DCS and no DAN - WHAT NEXT?

[DandyDon]

For my hypothetical I am somewhere that requires an expensive med evac. I am unconscious and the dive op knows I am not a DAN member. What does he do?

Rather than start a second thread: Are there cases of post dive death due to denial of treatment for financial reasons?

Yep, or severely crippled. They just don't make the news much. Doesn't happen to Americans so much, but delays and bankruptcy are both possible. In some countries they'll let you breath welder's oxygen until your money comes in. In some of those, the natives just don't get the treatment they need.

You can get simple DAN dive accident insurance for only $30 a year.

Plus $35 membership = $65 minimum, except that plan is a real dog compared to the next one up for only $10 more. Some divers do just want that tho, either because they just want DAN to supplement the great medical insurance they think they already have or they didn't look.

DAN membership is what pays for emergency transportation, not the insurance - but don't forget that it has to be arranged thru DAN.

I'm pretty sure I've seen a few threads on scubaboard about some chambers not taking DAN. It's been in the back of my mind ever since I read about it.

Edit:

I found it, it was a link to an article on undercurrent.

Says that at least in the past, chambers in the Bahamas, Belize, Cozumel and the Galapagos wouldn't take DAN because DAN wasn't actually paying the bill like they were supposed to. No idea if they still won't take DAN.

The Disappearing Recompression Chamber: Undercurrent 09/2013

If needed, DAN can wire funds required up front - delays may vary.

 

[supergaijin]

I think it would be fairly difficult to find a recompression chamber worldwide that hasn't heard of DAN.

If you get DCS, you would be sent to hospital and put on O2. From there... well if you're in bad shape, you'll need evac to the nearest recompression chamber which may or may not be in that country, potentially requiring a chartered flight and this is when $120/year starts to look like a real bargain.

Any DM or LDS that you were diving with will make the 911 call if even to avoid the bad publicity or even a lawsuit.

FYI for our American friends www.911dispatch.com/911/911_world.html

 

[muzikbiz22]

I think it would be fairly difficult to find a recompression chamber worldwide that hasn't heard of DAN. . . . .when $120/year starts to look like a real bargain.

Exactly what I'm talking about. Mine is $110 (35+75) Cheapest insurance on the planet. Now, I'll take it a step further. I have a great health insurance policy, DAN, PLUS I have an American Express Travel annual insurance policy that covers anything that those 2 don't , up to $100K, no questions asked. Again, the theme of the party is that you do not want to be on an island somewhere, in bad shape without DAN or the like.

 

[Rambo2]

You can get simple DAN dive accident insurance for only $30 a year.

I'm pretty sure I've seen a few threads on scubaboard about some chambers not taking DAN. It's been in the back of my mind ever since I read about it.

Edit:

I found it, it was a link to an article on undercurrent.

Says that at least in the past, chambers in the Bahamas, Belize, Cozumel and the Galapagos wouldn't take DAN because DAN wasn't actually paying the bill like they were supposed to. No idea if they still won't take DAN.



The Disappearing Recompression Chamber: Undercurrent 09/2013

That is an astounding article (and current!). Who know that chambers were part of the big medicine money mill in the US of A and literally have no time for divers (Abdullah knew). Thanks for sharing. And thanks to everyone else!

OCCUPY HBOT

BTW I am a member of DAN and this (at least for me) was purely a hypothetical.

"From time to time, some insurance-lacking divers treated in remote areas who can't pay the bill are prevented from leaving the country until someone can pay up."

 

[Wingy]

I was diving in Rangiroa French Polynesia when another diver had a cramp/panic/rapid ascent problem. Diver was put onto the boat ASAP on oxygen and taken by the dive op to the island clinic where DAN assisted planning of treatment working with the local clinic on Rangi in conjunction with the chamber in Papeete. The diver did not have DAN but DAN assisted in establishing a contingency plan - even if that contingency plan was evacuating to Papeete. Because the diver did not have DAN his wife was told there would be no guarantee of a chopper sitting on the tarmac waiting to evacuate him unless she put up $7K to guarantee the chopper availability if needed. The wife had to be driven back to our bungalows to grab her Visa card so the Hospital in Tahiti would guarantee availability of a chopper if his condition worsened (luckily for them it didnt and the issue was resolved at the island clinic after 10 hours).
Re Diving in third world countries - DAN US is different than DAN international - my premium is $100 a year - you will often find areas that attract divers in remote areas do have DAN medics working around in some capacity - the DAN medic at Manado is also a hotel security guard and a tour guide on Bunaken. Manado has its own chamber due to the popularity of Bunaken and Lembeh. I approached him when he was doing his hotel security job to show him some weird lumps I developed after a run in with fire coral and was not charged anything. Isnt it a divers responsibility to know where the nearest chamber is if you are really remote? In PNG the nearest chamber is in Aus - DAN will pick up evacuation fees if needed.
As far as not being conscious and unable to give your DAN no. then I would imagine any way of getting an unconscious diver to a hospital is better than sitting there going oh he/she didnt say they were or were not a DAN member so I will make a decision on what to do based on that. Unconscious diver is an emergency....get them to any hospital and then go fishing through their gear and see if they have a DAN card on them - I carry mine with me all the time.
Rather DAN than nothing.

 

[Rambo2]

Re Diving in third world countries - DAN US is different than DAN international - my premium is $100 a year -

Great response. Thanks. What did you mean by that? I did think DAN was DAN. Are you including the premium policy or talking about something else?

 

[kelemvor]

DAN US is different than DAN international - my premium is $100 a year

Wingy,

do you mean that when an American goes to an "international" location the insurance is different? Or do you instead mean that the DAN insurance purchased by someone outside of the US is different than what is purchased by a resident of the US?

I notice on the DAN website, you are asked to choose your location and are presented with USA vs Canada. It didn't occur to me that there might be issues for residents of other nations.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

The simple answer to the op is you are in the same boat that you would be with no health insurance in event of injury or illness, or no car insurance in case of a wrech that is your fault. You will be given emergency treatment on the presumption you would ask for it if you could. You will be sent a bill for everything- a $1000 ambulance ride; an $8000 (or more) chamber treatment, emergency physicians bills also in the thousands, and so on and son on and so on. and you will be responsible to pay them. It's not the DM or LDS you pay, it is the emergency responders and medical professionals.
DivemasterDennis

 

[Skittl1321]

No idea if they still won't take DAN.

The article says the matter was resolved quickly and they do take DAN.

Yet a month later, the two parties reached a confidential settlement over the billing practices, and SSS's chambers announced they would accept DAN America insurance again.

 

[Wingy]

Im insured under DANS asia pacific policy - I believe it is different to the US policy but I have also been told the US DAN would be recognised anywhere in the case of a diver needing treatment and that my asia pacific policy would provide cover if i was diving in Australia, Africa or Norway.

http://www.danasiapacific.org/