When an unexpected critical illness or injury occurs, while you are many miles from home, your safest alternative is to be transported home in a
medically equipped and staffed air ambulance jet to the care of your personal health care provider, in the USA and Canada.
1. If you live or vacation in Mexico for less than 6 months a year, then the Traditional Basic SkyMed membership is designed for you. It gives you
coverage for up to 6 months of your 12 month policy (not calandar year). From the day you enroll you must identify which 6 months you want coverage
for in the next 12 months. The months do not have to be consecutive.
Individual $244.00 Family $444.00 per year.
There is a $60.00 application fee.
2. If you live in Mexico for more than 6 months in any 12 consecutive months then you must have the NATO Plan….North American Transport Option
…..which gives you coverage for the full year in Mexico so you can come and go as you please.
Individual $522.00 Family $864.00
There is a $60.00 application fee.
Ages 75 or better $780.00 and $60.00 application fee
BARBARA VANDENBERG 13-30343
skymedloreto@gmail.comfishbuck - 3-24-2009 at 03:10 PM
Barb, do you know what runways they will land on? And how would you get to the correct runway if your at a remote location?SkyMedBarbara - 3-24-2009 at 04:21 PM
Here is a quote from SkyMed: Appropriate Airport...A place where fixed-wing aircraft selected by the air ambulance carrier can land, takeoff and have
the safe use of needed maintenance and ground service facilities.... SkyMed also states that they only quarantee transportation out of "Gov't"
regulated airports like Loreto, Cabo, La Paz, San Felipe, etc.CortezBlue - 3-24-2009 at 09:28 PM
American Express has a similar service for up to 45 consecutive days for about half the price. This plan also covers medical payments that your
normal health insurance may not cover.rpleger - 3-24-2009 at 09:50 PM
That leaves Mulege out....Bajaboy - 3-24-2009 at 09:55 PM
why is this post in General Baja Discussion? It looks like an ad to me.bent-rim - 3-25-2009 at 07:14 AM
I think "The Spot" a satellite based location device discussed in other posts is a better deal. For the same or less dollars you can send a message
to friends and family, track your trip for future use and they'll arrange for your rescue should you need it. I have no financial interest in Spot.larryC - 3-25-2009 at 08:01 AM
Another option worth looking into is DAN -divers alert network- less than $50 per year for a family. I asked them specifically if they would fly to
Baja and they said they do it all the time. Also, No, it does not have to be a diving related accident, any accident where the local health facilities
are not adequate to give appropriate care, is what I was told. I joined, hope I never need it.
LarrySkeet/Loreto - 3-25-2009 at 09:35 AM
Loreto, Constitution, La Paz all have very good helth care.
My wife and I lived full time in Loreto before there was a Hospital.
The Doctors at the Generazl Hospital in Constitution saved her life in 1992.
Please consider going and using the medical Care. They are much more Compassionate than in the States.
I know of two occasions where people waited on the Tarmac at the Loreto Airport for over 10 hours awaiting the "Med-Bums' in the states arguing over
the cheapest Fee to haul them to the States.
Virginia and I became friends with the Doctors and interacted with the Hospitals.. Go take a Visit. I am sure you will be surpised!!
Skeet/Loretorpleger - 3-25-2009 at 10:21 AM
Medical care in Baja is good in the larger towns for most problems.
To many people waiting on the tarmac like Skeet says....waiting for permission from the insurance company and they could be in a adequate
hospital....Terry28 - 3-25-2009 at 10:42 AM
Finally, something Skeet said that I agree with....well doneSkeet/Loreto - 3-25-2009 at 11:24 AM
Terry28>
Unbeleivable!!! "Finally". Terry it is difficult for me to understand that you could not have found something to agree with!!
Did you go to Berkerely?
Are you one of those "Nekid Women who ride Motorcycles?
Did I arrest you in Hollywood in 1959??
Did I dance with you at Pacific Ocean Park and then not take you Home??
I strongly urge anyone to partake of the very good Medical Services in Baja.
They may be short of some of the fancy gadgets but sure make up for it in Basic Care.SkyMedBarbara - 3-26-2009 at 06:47 AM
Here is a quote from "DAN" "Dan will take you to the nearest hospital from where they will pick you up from."
There is a saying " You get what you pay for". SkyMed takes you HOME! To where your insurance and hospital is...USA.... Canada etc. There is NO
comparison!Diver - 3-26-2009 at 07:13 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by SkyMedBarbara
Here is a quote from "DAN" "Dan will take you to the nearest hospital from where they will pick you up from."
There is a saying " You get what you pay for". SkyMed takes you HOME! To where your insurance and hospital is...USA.... Canada etc. There is NO
comparison!
Yes, DAN will only get you to a hospital (read hospital - not clinic). But if they will land at smaller, dirt strips then they are more use to some
than Skymed. Since Skymed only flys out of major airports, it's worthless to some, like me, who rarely spend much time in Cabo, Loreto, etc.
Zac is right; buy add space from Doug !
.Lauriboats - 3-26-2009 at 08:04 AM
One more option would be to have a AAA plus card. The only problem with this is that you have to pay up front with a credit card. AAA will pay up to
$25,000 for a med-evac.oxxo - 3-26-2009 at 08:21 AM
I have Medicare Senior Advantage from Kaiser Permanente. They know I live full time in Mexico. If I have a medical emergency in Mexico, they told me
to go to the nearest hospital. I pay the fees and they will reimburse me. If evacuation is required, they will arrange it and pay for it.
My cost? Nothing other than the required $96 per month from my soc. sec. I have never had to use it and hope I never do. So I can't say how well
it works in practice.
