Is another problem with DAN brewing?

[redacted]

This whole thing is really a non-issue. A chamber operator who is charging DAN more than they charge others and DAN is saying, no, we will pay what others pay thank you very much.

Did I miss something? What makes anyone think that SSS is charging DAN or DAN America any more than they are charging any other insurer?

 

[DocVikingo]

To control costs, if not putting the diver at risk DAN refers DCI cases requiring hyperbaric treatment to a member of its Diving Preferred Provider Network (DPPN). There are ~40 facilities participating at my last count.

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[DocVikingo]

Some pay more, some pay less.

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[pasley]

.... I made just over 200 dives last year, almost all of them were in the local area. It really bothers me that DAN and some of the other carriers will not pay for transportation to a chamber if you have an accident 50 miles or less from home. How does that make any sense? ... It just seems weird dumping DAN after thinking of them as the only option for so long. Does anyon have any experience with Dive Assure?

Yep you dumped DAN for no reason. The 50 mile thing often causes confusion. If you cAREFULLY read the policy and keep in mind that TRAVEL ASSIST is NOT DAN basic policy then it is all perfectly clear. The problem is that we often do not remember that DAN BASIC and TRAVEL ASSIST are TWO different things and the BASIC is ALWAYS there, the Travel Assist is overlaid on top of it for when you are further from home. That and remembering that there is a difference between evacuate and transportation, and yes evacuation involves transport. But evacuation involves some urgency.

DAN Basic policy will
1. Evacuate (that means take you) from the dive site (point of injury) to the nearest treatment facility. They will do this if the distance is greater than one inch. Less than one inch and,well you are already there.

DAN TRAVEL ASSIST does not kick in until you are over 50 miles from home. It will
1. Utilise the DAN Basic policy to Evacuate you to the nearest treatment facility see number 1 above and then
2. Return you home after treatment at the nearest facility if necessary utilizing air ambulance, or pay the increase in airfare after you miss your non-refundable, non-changeable super cheap ticket home because you could not travel due to DCS. you must request and coordinate this transportation through DAN.
3. Return you home after, well the worst happens so you may rest in peace in your native soil.

So in short the basic policy will get you from injury site to treatment regardless of distance from home. The Travel Assist will get you from injury site to treatment site to home if you are over 50 miles from home.


Not a insurance or legal advisor. Read you policy carefully.

 

[DocVikingo]

It pays to read the benefit booklet

Same basic deal with PADI's Assist America, except it's 100 miles from place of permanent residence.

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[pasley]

Did I miss something? What makes anyone think that SSS is charging DAN or DAN America any more than they are charging any other insurer?

It was somthing I read somewhere.

Here is DANs input on the issue: http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/news/article.asp?newsid=734

Personally, I think a boycott of say 30 days of the dive areas serviced by SSS would quickly put an end to this argument.

While SSS keeps changing its position (see DAN website at http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/news/article.asp?newsid=735 for a chronological records of their statements), DAN has always maintained a consistent message and approach to the issue:

Major talking points form the DAN site.
A. DAN Members will be treated at all SSS recompression chambers.

B. DAN Members with Dive Accident Insurance purchased through DAN are fully covered.

C. In the event of a dive injury, call the DAN Emergency Hotline immediately.

D. DAN will handle all the necessary matters and no DAN member will be out of pocket.

 

[DandyDon]

I do not belive DAN owns many chambers . they are a research organization and insurance company. I know they do not own the chamber at Long Beach Memorial they sent me to.

This whole thing is really a non-issue. A chamber operator who is charging DAN more than they charge others and DAN is saying, no, we will pay what others pay thank you very much. Now someone is continuing to spread this story and continues to resurface the same old story as a New Story in an attempt to create the illusion of "yet another problem". Which is not true, same old problem and it is not wtih DAN, but with the chamber operator.

I doubt that SSS is charging DAN US more than others. I think it's more like SSS just charging much more than other chambers in similar operating cost locations. If DAN US pays the high charges, then the other DANs and other Ins Cos will, too - rates will go up everywhere, and all divers will have to pay more for ins. If DAN US fights, then SSS charges to all companies will go down, and we all pay less. The other DANs and Ins Cos are simply playing the higher rates for now as they are hoping that larger DAN US will carry the ball.

