firstdive2005, You OK?

[matthew hoy]

Hey Kev, glad your better. Thats one hell of a bill, thank god for DAN!!!. Say hello to the guys at the shop will be seeing them soon. Where do you think you picked up the bug if you dont mind me asking?

Matthew

And congrats on your new dive buddy. Thats fantastic!!!

 

[Mossman]

Hey Kev, glad your better. Thats one hell of a bill, thank god for DAN!!!.

Just curious, how does DAN help with a bill for a stomach bug?

 

[matthew hoy]

Kev, didn't mean to sound cheeky with the where did you pick it up, I don't want to know what restaurant, just what do you think you ate that put you off.

matthew

 

[MMM]

I was taken to the private hospital on the north side of town when I smashed up my arm here. I carry out-of-country medical insurance (Blue Cross) and they reimbursed me when I got home.

 

[Sask Diver]

Glad to hear your feeling better, looking forward to diving with you in June

 

[firstdive2005]

Hi Folks!! As mossman said, DAN does not cover issues of disease. If I had gotten the bug after or during a chamber ride or after a car accident then it would be an incidental associated with the incident. As such they told me I'm gonna die or pay the bill. Good luck, we wont touch this, your primary may or your travel visa.
I contacted my td travel visa pals, they told me I was out of country more than 8 days and had needed to pay an extension to qualify. Again your gonna die or pay.
I contacted my primary insurance which is Manulife, in five minutes I had a file number and a 'dont worry pay the bill, keep detailed receipts and get better to dive. That was comforting.
By the way none of the above said I was gonna die, that was my inside voice chatting along side their smiley face no.
The private hospital is on Calle 6. Yes, the one to go to is across from Aldora. That is where I was told to go. In my fog I went to the other one.
AGAIN, the Medico was very good to me, their staff most excellent. I am grateful to the nurses to no end. The administration and their billing pillaging is abhorring to me. But as I left the door I was grateful for my recovery and thought I would try to forewarn others of my mistake so that if they need medical stay they may not be taken advantage of financially as I.
My bill will be payed for, that gives no reason to exploit. In one form or another we end up paying for that behavior. Also what if I had had no coverage, that would be expensive to say the least.

 

[firstdive2005]

Matt buddy! I am not really sure where I eat the bug to tell you the truth. I do remember eating some salsa somewhere that tasted strange and I did not eat much of it but in my stubborness I did eat a few mouthfuls. I just cant remember which place. That bugs me.
FOR SURE it was not Park Royal food.

 

[DandyDon]

Hey Kev, glad your better. Thats one hell of a bill, thank god for DAN!!

Just curious, how does DAN help with a bill for a stomach bug?

Not likely unless one had DAN's Trip insurance along with their dive insurance, aside from their emergency evacuation benefits for more severe needs - like when one on our liveaboard had a heat attack at sea. I would call DAN first if able to get recommendations on where to go, but paying the bill would be a different.

Some Americans have medical plans at home that will cover out of the US, some don't and it's good to consider Trip insurance that will reimburse - one of the reasons I do comprehensive trip ins but there are low cost trip ins plans that cover medical only. Canadians have different medical coverages that vary by provinces I think, none of which work in Mexico IIRC.

 

[MMM]

Canadians have different medical coverages that vary by provinces I think, none of which work in Mexico IIRC.

Provinces have reciprocal billing agreements with one another so that we may receive emergency medical care in Canada regardless of where we happen to be. It gets a bit screwy in Quebec but then everything is a bit screwy there; but eventually it will be covered. Health care coverage variations occur in provinces for non-emergency medical care such as long term care, mental health, addictions etc.. The Canada Health Act guarantees anything involving hospital/physician care. Outside of Canada we are pretty much on our own and for that it's heartily recommended everyone buy out-of-country emergency insurance when leaving the country to avoid the sticker shock we get when accessing medical care outside Canada. As you note, it's inexpensive. Sometimes one's employer may offer some sort of out-of-country coverage as an employment benefit.

When I was working for the Health department (and my responsibilities included written responses to complaints/concerns raised with the Minister), I came across SO many sad stories from people who were injured while out of the country and who owed hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars because they didn't take that simple step of buying out-of-country medical coverage.

 

[DandyDon]

Provinces have reciprocal billing agreements with one another so that we may emergency receive medical care in Canada regardless of where we happen to be. It gets a bit screwy in Quebec but then everything is a bit screwy there; but eventually it will be covered. Health care coverage variations occur in provinces for non-emergency medical care such as long term care, mental health, addictions etc.. The Canada Health Act guarantees anything involving hospital/physician care. Outside of Canada we are pretty much on our own and for that it's heartily recommended everyone buy out-of-country emergency insurance when leaving the country to avoid the sticker shock we get when accessing medical care outside Canada. As you note, it's inexpensive. Sometimes one's employer may offer some sort of out-of-country coverage as an employment benefit.

When I was working for the Health department (and my responsibilities included written responses to complaints/concerns raised with the Minister), I came across SO many sad stories from people who were injured while out of the country and who owed hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars because they didn't take that simple step of buying out-of-country medical coverage.

Thanks. I thot it was pretty much no coverage out of country. I guess your state department has warnings on their site that often go ignored like ours often are. Do you remind your countrymen on the Canadian forum? "Obtain low cost, international medical coverage or you're on your own!"