BajaNomad

Sky Med insurance for evacuation or ?

Howard - 3-28-2018 at 01:17 PM

I have been with Sky Med for 10 years now and fortunately have never had to use their services. My renewal is coming up and it's the same old insurance story, you really don't need it until you need it.

It runs $1,195 for 5 years for the "Ultimate" plan. Does anyone have experience using and needing their services. If so how did it go?

Anyone out there use a different evacuation insurance? I travel out of the country at least 2 times a year and that is not including Mexico where I spend around 4-6 months a year. I do go to third world countries where there medical services would not be the best.

Any feedback on Sky Med or any other companies?

Thanks,
Howard

D. A. N.

bajaguy - 3-28-2018 at 01:21 PM

Check out DAN insurance (Divers Alert Network). never have used them, but have heard good things. You don't have to be a diver to join

https://www.diversalertnetwork.org/insurance/

Howard - 3-28-2018 at 01:31 PM

I also have heard good things about them. I am going to try and compare the coverages and premiums.

A friend of a friend was medivacked out of Africa using DAN and if he didn't have the insurance it was a staggering amount of money.

bajaguy - 3-28-2018 at 01:52 PM

Somebody on BN or maybe Talk Baja posted about themselves or a friend being evacuated from Baja by DAN....seemed to be very satisfied.

I personally have SAR and medical evac insurance through my SPOT membership and also a separate plan through my life insurance carrier....which is something you might want to look into if you have life insurance



[Edited on 3-28-2018 by bajaguy]

[Edited on 3-28-2018 by bajaguy]

Alm - 3-28-2018 at 05:03 PM

Sky Med is arguably the most expensive evac plan.

Big difference from DAN is that Sky let you choose the destination hospital, though rates are several times higher. DAN will take you to "closest suitable" hospital.

There is (probably) half a dozen providers that cost less than Sky and still let you choose the destination. At lest, those that cover Mexico. Med Jet comes to mind.

Experience.... not mine. The subject comes up from time to time, and for Baja the consensus is - get the heck out of here as soon as you can by whatever means you can, and then get reimbursed. Going through proper channels with evac plan will result in 15-20 hours from your first call to your arrival to San Diego hospital, assuming you are located next to major airport in Baja.

[Edited on 3-29-2018 by Alm]

Howard - 3-28-2018 at 05:23 PM

Thanks for the informative information. Even though I spend 4-6 months a year in Baja, I am just as concerned if not more so, getting out of another country that might not even have the medical facilities that Baja does.

I will further check out some alternatives to Sky Med and see why they are so much higher than the other plans. I'm not sure if this falls under the category of "you get what you pay for."

Any other feedback would be appreciated.

hermosok123 - 3-28-2018 at 05:28 PM

I've posted in regards to medical care in Baja. By that I mean trauma or critical care. My weekend job during 13 years as an ER tech/medic was flying patients out of Baja for various evac service all which are no longer in business. I cant comment on what the protocols governing these companies are at this point in time but as a point of reference I would like to share this. If you have underlying medical condition(s) you need to be able to provide your own care and support. As a general rule a lot of us have cardiac issues. O2 and nitro go a long way towards getting you through the onset and then to a facility. Knowing who does what and does it well as far a specialties is also a really good thing to know in the areas you frequent. Most air evac companies will only deal (maybe that's changed) with a qualified medical professional. They want the onsite vitals and current patient status in medical jargon. It usually revolves around weather or not you qualify for evac and then what level that is. Every one of us that travel these roads should have a fairly extensive med kit. At least enough stuff to bandage and compress as well as splint. If you have access to O2 carry a small bottle. For most of my younger life I just trusted in my six pack and God as my copilot. Baja was a much less traveled place in the 60s and the roads all though basic were much less dangerous. I carry an InReach Delorme now.

Alm - 3-28-2018 at 06:21 PM

Quote: Originally posted by hermosok123  
Most air evac companies will only deal (maybe that's changed) with a qualified medical professional. They want the onsite vitals and current patient status in medical jargon.

With a major expense like a plane they would likely want to hear from a doctor before green-lighting the evac. Few insurance brokers might chime in.

Another thing that hasn't changed much, is - very few airports in Baja.

Sky broker posted here once, could not explain what makes them better.

woody with a view - 3-28-2018 at 06:42 PM

Just go live your life. If it ends unexpectedly you won’t know the difference! I guess if you have million$ why not spend it?

Howard - 3-28-2018 at 06:54 PM

Whatever $ I have, I would like to spend it on wine, women and song, not for the medical bills.

I am not overly paranoid about this evac thing, just want to spend my money on fun. Yeah, around $1,100 hurts for 5 years for Sky Med but it can buy me peace of mind. I have no allegiance to Sky Med, just trying to get my best bang for my buck.

I want my last check to bounce. :biggrin:

Alm - 3-28-2018 at 07:07 PM

When you're in remote location and condition is very urgent, it won't matter how much or how little you paid for evac plan. They won't help you in timely manner. IMO, just keep "some" plan.

