A giggle in a way

[mrsterryn]

Husband was checking how much travel insurance for him would cost as we have decided to avoid Europe and explore China
Note we were testing the cost for him being 70 and having significant physical health issues all quotes same dates and details
UK - $394
China - $411
Ta dah
USA - $3660 (yes that is correct )

 

[Flyfrequently]

This is why I keep Westpac Platinum Mastercard and get complimentary TI with $45 admin fee for our (what we consider benign) pre existing @mrsterryn
- as retirees, not easy.

 

[mrsterryn]

This is why I keep Westpac Platinum Mastercard and get complimentary TI with $45 admin fee for our (what we consider benign) pre existing @mrsterryn
- as retirees, not easy.

Ahh he has quite a few health issues which are specifically not covered by credit card providers unfortunately

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Ahh he has quite a few health issues which are specifically not covered by credit card providers unfortunately

Is that even after completing the pre-existing health checks? I was completely surprised that my CC covered a chronic - but currently stable - heart condition!

 

[Seat0B]

Yes it’s a bugger when you start to accumulate pre-existing complaints. And some of the decisions about whether to accept a condition or refuse insurance altogether are, shall we say, opaque.

 

[drron]

The USA is on our we will never travel there again list for just this reason. Our Annual travel insurnce policy with my conditions nd being 78 would be more than $10000 more. the insurance would possibly be more expensive than the trip.

 

[Jacques Vert]

+1 & I both have pre-existing conditions. On our trip to Europe last year, some TI companies (especially those that come with CCs) refused to cover our pre-existing conditions, some would cover them with a rediculous extra premium, and some were quite reasonable.

As it turned out, the amount we saved by suspending our private health insurance in Australia almost covered the cost of the TI.

 

[Pushka]

Ahh he has quite a few health issues which are specifically not covered by credit card providers unfortunately

I hear your pain. We found huge price differences and ended up with a reasonable deal from 1cover and I was the one with the pre existing. This was for the USA plus a cruise.

 

[tgh]

With full disclosure I was surprised to receive a very good quote from our medical insurer ( Bupa )
Reading endless pdf's is a necessary pita as the conditions vary a lot ..caveat emptor is trumps.
China as a preferred destination ( safer/cheaper) than the US?… who woulda thunk it….

 

[mrsterryn]

With full disclosure I was surprised to receive a very good quote from our medical insurer ( Bupa )
Reading endless pdf's is a necessary pita as the conditions vary a lot ..caveat emptor is trumps.
China as a preferred destination ( safer/cheaper) than the US?… who woulda thunk it….

I really do have to say back many many years ago China wouldn't have been a choice. Nowadays so thrilled to be going

Post automatically merged: Saturday at 1:21 PM

Is that even after completing the pre-existing health checks? I was completely surprised that my CC covered a chronic - but currently stable - heart condition!

He has a tendency for falls and is having issues with bone density. All of which needed to be declared and of course his age

Post automatically merged: Saturday at 1:22 PM

I hear your pain. We found huge price differences and ended up with a reasonable deal from 1cover and I was the one with the pre existing. This was for the USA plus a cruise.

There was a couple who have previously covered him but this time declined I think the bone issue is new and that was enough to decline along with the brain tumors

 

[mrsterryn]

The USA is on our we will never travel there again list for just this reason. Our Annual travel insurnce policy with my conditions nd being 78 would be more than $10000 more. the insurance would possibly be more expensive than the trip.

There is a variety of reasons for us, however husband is a bit disappointed but this quote just made it an unrealistic idea and then heaven forbid he did break a bone over there

 

[tgh]

IT is a bit sad as our priorities and perspective change with age.
What happens, in health care terms, when one becomes unwell in China ?
Are we treated as "poor white trash" or does one hope to receive first world care ?

When cruising , I often wonder about becoming unwell and being forcibly offloaded at the nearest convenient port.
In Central America I watched a very basic ship to shore medevac procedure and feared for the outcome.
US based folks often have access to International retrieval insurance but I fear the costs for us cellar dwellers would be usurious.