Isn't Sky Med sort of like time share sales? redmesa - 3-26-2009 at 09:28 AM
A very specific question, Barbara? Will Skymed pick me up in Bahia Asuncion and if so how long will it take and from where does the plane or
helicopter come? If it will do this quickly then I will for sure be buying in to it....Pescador - 3-26-2009 at 10:29 AM
I do not handle Skymed, and have chosen a competing company after comparing the coverages, and this company has come in to small dirt strips and
hauled people out several times in my experience. Because of my wife's cancer, we had to make sure that the small strip at Palo Verde or the strip at
Punta Chivato were covered.SkyMedBarbara - 3-26-2009 at 10:37 AM
Is Baja Asuncion a "Govt" regulated airport with all the facilities for a medical jet to fly into?? Medical jets have INSURANCE and very strict
regulations and just can't fly and land anywhere... You have to have a bed in a hospital to go to BEFORE they send a jet to pick you up.. your doctor
has to make sure you are stable before putting you on a jet..these things take time. SkyMed's staff are professionals and do their best to get their
members to their own home hospitals as fast as possible.. I don't bellieve Baja has medical hellicopters so most travel to the qualifing airports
have to be by ambulance.David K - 3-26-2009 at 05:22 PM
Bahia Asuncion (not Baja Asuncion) is a dirt air strip... no control tower... all dirt air strips need to have an expensive government permit to stay
open... so that may be the 'gov't regulated' part of your company's requirement. However, there is NO hospital at Asuncion... unless the government
medical clinic counts?
Seems your SkyMed is only good at major cities with airports and hospitals... yes??Diver - 3-26-2009 at 06:26 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Lauriboats
One more option would be to have a AAA plus card. The only problem with this is that you have to pay up front with a credit card. AAA will pay up to
$25,000 for a med-evac.
Thank you !
I didn't know that.
I think we have AAA Plus already; I'll call and check.Diver - 3-27-2009 at 07:57 AM
FYI - I emailed Medjet to find out where they will fly. I'm not sure what the h their answer means !! Sure didn't asnwer my question !!
I am curious what type of airports you will fly into for pick-up.
Specifically, do you fly into Mulege' or Bahia Asuncion or Guerrero Negro in Baja Sur, MX ?
Thank you.
Sirs,
Based on your location our private air ambulance aircrafts will fly to the closest airport to which you are hospitalized. If it is decided that you
are to be moved via commercial then we generally will again fly to the nearest airport or international airport.
April Jeff
Quality Assurance Specialist
MedjetAssist
800-963-3538David K - 3-27-2009 at 08:12 AM
Gee Diver, that doesn't sound any different than Barbara's company...??
If you have an emergency that requires hospitilization, you are paying to be taken to an American hospital, not transfered from a Mexican one (and
there isn't one in most of the places we Nomads are, right?)!David K - 3-27-2009 at 08:17 AM
I used to belong to the Bi-National Emergency Medical deal (Celia's organization)... then I found out they couldn't help or wouldn't come to Bahia de
los Angeles (paved airport, daytime) to try and save ( a good friend )... THAT is one of the places I would expect to need emergency evacuation from.
[Edited on 3-27-2009 by David K]Diver - 3-27-2009 at 08:42 AM
FYI - Here is an additional response from Medjet. It seems you must already be in a "hospital" before they will come get you.
My apology for not directly answering the specific airport pick up locations. We do have access to Mulege’ and Guerrerro Negro.
However, please note even though we have the capability of flying into those specific airports, you must be hospitalized as an inpatient before
MedjetAssist could provide evacuation to the hospital of your choice.
April Jeff
Quality Assurance Specialist
MedjetAssistpacificobob - 3-27-2009 at 09:14 AM
here is the deal....no medevac jet is going to operate on unpaved strips...maybe a tubroprop fixed wingDianaT - 3-27-2009 at 09:38 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by pacificobob
here is the deal....no medevac jet is going to operate on unpaved strips...maybe a tubroprop fixed wing
And I have not found ANY that will go to Bahia Asuncion with its dirt strip.
And I have asked Sky-Med and others about Guerrero Negro and I have NEVER been given a direct yes or no from ANY service.
If anyone ever gets a specific answer, please post it. All of the standard quoted rules just don't answer the question.
BTW---While paid advertisment space is available on this site, it seems that free advertisment is also allowed for others, so I don't see any problem
with this service being talked about in the General Discussion ?????
Dianeredmesa - 3-27-2009 at 12:08 PM
Thanks for all this information...I was also thinking about all the hidden policies that are left unsaid in many of the advertisements for these
air-vac insurances. I guess we just call FISHBUCK to come to Bahia Asuncion and get us.
It sounds like most of the policies only do hospital to hospital airlifts, not emergency pick-up?Marla Daily - 3-27-2009 at 05:52 PM
I called AAA today and was told there is no such thing as the insurance described for Premium AAA members in a post on this discussion board. I was
told their travel insurance, which covers up to $300,000 in insurance, ONLY covers trips booked through AAA Travel Department.
AAA has NO medical evacuation insurance at any level of membership.
Does anyone know differently? Have proof?bajalou - 3-27-2009 at 05:54 PM
Good Sam RV Club offers Medical Evacuation Insurance.bajalou - 3-27-2009 at 06:27 PM
Years ago, I signed up with Sky Med.
I'm in San Felipe with a acceptable airport and local doctors familiar with the procedures. It still took over 4 hours to get a Med Evac plane into
the airport - and after dark, forget it. I saw this first hand with several friends.
I can be driven to the border by car or ambulance in 2 hours - half the time of the planes so I decided that was a better option for me.
Those of you farther from the border, of course have different priorities.Iflyfish - 3-28-2009 at 05:31 PM
The devil is indeed in the details, very interesting thread, I hope others with experience chime in.
