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Cancer and travel health insurance: What coverage do you get?

Posted by northoftheborder @northoftheborder, Apr 19, 2024

For people who have active and/or advanced cancer, how do you handle health insurance when traveling outside your country with a serious pre-existing condition? Do you just self-insure (roll the dice), or pay extra for special coverage?

I'm interested in hearing from everyone, but especially from Canadians or Europeans traveling to the U.S., because that's where an unexpected hospital visit could really empty your retirement savings fast.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Cancer Support Group.

Profile picture for Susan F, Volunteer Mentor
Mentor
Susan F, Volunteer Mentor | @susanf8 | Jun 6 9:53am
In reply to @isadora2021 "I’ve been in remission from incurable stage 4 appendix cancer for about 4 years. I’ve been..." + (show)
Profile picture for isadora2021 @isadora2021

I’ve been in remission from incurable stage 4 appendix cancer for about 4 years. I’ve been happy to stay within Australia, for which my normal health cover has been enough. I used to travel overseas a lot, and my feet are getting itchy again!While I was working through cancer treatment I had to miss 2 trips to the US because my firm’s insurers would only cover me at exorbitant premiums. I totally understood why my firm wouldn’t pay them and why I couldn’t go.Any insurance travel tips when leaving your country’s borders?

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We scuba dive, so we get DAN (Divers Alert Network) insurance to cover diving medical and because most places require you have dive insurance.

They also have trip insurance on a per trip and per year basis that covers also medical as well as travel.

I don't think you have to be a diver to join, although I would call them to be sure. We do a lot of travel and our US based insurance doesn't cover us in another country, so we get the yearly coverage. They don't ask about pre existing conditions.
https://dan.org/membership-insurance/membership/membership-faqs/

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isadora2021 | @isadora2021 | Jun 6 4:36pm
In reply to @susanf8 "We scuba dive, so we get DAN (Divers Alert Network) insurance to cover diving medical and..." + (show)
Profile picture for Susan F, Volunteer Mentor @susanf8

We scuba dive, so we get DAN (Divers Alert Network) insurance to cover diving medical and because most places require you have dive insurance.

They also have trip insurance on a per trip and per year basis that covers also medical as well as travel.

I don't think you have to be a diver to join, although I would call them to be sure. We do a lot of travel and our US based insurance doesn't cover us in another country, so we get the yearly coverage. They don't ask about pre existing conditions.
https://dan.org/membership-insurance/membership/membership-faqs/

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@susanf8 Thank you for that suggestion. Very helpful. I’ll look into it.

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maryhg | @maryhg | 17 hours ago

My husband is being treated for bladder cancer. We live in the US and still would like to travel after treatment both in the US and internationally. Now that he has a pre existing condition I would like to know if people have advice on insurance companies for trip cancelation, medical care, and emergency evacuation.

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | 15 hours ago
In reply to @maryhg "My husband is being treated for bladder cancer. We live in the US and still would..." + (show)
Profile picture for maryhg @maryhg

My husband is being treated for bladder cancer. We live in the US and still would like to travel after treatment both in the US and internationally. Now that he has a pre existing condition I would like to know if people have advice on insurance companies for trip cancelation, medical care, and emergency evacuation.

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@maryhg, you might find the comments in this related discussion helpful:
- Cancer and travel health insurance: What coverage do you get?https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/cancer-and-travel-health-insurance/

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