Would like to hear from any member that has used medical emergency evacuation service from Baja to the US, and is a permanent resident of Mexico.
Comments.vgabndo - 1-23-2014 at 12:21 PM
Yes we have touched base on this topic extensively. Thanks for the link Vagabundo.alacran - 1-23-2014 at 02:44 PM
Yes I also read it, however it does not mention, people that live in Baja permanently.
Notice it only mentions ¨travelersvgabndo - 1-24-2014 at 08:14 AM
I sent the question to DAN USA and got this response.
This location, DAN America, provides coverage to people living in the US and Canada. As long as you are living in one of these areas for at least 51%
of the year you may purchase from this location. Otherwise, you would purchase coverage from the DAN location that covers where you are physically
residing. Any questions about coverage would need to be directed to the individual DAN locations as they could be different from those here at DAN
America. Regional laws and government will determine what can be offered in that area.
For coverage and coverage questions in Mexico, you must contact DAN World. You may reach DAN World here:
DAN World
English Line: +1-202-470-0929
Spanish Line: +52-55-8421-9866
Portuguese Line: +55-11-3711-706
OK, I have had clients who were Immigrante (now Residente Permanente) use evacuation insurance and go back to the United States. One of the policies
I used to sell had a provision that you declared how many days a year you lived out of the US. The policy became more expensive with more time spent
in the country of residence.
Occasionally problems arose when someone had a short term policy of 60 or 90 days, but it was very obvious that they lived full time down here. The
Insurance company considers that fraud and deals accordingly with that.Bajajorge - 1-24-2014 at 11:00 AM
Last Spring I needed ambulance transport from San Felipe to the US border. I had Good Sam RV Club emergency evacuation insurance.
The wringer they put me through to get $200USD toward my $679USD ambulance ride was ridiculous. I have a stack some 2" high of required paperwork
prior to them issuing the $200 check.DavidE - 1-24-2014 at 11:44 AM
One spectator experience. Victim kept meticulous notes.
Telephone call was made to Air Evac Service a little after 8 AM
Jet arrived Acapulco Airport 11:30AM Departed around noon. Migracion DEMANDED to stamp FM-3 holder's passaporte
Arrived LA 3:00PM. Had to circle while priority landing clearance was granted.
Took 50 minutes to clear customs and have ambulance crew wheel gurney to plane then to ambulance.
Four fifteen, gurney was wheeled into the ER.
Eight hours. About the same amount of time as having a problem in East Fumbuck, USA and getting to a hospital. One-way ticket back to Acapulco a month
later cost the gentleman five hundred dollars.
One hour and (I forgot, it amounted to almost 2 hours) for ambulance to arrive at UCLA medical center.alacran - 1-25-2014 at 11:33 AM
In other words, there is no evac. For people that are permanent residents of Baja, Mexico?EnsenadaDr - 1-25-2014 at 11:36 AM
Many expats do not claim to live in Baja permanently, so they can claim benefits as a U.S. citizen.chuckie - 1-25-2014 at 11:37 AM
I think that is the conclusion I came to..at least none that is affordablevandenberg - 1-25-2014 at 11:44 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by alacran
In other words, there is no evac. For people that are permanent residents of Baja, Mexico?
Yes there is. Look at my signature and go to Skymed.
My wife is a rep here in Loreto and sells evacuation policies for permanent residents.vandenberg - 1-25-2014 at 11:48 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by EnsenadaDr
Many expats do not claim to live in Baja permanently, so they can claim benefits as a U.S. citizen.
What are you talking about.
Living outside of the US revokes your citizenship ??
And what benefits are you referring too ??EnsenadaDr - 1-25-2014 at 12:16 PM
Generally you are not eligible for Medicare part B living outside the US.
Quote:
Originally posted by vandenberg
Quote:
Originally posted by EnsenadaDr
Many expats do not claim to live in Baja permanently, so they can claim benefits as a U.S. citizen.
What are you talking about.
Living outside of the US revokes your citizenship ??
And what benefits are you referring too ??
Pescador - 1-25-2014 at 12:42 PM
I also sell a plan that covers you if a resident permanente and it does cover evacuation to your hospital of choice when you get sick. The problem
comes when people do not want to pay the slightly higher premium and try to slide one by the insurance company.
As for Part B on Medicare, the only time that is an issue is when you first sign up. If you already have part B it is pretty much a non issue. If you
are signing up and declare that you live in Mexico, then you are eligible for Part B when you return to the US but must sign up during open enrollment
periods.chuckie - 1-25-2014 at 02:44 PM
Pizza?