It appears to me that based on SSS bussiness ethics and their mud throwing campaign, I would not want to be treated at their facilities (covered or not) who is to say that their medical ethics are better?

Yeah, that's the way I feel now, but if I take a hit, I'm sitting in the waiting room in ungodly pain, nitrogen bubbles eating my cartilage and doing permanent damage to my old body - I'm gonna' want fast treatment. I do hope that this situation is resolved quickly, but then - my Trip Insurance $100,000 benefit should get me in for the first chamber ride while waiting on DAN to come onboard with benefits at the first chamber. I always, always take Trip Ins when leaving the country - for various reasons, and in the US - I don't expect to encounter this sort of problem.

 

[DBailey]

I have had many conversations with DAN-A (as in DAN America) concerning my coverage. I have been informed in writing that I am covered everywhere in the world except for Cuba. I think Cuba has to do with the whole trade embargo thing. When I went on the Nekkton Cay Lobos trip, you are in Bahamain waters, but Cuban air space. I was advised by DAN-A that if I suffered a hit, I would have to be transported by boat to Bahamain air space (9 hours from the furthest point) for evacuation. Other than that, I am covered everywhere else.

Medical and treatment providers typically do not charge all clients/insurers the same amount. Perhaps the SSS chambers charge DAN-SA and DAN-EU a different rate. Perhaps the SSS chambers see DAN-A as having deeper pockets; therefore, they want to charge more. Since SSS has not posted their rates to different insurers, we can't know for sure.

 

[redacted]

Medical and treatment providers typically do not charge all clients/insurers the same amount. Perhaps the SSS chambers charge DAN-SA and DAN-EU a different rate. Perhaps the SSS chambers see DAN-A as having deeper pockets; therefore, they want to charge more. Since SSS has not posted their rates to different insurers, we can't know for sure.

But it is also true that different insurance companies have different limits of what they are willing to pay. In this case, neither SSS nor DAN-A have come up and stated exactly where the differences lie in this case. And I'm sure that while DAN-A might not know how much some of their competitors are charged, they do know how much their other affiliates are charged.

I'm still not sure exactly where the actual differences lie. So the question still remains. Is DAN-A trying to pay less than other insurers are paying or is SSS trying to charge DAN-A more than they charge other insurers? Short of any relevent facts, I know which case makes more logical sense to me.

 

[PRL]

I think you missed one.
Travel assistance will also fly your family member (I think only one) to visit you in a chamber.

Yep you dumped DAN for no reason. The 50 mile thing often causes confusion. If you cAREFULLY read the policy and keep in mind that TRAVEL ASSIST is NOT DAN basic policy then it is all perfectly clear. The problem is that we often do not remember that DAN BASIC and TRAVEL ASSIST are TWO different things and the BASIC is ALWAYS there, the Travel Assist is overlaid on top of it for when you are further from home. That and remembering that there is a difference between evacuate and transportation, and yes evacuation involves transport. But evacuation involves some urgency.

DAN Basic policy will
1. Evacuate (that means take you) from the dive site (point of injury) to the nearest treatment facility. They will do this if the distance is greater than one inch. Less than one inch and,well you are already there.

DAN TRAVEL ASSIST does not kick in until you are over 50 miles from home. It will
1. Utilise the DAN Basic policy to Evacuate you to the nearest treatment facility see number 1 above and then
2. Return you home after treatment at the nearest facility if necessary utilizing air ambulance, or pay the increase in airfare after you miss your non-refundable, non-changeable super cheap ticket home because you could not travel due to DCS. you must request and coordinate this transportation through DAN.
3. Return you home after, well the worst happens so you may rest in peace in your native soil.

So in short the basic policy will get you from injury site to treatment regardless of distance from home. The Travel Assist will get you from injury site to treatment site to home if you are over 50 miles from home.


Not a insurance or legal advisor. Read you policy carefully.