 

[mrsterryn]

IT is a bit sad as our priorities and perspective change with age.
What happens, in health care terms, when one becomes unwell in China ?
Are we treated as "poor white trash" or does one hope to receive first world care ?

When cruising , I often wonder about becoming unwell and being forcibly offloaded at the nearest convenient port.
In Central America I watched a very basic ship to shore medevac procedure and feared for the outcome.
US based folks often have access to International retrieval insurance but I fear the costs for us cellar dwellers would be usurious.

I would just go through our insurance
Husband is unlikely to have any issues with his brain tumors but my biggest concern is broken bones
Fortunately we can afford a change in plans and fly home "immediately" if necessary from China

 

[Happy Dude]

Is that even after completing the pre-existing health checks? I was completely surprised that my CC covered a chronic - but currently stable - heart condition!

Which card @MEL_Traveller if I may? I've been looking at TI options for my mild condition which requires an annual checkup. I will need to get confirmation of pre-existing cover, with or without an additional payment.

 

[Flyfrequently]

IT is a bit sad as our priorities and perspective change with age.


When cruising , I often wonder about becoming unwell and being forcibly offloaded at the nearest convenient port.

This happened to my dearest friend on an Asian cruise 8+ years ago.
Abdominal pain, ship offloaded her with her husband in Ho Chi Minh and she was admitted to a local hospital.
She became very unwell after a week there and after much pleading with TI, was medivaced to..... Bangkok ( not any Australian port)
She then deteriorated in BKK ICU.
 Five weeks it took to get TI to agree to bring her home to Melbourne.
She passed away 72 hours later in ICU here.

Lesson learned from this, I have found a reliable air ambo service and my brother knows if I or Mr Flyfrequently get crook and TI won't co-operate in a timely manner, pay the $$$ and just get us home.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Which card @MEL_Traveller if I may? I've been looking at TI options for my mild condition which requires an annual checkup. I will need to get confirmation of pre-existing cover, with or without an additional payment.

I’m with ANZ platinum - but i think their black card is the same.

For pre-existing conditions you have the option to complete a questionnaire… pretty standard like how stable is your conditions, have you been hospitalised for it in the last 12 months, are you waiting for further tests, etc. Ongoing medication is all taken into account and doesn’t prevent insurance. Pretty much it has to be ‘stable’.

In completing the form they advise, instantly, whether you can be covered or not, If you choose to be covered you then pay $75. That’s it. No other premium or additional payment.

If you choose not to proceed, OR if the assessment comes back that they won’t cover you, you pay nothing.

They then send you an updated ‘pre-existing cover’ page to sit alongside your policy (or access to the master policy of your CC)

The only problem is now that ANZ doesn’t automatically cover things like high cholesterol, if you list more than 4 things cover is automatically declined (up to three is fine, even major things!)

So i just picked the most important three things

 

[karen blancfield]

I’m with ANZ platinum - but i think their black card is the same.

For pre-existing conditions you have the option to complete a questionnaire… pretty standard like how stable is your conditions, have you been hospitalised for it in the last 12 months, are you waiting for further tests, etc. Ongoing medication is all taken into account and doesn’t prevent insurance. Pretty much it has to be ‘stable’.

In completing the form they advise, instantly, whether you can be covered or not, If you choose to be covered you then pay $75. That’s it. No other premium or additional payment.

If you choose not to proceed, OR if the assessment comes back that they won’t cover you, you pay nothing.

They then send you an updated ‘pre-existing cover’ page to sit alongside your policy (or access to the master policy of your CC)

The only problem is now that ANZ doesn’t automatically cover things like high cholesterol, if you list more than 4 things cover is automatically declined (up to three is fine, even major things!)

So i just picked the most important three things

Is your understanding that you have to be assessed each trip, not annually? That’s what ANZ advised this morning, it’s per trip, $75. Partner paid it last year, and it did seem to be tied to our specific travel dates.