Evac services, annual membership from $330
Whale-ista - 1-25-2014 at 05:12 PM
I'm not familiar with other options mentioned here. how does this program compare? Can be a short term, 7 day plan for travellers or a 1 year
membership for $330 which sounds quite reasonable.
like all insurance: better to have it and not need it...
(edit) not clear if they can refuse based on pre-existing conditions, or if this is good for unlimited events, so if you return to MX and have a
relapse/more than 1 problem you can get additional evacs as needed.
[Edited on 1-26-2014 by Whale-ista]Pescador - 1-26-2014 at 08:09 AM
One of the reasons I started carrying Med-Jet was that my wife had lung cancer and they were the only company that did not do underwriting for
pre-existing medical conditions. Other companies vary but usually do not cover pre-existing conditions for some period like a year.
Evacuation insurance
bajaguy - 1-26-2014 at 10:53 AM
If you have a health or life insurance policy/coverage, read it carefully or call the policy carrier. Many policies already have an evacuation
provision.
When I called my carrier to see if I could purchase an evacuation policy, they told me I was already covered.
Geez, Bajaguy, I wish I had you for a customer, none of my clients ever read a policy in their life. Good call. Read the conditions though and most
will only transport from Loreto, La Paz, or Cabo, but you are right it is an inclusion in several health and life policies.
Also, see what the triggers are, meaning what event is necessary for a medical doctor in Mexico to order an evacuation and what are the qualifying
conditions.Alm - 2-2-2014 at 02:18 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Pescador
Read the conditions though and most will only transport from Loreto, La Paz, or Cabo, but you are right it is an inclusion in several health and life
policies.
Also, see what the triggers are, meaning what event is necessary for a medical doctor in Mexico to order an evacuation and what are the qualifying
conditions.
Yes, most will only transport you from where you are hospitalized at - and you have to be hospitalized first. Not all of them, and not necessarily
from those few big cities like Loreto, but usually from some medical-ish facility. Reading the policy before buying it is definitely a good idea ...
Yes, it has to be - usually - ordered by a doctor and approved by the insurer, though there can be provisions giving you a little leeway.
Few providers, IIRC Global Rescue is one of them - don't require you to check in at medical-ish facility first, and then be transported from there.
They will air-lift you from the mount Everett or out of the jungle, if they have to.
[Edited on 2-2-2014 by Alm]EnsenadaDr - 2-2-2014 at 02:21 PM
sounds like you have some good plans, Pescador? Anyway you could download them so we can read the options and see the prices?Alm - 2-2-2014 at 02:25 PM
Good plans cost good money. Medjet lists them on its website. Yes, premiums for PR expats are higher.Alm - 2-2-2014 at 02:37 PM
One more thing I forgot to mention. Vast majority of evac plans will not evacuate you to where you want, but only to the closest hospital capable of
needed treatment. Particularly, evac services included into a health insurance plan - those almost always will take you to the nearest hospital only.
Which might be a good idea given the patient's condition - or it might not.
It's better to have a choice whenever possible, but this normally costs more. Also, even if you have such a choice under the policy and your condition
allows longer evac time, they won't necessarily take you where you want because there may not be beds available there at that moment.Pescador - 2-3-2014 at 08:31 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by EnsenadaDr
sounds like you have some good plans, Pescador? Anyway you could download them so we can read the options and see the prices?
Just click on the blue post on the bottom and you get all the prices, descriptions, and everything.Alm - 2-3-2014 at 11:18 AM
Right. And there are no "options" that come with each plan. The structure is pretty simple, just different premiums based on different duration
outside the country of residence. Which in itself can be a legal conundrum because for permanent resident of Mexico this is his country of residence.
US citizens are deemed to be US residents, but this is US govt opinion, not necessarily the insurer's . For Canadian expats living all the time in Mex it will be even more difficult to prove that they are Canadian
residents because their govt ties the residency status to a long list of requirements.
Most US-based insurers choose to share the opinion of their govt, and if the policy is written well, it will say somewhere at the beginning that US
citizens are considered US residents. So read the policy. I didn't since I am not permanent in Mex. Tourist's situation is simple. Resident's - not so
much.
To answer the OP question, with this particular provider an expat may be eligible for either a "regular" plan for Mexican resident, i.e. somebody
traveling domestically within Mexico, or a "regular" plan for US resident traveling in Mexico, or one of "expat" plans. Depends on what expat and how
much time he spends in Mex. Note that insurer's interpretation of "travel" may require you to be some (100?) miles from your home in order to be
covered. So read the policy.
...