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Travel Health Insurance - What is travel health insurance? It is insurance to cover emergency medical and hospital expenses if you get sick or have an acci- dent travelling outside Canada. Why do you need travel health Insurance? If you’re lravelling out- side Canada, your Ontario Health Card will only cover: 0 OH]? rates for nonâ€"hospital physician care and $400 a day for high-level hospital care, including surgery, high- technology treatment and constant patient monitoring; and, 0 $200 a day for treatment of substance abuse, psychiatric illness and eating disorders in a rehabilitation facility 0r hospital (depending on the level of care). You are responsible for expenses above these limits. Keep in mind medical treat- ment in other countries, such as the United States, is more expensive than in Canada. Also, some out-of-country hospitals won’t admit you without proof of health insur- ance. Before you decide to buy, remember you may already have adequate coverage through your employee or retirement bene- fits package, bank or trust company deluxe credit cards, or automobile clubs or asso- ciations. Check your plans for details. Where can you buy travel health Insurance? Applications forms are available from travel/insurance agents and brokers, banks and pharmacies. What should you look for It you buy travel health insurance? . Benefits, limitations, restrictions and ’ price difier from one policy to another, so Don’t Leave Home Without It! Remember, visitors to Canada are not covered by OHIP. shop around. Here's a partial checklist of what to look for: Pre-existing Conditions â€" Look for limiâ€" tations and exclusions for health condi- tions you had before the effective date of your policy. This could include health conâ€" ditions currently conlrolled with medica- tion or treatment. Discuss this clause with your insurer if applicable. Hazardous Activities - Look for exclu- sions for injuries from skydiving, hand gliding, scuba diving or body contact sports. Restricted Destinations - Beware of no coverage for certain countries. Age Restrictions - Some policies restrict coverage or may not be available after a certain age. War â€" Note exclusions for injuries caused by war, invasion or hostilities between nations. Deductible and Co-payment Clauses â€" A deductible clause requires you to pay an initial amount towards any claim, up to a specified level. For example, a $250 de- ductible requires you to pay the first $250. If the claim is $250 or less, there are no benefits payable under the policy. A co- payment clause may require you to pay a percentage of your medical bills. Substance Abuse â€" Look for exclusions for ex- penses resulting from abuse of medication, drugs or alcohol Claims Procedures â€" Some insurers may re- quire you to pay the hos» pital first, then apply for reimbursement. Others pay the hospital directly. Read your policy care- fully and, whenever pos- sible, call your insurer before getting treatment. Take your policy, Ontario Health Card and insurer’s emer- gency telephone number wherever you travel. Keep all receipts and submit your claim (keeping copies) as soon as possible, so you'll be covered if a time limit applies. Elective and Non-emergency Treat- ment /Surgery - Remember â€" your policy covers you for emergency health care only. It won’t pay for routine health care pro- vided out-of-country, even if recom- mended by a physician. Before you sign on the dotted line, reâ€" member your travel health insurance is a legal document and your signature at the bottom commits you to everything in it. Read and compare the policies you’re con- sidering and make sure you understand all the provisions. Don’t rely solely on marâ€" keting or sales information. Read the actual policy or brochure explaining terms and conditions before you buy and discuss it with people whose opinions you respect. Bon voyage! If you have any questions about insurance call the Ontario Insurance Commission in- formation line at (416)250-6750 for the greater Toronto area, and 1â€"800~668-0128 for toll-free long-distance. This information was provided by Ike Ontario Blue Cross and the Ontario Insurance Commission, Home a Country, Fall '98 7