Stroke has 4 hours treatment window. Heart attack... depends how bad. People in big US cities die from heart attack even when ambulance arrives within 20 minutes. Survivors of the 1st heart attack are on death row, 2nd attack is very often lethal.

[Edited on 3-29-2018 by Alm]

LukeJobbins - 3-28-2018 at 08:24 PM

I’m with woody. I do stupid stuff and dangerous things all the time but there is always risk with fun. My mom knows if I don’t come back it means it was just that much more fun. Spend your money on more travels and if it happens it happens.

Alm - 3-28-2018 at 09:45 PM

Quote: Originally posted by LukeJobbins  
I’m with woody.

"If it (your life) ends unexpectedly" - yes.
But it could cripple you for life if not treated on time.

This evac thing should be taken in the context of location. My understanding has been that South of Ensenada a fixed-wing evac aircraft will only land in 4-5 towns, and only during normal operating hours.

toronja - 3-28-2018 at 09:50 PM

DAN membership is $35/year per person or $55/year per household. It will not break the bank. I've been a member for years. While I haven't used their TravelAssist evacuation services, one of my employers recommended it after they'd worked with DAN to evacuate someone from our research site (1,000 mi by sea to the nearest hospital, no airports).

I can't for the life of me find the nomads post about it, but someone had a head injury at Bahia de Los Angeles, and DAN had a med-evac jet on the runway at dawn to get them back to California.

No, no evac service is going to be able to save you from an emergency in remote Baja that will kill you within the hour... but if I severely break a leg in Bahia Asuncion, I sure as hell don't want to be riding in an ambulance (if the one ambulance is even running) for 12 hours over all of those potholes. I'll take the free jet plane, thanks.

Plus, if the worst does happen, they'll arrange to repatriate your remains (and cover the costs).
https://www.diversalertnetwork.org/membership/travelassist.a...

larryC - 3-29-2018 at 07:30 AM

Quote: Originally posted by toronja  
DAN membership is $35/year per person or $55/year per household. It will not break the bank. I've been a member for years. While I haven't used their TravelAssist evacuation services, one of my employers recommended it after they'd worked with DAN to evacuate someone from our research site (1,000 mi by sea to the nearest hospital, no airports).

I can't for the life of me find the nomads post about it, but someone had a head injury at Bahia de Los Angeles, and DAN had a med-evac jet on the runway at dawn to get them back to California.

No, no evac service is going to be able to save you from an emergency in remote Baja that will kill you within the hour... but if I severely break a leg in Bahia Asuncion, I sure as hell don't want to be riding in an ambulance (if the one ambulance is even running) for 12 hours over all of those potholes. I'll take the free jet plane, thanks.

Plus, if the worst does happen, they'll arrange to repatriate your remains (and cover the costs).
https://www.diversalertnetwork.org/membership/travelassist.a...


Here is a link to the post of the lady in BoLA that actually used DAN
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=73659&pag...

toronja - 3-29-2018 at 12:27 PM

Thanks, Larry! I was a little off on the timing, but it's impressive anyway. Hope I never need to use it, but glad I have it... plus the monthly magazine is pretty cool.

Alm - 3-29-2018 at 02:09 PM

Impressive.
Med Jet @ 15 times the cost indicated that they only use commercial airports.
From Sky Med @ 30 times the cost I could not get a clear answer on BOLA.
Maybe they've got smarter since then.

A bit unclear account of the events. Sounds like he was trying to get a flight beginning from the previous evening - nothing flies in the night, alright - and then had to begin everything from the scratch at 8 am, with aircraft arriving at 16.00. Took 5 hours to get the plane off the ground.
Or his first call was at 8am but the plane arriving at 16.00 didn't go anywhere until the morning.

20-24 hours anyway.

[Edited on 3-29-2018 by Alm]

hermosok123 - 3-29-2018 at 02:21 PM

Howard since you have the policy it might clarify their protocols if you would ask them what qualifies (type of emergency) for air transport. What the criteria are for fixed wing access to customer/patient. Finally do they also utilize ground transport and if this is at their discretion. In my experience the insurance companies, and it is their decision will always go cheap. They also utilize commercial/escorted fights. By that I mean they fly medical to the closest airport and then the patient is handed off and escorted home on standard commercial jet.

Alm - 3-29-2018 at 02:38 PM

Hermosok - yes, commercial escorted flights are common. Saw this in fine print in more contracts than I remember. Whenever they decide that patient's condition allows.

One thing is puzzling in that story with DAN - their mandate is "closest capable" hospital. For some reason they chose to fly to San Diego, instead of (very capable) CIMA hospital in Hermosillo.

mtgoat666 - 3-29-2018 at 03:25 PM

Quote: Originally posted by hermosok123  
Howard since you have the policy it might clarify their protocols if you would ask them what qualifies (type of emergency) for air transport. What the criteria are for fixed wing access to customer/patient. Finally do they also utilize ground transport and if this is at their discretion. In my experience the insurance companies, and it is their decision will always go cheap. They also utilize commercial/escorted fights. By that I mean they fly medical to the closest airport and then the patient is handed off and escorted home on standard commercial jet.


every case is different. dont expect one-solution-fits-all.

in my experience with med-evac, you need a competent patient-advocate on the scene with a fully-charged cell phone and backup battery. you will be making lots of calls to coordinate care, make sure people are talking to each other, etc.
also, the insurers do not have names of local air charters with prop planes that can land on unpaved strips -- so if you need evac of stabilized patient from unpaved airstrip, make sure to be able to provide names of local air charter the insurer can contact (been there, done that).

