Medical treatment abroad or repatriation – what to choose?
When you get involved in a life-threatening accident or develop a serious health condition while on vacation, the probability of receiving an appropriate treatment may be lower than in your home country. Using repatriation services may be the best solution to this issue.
Regardless of the circumstances, it’s always probable that you get involved in an accident, get injured, or experience health problems that require medical intervention. It may happen while driving, swimming in the sea or lake, practicing sports, or simply strolling down the road. Even if you stay as alert as possible, it’s practically impossible to exclude this possibility entirely. Thus, before departing for another trip, it’s good to prepare yourself and your close ones for this eventuality.
Medical services abroad – are the hospitals obliged to treat you?
The medics are obliged to provide you with emergency medical services, including basic life support and advanced life support, as well as the treatment your condition or injuries require. However, it might be costly in particular cases. When traveling within the EU as an EU citizen, things are much easier. It’s enough to have a European Health Card with you to remain entitled to free healthcare while abroad. It entitles you to access medical services in all the community countries. Usually, the card has a short expiry date and is released on request.
If you travel outside of the EU or come from a country that doesn’t belong to it, it’s a little more complicated. You will get access to medical services, but you can receive a big bill at the end of your stay in the hospital. That’s why it’s crucial to invest in good travel insurance that will cover the costs of medical treatment in the case it’s necessary. In addition, if possible, arrange an ems provider that will transport you or the member of your family to your home country safely, guaranteeing the highest quality of care on board.
Does the insurance cover repatriation ambulance service?
When choosing insurance, it’s also worth searching for an option that includes repatriation. There are companies that provide the patient ients with emergency medical services, including repatriation from any place on Earth. The EMS ambulance, for example, offers an option of long-distance road transportation or an airplane ambulance. The choice may depend on the patient’s location and the distance between the point of departure and the destination. These aspects strongly influence the price of ambulance services.
Not all insurances cover repatriation. It’s worth having it in mind when choosing the coverage for your next holiday. Verify what types of circumstances fall under the insurance – the wider is the scope, the better.
