING FOR HEALTH CARE
- If you don’t have travel insurance, the first step is to locate the closest U.S. Embassy,
which you can do at www.usembassy.gov - If you do have travel insurance, the first step is to contact the toll-free hotline & speak with
a travel assistance services representative who can tell you where the closest medical
facility is - Contact your family and others & follow up to ensure you are getting the care you need.
IF YOU NEED A MEDICAL EVACUATION
- Contact the U.S. Embassy to help you locate an evacuation provider
- The cost for the evacuation will be up to you
- It is in this situation that travel insurance with medical evacuation coverage can be invaluable because they not only arrange for & coordinate the evacuation, they also pay for it & handle your transportation back home when you’ve recovered
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