Paco Facullo - 3-29-2018 at 03:40 PM

They say that God protects babies, fools and drunks,,,

Two outs three ain't bad...

Me thinks I'll takes me chances....

pacificobob - 3-29-2018 at 04:13 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Alm  
When you're in remote location and condition is very urgent, it won't matter how much or how little you paid for evac plan. They won't help you in timely manner. IMO, just keep "some" plan.

Stroke has 4 hours treatment window. Heart attack... depends how bad. People in big US cities die from heart attack even when ambulance arrives within 20 minutes. Survivors of the 1st heart attack are on death row, 2nd attack is very often lethal.

[Edited on 3-29-2018 by Alm]

very good points. the "widowmaker" events likely won't be helped by a Learjet arriving in 20 hours. my plan involves a full gas tank, and a plan to get the injured to a mexican hospital,or airport with scheduled air service or on-demand charter. asap. from the rancho thats an hour or less. if the event happened out in the bushes...well damn the luck. a buddy had to ride 3 days (motorbike) with a leg injury. almost lost the foot. that was followed by months of treatment at a stateside university hospital to save the foot. the same event near medical treatment would have been a minor deal.

Alm - 3-30-2018 at 10:43 AM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  

in my experience with med-evac, you need a competent patient-advocate on the scene with a fully-charged cell phone and backup battery.

That would be DW (or DH), most of the time.
That is, - if she/he is competent.

Howard - 3-30-2018 at 11:11 AM

I went with the basic DAN membership which includes $100,000 of insurance for evac. purposes.
$35 a year VS over $200 for Sky Med.

You can drive yourself crazy with all the differences between all the plans but the main one for me was not to go bankrupt if I ever had to pay to get out of a 3rd world country or Mexico for that matter.

The major difference that I saw was that DAN does not pay for medical expenses and the more expensive policies pay for medical. I'll take my chances that maybe either my Medicare or my Blue Shield supplement might cover some of those expenses, who knows?

For me $35 a year will not force me into bankruptcy and have to go back to work if the unthinkable happens. If I die, so be it.

Go back to work or die, that would be a tough choice but leaning towards not going back to work! :biggrin:

Go back to work, or die?

AKgringo - 3-30-2018 at 11:16 AM

I would have to compare the benefit package!

Alm - 3-30-2018 at 07:45 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Howard  

$35 a year VS over $200 for Sky Med....

...The major difference that I saw was that DAN does not pay for medical expenses and the more expensive policies pay for medical.

$200 a year including medical expenses is very cheap. Must be a different Sky Med. The one I looked into, costs from $600 a year for expats and from $800 for other members: https://www.skymed.com/expatriate-plans.
(Edit: weird page coding, plans don't open, click on the right for Expat etc).

For all this $$$, they basically provide transportation, with emergency medical on-board, if necessary.

Plus, more blurb in policy manuals on medical "assistance services", i.e. coordination, translators, delivery of medications (only delivery, not the meds), return of your pets or stranded vehicle etc.

Any chance you could post a link to that $200 plan or policy manual with details of medical expenses covered?

[Edited on 3-31-2018 by Alm]

Lee - 3-31-2018 at 11:23 AM

Seems like older folks, with inevitable health issues, move back North to avoid the complications of getting North for medical care. Guess it depends on what those med issues are.

I know a guy, drunk, stepped off a top stair and misjudged the second step. Major break to femur. This was in Pescadero, not sure where he had MX surgery -- Cabo? By US standards, surgery was botched. He's had re-do's but regrets the MX outcome and walks with a severe limp and with a cane.

If someone has serious med issues, not sure you want to be down South with those problems. Not writing about soft tissue/bone stuff. Cardiac is a game changer.

Howard - 3-31-2018 at 01:02 PM

"Any chance you could post a link to that $200 plan or policy manual with details of medical expenses covered?"
(Sorry, I don't know how to use the quote feature)

Unfortunately the link has lots of personal information and there is no way to cut and paste the exact information you are looking for.

Hear is a Readers Digest of what it actually says;
5 years $2,395
Member loyalty discount $400
1st time ultimate renewal discount an additional $700 discount
Brings the net down to $1,295
I had been going through what I think is a Sky Med broker. If you would like her contact information I will E-Mail her and ask her if it's OK to give out. I never have met this person and I cant imagine why she would not want her contact information out there but would like to check with her first.

Alm - 3-31-2018 at 06:58 PM

Thanks Howard, got it. $260 per year after renewal and loyalty discounts. This is if you keep it for 10 years to get those perks.

Have read their policy, "medical services" that they mention are things other than treatment. People in Chapala are paying $1,500 a year for evac+treatment, it's treatment that costs.