The Most Important Thing To Pack When Traveling
OK so you know that we don’t travel without our CARES harness.
What else do I never leave home without? My “Big Brother”
Medjet Assist. I signed up online quickly and so very easily
before we left for our European trip. The membership for ANYONE
who travels, (much like AAA is for drivers) is a “no-brainer” to me.
Let me explain.
The inside of an ambulance or hospital - things that are not on the agenda for any trip - business or pleasure. Yet, take a look at some of the things I casually observed while we vacationed in Europe.
How does this apply to the traveling family - healthy and just on a quick trip for a week of fun?
Let’s use “John” and “Jane” traveling with their son “James” as an example.
A week in Florida to get away from the cold winter at home in
Minnesota. They leave the Florida airport, excited to be on vacation
and talking about how great the week is going to be.
Jane looks at the map to find the hotel for John who is driving.
Before she can say a word, a negligent driver slams into their car
in the intersection (having run through a red light).
Accidents like this happen - daily. Completely out of their control,
not at fault accident due to the distraction of another driver. Now
the long awaited vacation is a horrible nightmare.
Jane and little James are fine - but John needs surgery on his
shoulder and leg. He is badly bruised and in pain.
Jane is shook up and little James is in shock. The hospital that the
family is transported to is unfamiliar to them (of course- they are
1700 miles from home!). Jane calls her medical insurance company
and requests that John be transported home for surgery.
The insurance company spends not even a minute thinking about that
one - before refusing to cover transport. Reminding Jane that the policy
states that the patient will be transported “if medically necessary
to an appropriate facility chosen by -the insurance company.” Jane is
horrified to think that they can’t get home. She then remembers
that she had purchased travel insurance for the trip.
She calls this number only to find out that medical evacuation is
only covered - once again - if “medically necessary to an
appropriate facility”.
Not to worry - John is a PLATINUM card member.
Surely they will take care of their “platinum” member right?
“Medically necessary and to a facility of our choice IF the
global director deems this transfer necessary.”
Who is the Global Director? What is going to be an appropriate
facility? Will cost be a deciding factor?
Sorry - he is in a facility that medical insurance and travel insurance
and the Platinum Card Director have deemed appropriate for
completing John’s surgery and subsequent rehabilitation.
But the doctor said that with his injuries it would be weeks before
he would be able to travel - and that he would need extensive
rehab.!
All of a sudden, the trip turns into a financial nightmare. Jane
realizes how much time she will have to take off of work, how many weeks
they will spend in a hotel as John recuperates in the hospital
and then a rehab center and the expensive
weeks with a rental car- and how will she take care of
little James in a hotel room and hospital?
The support she had anticipated from her travel insurance,
John’s Platinum card status, and her medical insurance was nonexistent
and left her feeling alone. Having to make all the decisions by herself
as well as going crazy with worry about John’s health, she
felt very alone.
Then she remembered that the day before they left, John had said
something about signing them up for a Medjet Assist membership.
The card in his wallet indicated that they indeed were Medjet members.
She looked at the back of the card and gathered the 6 items she needed
when she called them.
1. her name and phone number where she was
2. the member’s name (John)
3. the location of John -city, country
4. brief description of the situation (car accident, injury requiring surgery)
5. hospital contact info
6. physician contact info
She dialed the 800 number and was soon speaking to a caring, comforting
voice - who assured her that help was “on its way”.
All medical communication was taken over by the Medjet Director,
John Gobbels, who understands how traumatic these situations are for family.
Medjet took over all arrangements and maintained communication
with Jane, the treating hospital, and the hometown physician in Minnesota.
They made sure that the local hospital in MN had an empty bed for
John and before Jane knew it, they were on the way home. John was
flown in a medically staffed air ambulance (private jet) and
Jane was able to have family and friends nearby for support
during surgery and the weeks following.
Jane was amazed at how simple it was. No paperwork - no claim
forms, no deductible. Medjet just flew in and whisked them
away to the familiarity of their hometown hospital.
And the cost for this incredible service? NOTHING - since John
had already paid for the family’s year long membership.
For an entire family (up to 5 kids) to be covered FOR ONE WHOLE YEAR…
$350 TOTAL
What would that one incident have cost Jane otherwise?
Well here is the summary:
-time off work for Jane
-hotel, rental car, food, etc. for possibly weeks of rehab (assuming
no complications like infection or blood clot)
-stress of being alone with child - away from home
-stress of being alone worrying about husband
OR if she chose air transport
$10-20,000 OUT OF POCKET!
-stress of trying to arrange medical transport on her own
That is a domestic travel case - and with only one family
member injured in the accident.
Worth $350 for the year? Yes, without a doubt! For peace of mind
alone for year round “Big Brother” protection and
knowing that one phone call and 6 tiny details is all you need
to complete.
Now do the math if traveling internationally. Air ambulance
internationally would be $75,000 or more. Yes, out of pocket.
I believe a Medjet membership to be the single most important thing
that anyone traveling more than 150 miles from home should have.
Accidents happen to ANYONE and happen daily.
And I am not alone when I say that Medjet is a fantastic company
and a smart investment.
The top travel experts (Peter Greenberg, Rudy Maxa) as well as the NFL, CBS,
and AARP recognize that Medjet is a necessity.
Nobody likes to think that something could or would happen to them
on vacation or while traveling for business.
And accidents can happen to anyone regardless of age.
Reality is that accidents do happen - daily. And even though Los Angeles
or Tokyo or wherever the destination is - has some great hospitals, I
would not want to have surgery or be hospitalized in an unfamiliar
setting far from home.
For more information, www.MedJetAssist.com/JetWithKids