Lisahanna1978

Hi wondering if anyone can help ? My dad has been having radiotherapy for the past 30days and has been given the all clear but is due to fly out to me in 3wks but no one will insure him for health apart from one company who wants to charge £1200 ! His specialist has said he will be fine to fly and fast tracked his treatment so he would be done in time so we can't see him having any issues but if he did become ill here would he be able to get treatment at a public hospital without health insurance. I know that UK and OZ have a reciprocal Health contact but I had to take my own son to A and E the other month and got a crappy attitude by some nurse who thought cause I had an English accent then I didn't live here and should be paying them for treatment any advice would be great .

Thanks
Lisa

spouse of scouse

Hi Lisa, great news that your Dad has responded well to his radiotherapy treatment.

Re health insurance - I really don't think there's any way around him needing to purchase a policy. The reciprocal agreement between Australia and the UK really only covers emergency medical care. I'm sure a hospital wouldn't turn your Dad away if he fell sick here, but if he needed hospitalization and/or ongoing treatment, I think there's a very good chance that he'd be presented with a not insubstantial bill.

Hopefully others will be along to advise you further. I hope it works out for you and that you get to see your Dad.

Edit: Lisa, I'm sure you've already explored all the options, but this link seems helpful http://medicaltravelcompared.co.uk/m...insurance.aspx

Bermudashorts

If you are sure you have shopped around and have nowhere else to try (I would try brokers in this case) then I would take the policy, it was bound to be expensive.

SanDiegogirl

If your father were to fall ill due to his prevailing illness and/or the radiotherapy, then that would be regarded as a pre-condition (one he had before the trip) and would not be regarded as an emergency situation (one which happened which no-one could foresee).

You would be charged for treatment.

With his health history how could you not expect a hefty premium for any travel health insurance?

jad n rich

In QLD on admission to a public hospital I was asked for my Private Health Care insurance details, and my medicare card on admission. Administration officers came round at least 3 times in a week to see if I was willing to have them bill my Private Health fund ( with no gap ) to ease pressure on the public system.

But I have stayed in Emergency overnight with nobody asking me anything about my residency even with all the staff commenting on my English Accent. However I did already have a medical file at that hospital. I cannot remember if the Ambulance guys asked me for medicare/insurance details but I know you will be billed for it in some states if you dont have insurance.

There is also the Flight, without insurance who would deal with that.

I sympathise with you. I have to declare a medical condition and found the best way was through my private health insurance company, but my insurance every trip costs about 3 times that of a policy for the rest of my family.

In the UK the organisation/charity for that condition offers VERY reasonable travel insurance even to the USA, but you have to be UK resident. Does the Cancer Foundation/organisation there offer similar?? just a thought. Good luck with it all.

Lisahanna1978

I asked a Qs for two people who have been through hell this year and not to be be Littled by people who don't know me ! Yes of course we knew it was going to be expensive but to two pensioners £ 1200 is money they do not have and have to be punished because of a terrible illness. I just wanted any advice from people who may have gone through this before and didn't expect people to be so patronazing not all of you but some .

Lisa

jad n rich

Some good advice in there too, forums will always return a variety of comments its just the nature of them.

Lisahanna1978

I completely agree with you some people have been great but wish others would think before they write .

Dorothy

Perhaps if they are pensioners and cannot afford the health insurance premiums they should consider cancelling their trip until his health improves.

Unfortunately, as others have said (and I'm sorry you don't like the answers), your father's condition is likely to be classed as pre-existing and therefore he would only be entitled to basic emergency care in a public hospital. Not the repatriation flight he might need, or medication, or ongoing treatment once he is discharged from hospital.

Yes, 1200 GBP is a lot of money, but it is probably a whole lot less than the potential hospital bills and cost of a medical repatriation flight should the worst happen while he's here.

Let me give you an example...

I work in a public hospital in a critical care area booking patients for much needed surgery. A few years ago an elderly lady (in her 70s) needed to have a coronary angiogram done because she was experiencing occasional angina. No worries, right? Wrong! Because she was not having an acute heart attack her condition was not considered elective. Therefore Medicare would not pay for her treatment and she was given the option of either flying back to UK to have her procedure or pay.

Pollyana

I don't think anyone has belittled you they've just been straight with their opinions and facts, which unfortunately are probably not the answers you were hoping to hear.

When deciding whether or not to get insurance, in addition to the advice on the medical side of things, you should take into account the costs of cancelling/rearranging the flights etc if anything goes wrong healthwise between now and the trip itself. Unfortunately all that will increase the risk of a claim being made, and therefore will push up the premiums.

kitty4

Unfortunately Lisa, that sounds about right for the premium from my and my mum's research. My mum has just turned 78, she has been getting insurance to come here every year because although Aus and UK have the reciprocal agreement for emergency care and she didn't have anything more than arthritis, it was the journey to be considered too - getting treatment on route somewhere if something happened. It has been costing her around 400+ pounds. She is due to get here in three weeks and has the flight and insurance booked, then gets a trans ischaemic attack (like a mini stroke) out of the blue a few weeks ago (is fine now, cause identified and on appropriate treatment), so has informed the insurance company as it would now be a pre-existing condition when she travels. They have agreed to continue to insure her at an extra premium (expected) bringing the insurance to around 800 pounds, almost as much as her flight. Just have to accept it if they want to travel.

northernbird

Health insurance is essential in your situation and unfortunately you will just have to book it. What happens if he falls in during the flight and they have to divert the flight. How will he get treatment in an unknown place and indeed get home. What happens if the worst happens and he died, how would you afford to get him home.

quoll

Sadly, that sounds about right from my enquiries too - my parents were quoted more than that (but they are older) for insurance for a week in Guernsey. Insurance is going to be vital compared with possible costs (reciprocal Medicare is just for emergencies and you've no idea what might be classified as elective). Even if they delay, with their age and pre-existing condition they are still going to get stung majorly.

Scotty1

I think GBP 1200 is expensive but the likely quote in the circumstance - but check carefully that it will cover him for the pre-existing condition and are not just charging that and then excluding it. Age is a big factor, but when I looked at this a few years ago, it was costing GBP 600 or so with minor medicals for my folks.
Agree try a broker and there are some cancer specialist medical ones too. But it is going to cost about the same as a flight.
the alternative is to cancel or travel without and hope nothing happens
Sorry

spouse of scouse

Lisa, I'm a bit hesitant to suggest this, because it's obviously not the way your Dad and you wanted, and also because you've probably already thought of it. I was just thinking that if it's impossible for your Dad to meet the cost of the travel/health insurance, as well as the flights, then maybe he could pay for you to fly over to visit him instead? Nowhere near ideal, I know, but it might be something else to think about. I really do wish you the best of luck.