TRAVEL INSURANCE
What happens if you get sick and need medical attention?
What happens if you get sick and need medical attention?
Hopefully,
that doesn't happen, but one the last several trips it has happened.
We have gotten a norovirus, fallen on a sidewalk, and fallen down a
flight of stairs. Once past 70 the chances for needing medical
attention increase significantly. With that in mind I checked out what
needs to be done in preparation.
First,
Regent Cruise have an on-board medical team that can handle simple
emergencies, but you will pay, more than likely a higher price than
comparable "at home prices." It is not covered in your ticket price.
The cost will be added to your on-board tab, which you will have to
settle before disembarking. Make sure to retain those receipts in order
to get reimbursed by your insurance company. You will have to do the
filing.
An
important consideration is traditional Medicare does not cover
out-of-the-country expenses, Medicare Advantage may or may not, and
Medigap has a life-time limit of $50,000.
If your illness is serious and you have to be Medivacked, the cost can be extremely high and no Medicare plan covers it.
The
only alternative is to buy Travel Insurance, which for those past 70,
the standard policies, such as those offered by Regent, can be
prohibitively expensive. But low cost alternatives that cover critical
medical needs are available with just a little shopping.
The best place to shop insurance is at Squaremouth.com. Select only medical coverage including Medivac.
I plugged in our ages of 74, selected PRIMARY medical coverage for $100,000, Medivac for $500,000, and on a cruise and found a policy for $132 covering both of us. Here it is
I
selected primary coverage because I didn't want to fool around
collecting from my Medigap and then from the Travel insurance company. I
rather have the travel insurance company pay the whole bill and at the
same time not deplete my life-time Medigap limit.
I didn't invent this approach. I searched the internet for recommendations, including the world famous traveler Rick Steves.
Obviously
the risk of needing this insurance is quite remote, that is why the
price is so low, but $132 is very inexpensive piece-of-mind.
MALARIA PROPHYLACTIC
Chloroquine, proguanil, mefloquine, and doxycycline are suppressive prophylactics. They are only effective at killing the malaria parasite once it has entered the erythrocytic stage (blood stage) of its life cycle, and therefore have no effect until the liver stage is complete. That is why these prophylactics must continue to be taken for four weeks after leaving the area of risk.
Mefloquine, doxycycline, and atovaquone-proguanil appear to be
equally effective at reducing the risk of malaria for short-term
travelers and are similar with regard to their risk of serious side
effects. Mefloquine is sometimes preferred due to its once a week dose, however
mefloquine is not always as well tolerated when compared with
atovaquone-proguanil.There is low-quality evidence suggesting that mefloquine and
doxycycline are similar with regards to the number of people who
discontinue treatments due to minor side effects. People who take mefloquine may be more likely to experience minor side
effects such as sleep disturbances, depressed mood, and an increase in
abnormal dreams. There is very low quality evidence indicating that doxycyline use may be associated with an increased risk of indigestion, photosensitivity, vomiting, and yeast infections, when compared with mefloquine and atovaquone-proguanil.
My PCP has prescribed doxycycline. A 20-day supply can be purchased a Kroger pharmacy with a FREE GoodRx discount for around $18.
TAP THE FOLLOWING IMAGE IN ORDER TO ENLARGE
Nevertheless, it is advisable to coverup and apply a deet-based bug spray when in malaria prone regions, such as Guatemala.
