Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad
Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad
Editor's note: The information below was posted on the State Department's website (www.state.gov) as of March 2004 by Bureau of Consular Affairs and has been condensed by the editors for publication in book format. Readers should consult www.state.gov for additional information, updates, or revisions.
AIR AMBULANCE / MED-EVAC
TRAVEL INSURANCE COMPANIES
EXECUTIVE MEDICAL SERVICES
If an American citizen becomes seriously ill or injured abroad, a U.S. consular officer can assist in locating appropriate medical services and informing family or friends. If necessary, a consular officer can also assist in the transfer of funds from the United States. However, payment of hospital and other expenses is the responsibility of the traveler.
Before going abroad, learn what medical services your health insurance will cover overseas. If your health insurance policy provides coverage outside the United States, REMEMBER to carry both your insurance policy identity card as proof of such insurance and a claim form. Although many health insurance companies will pay "customary and reasonable" hospital costs abroad, very few will pay for your medical evacuation back to the United States. Medical evacuation can easily cost $10,000 and up, depending on your location and medical condition.
THE SOCIAL SECURITY MEDICARE PROGRAM DOES NOT PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR HOSPITAL OR MEDICAL COSTS OUTSIDE THE U.S.A.
Senior citizens may wish to contact the American Association of Retired Persons for information about foreign medical care coverage with Medicare supplement plans.
To facilitate identification in case of an accident, complete the information page on the inside of your passport providing the name, address and telephone number of someone to be contacted in an emergency.
A traveler going abroad with any preexisting medical problems should carry a letter from the attending physician, describing the medical condition and any prescription medications, including the generic name of prescribed drugs. Any medications being carried overseas should be left in their original containers and be clearly labeled. Travelers should check with the foreign embassy of the country they are visiting to make sure any required medications are not considered to be illegal narcotics.
A listing of addresses and telephone numbers of U.S. embassies and consulates abroad is contained in Key Officers of Foreign Service Posts . This publication may be obtained through the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.
Also available from the Government Printing Office is Health Information for International Travel by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This contains a global rundown of disease and immunization advice and other health guidance, including risks in particular countries. The CDC maintains the international travelers hotline at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747), an automated faxback service at 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299) and a home page on the Internet at http://www.cdc.gov.
For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization's (WHO) website at http://www.who.int/en. The WHO also provides travel health information at http://www.who.int/iht.
For detailed information on physicians abroad, the authoritative reference isThe Official ABMS Directory of Board Certified Medical Specialists published for the American Board of Medical Specialists and its certifying member boards. This publication should be available in your local library. U.S. embassies and consulates abroad maintain lists of hospitals and physicians. Major credit card companies also can provide the names of local doctors and hospitals abroad.
Some countries require foreign visitors to have inoculations or medical tests before entering. Before traveling, check the latest entry requirements with the foreign embassy of the country to be visited.
Several private organizations will provide medical information and insurance for overseas travelers. Most charge a fee for this service. The following is providedFOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY and in no way constitutes an endorsement, expressed or implied, by the Department of State.
AIR AMBULANCE/MED-EVAC
U.S.-based Companies
ABLE JET
Fort Pierce, FL
800-225-3538
ACADIAN AMBULANCE & AIR MED SERVICE, INC.
Lafayette, LA
800-259-3333
ADVANCED AIR AMBULANCE
Miami, FL
800-633-3590 / 305-232-7700
AAA - AIR AMBULANCE AMERICA
Austin, TX
800-222-3564 / 512-479-8000
AIR AMBULANCE CARE FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Clearwater, FL
800-282-6878 / 1-727-530-7972 (international)
AIR AMBULANCE NETWORK
Sarasota, FL
800-327-1966
AIR AMBULANCE PROFESSIONALS
Fort Lauderdale, FL
800-752-4195 / 954-491-0555
AirEvac
Phoenix, AZ
800-421-6111
AIR MEDIC - AIR AMBULANCE OF AMERICA
Washington, PA
800-245-9987
AIRescue INTERNATIONAL
Van Nuys, CA
800-922-4911 / 818-994-0911
AIR RESPONSE
Orlando, FL
800-631-6565 / 303-858-9967
AIR STAR INTERNATIONAL
Thermal, CA
877-570-0911 / 800-991-2869
e-mail: [email protected]
AMERICAN CARE, INC.
San Diego, CA
800-941-2582 / 619-486-8844
AMERICAN JET AIR MEDICAL
Houston, TX
888-I-FLY-AJI / 713-641-9700
CRITICAL AIR MEDICINE
San Diego, CA
800-247-8326 / 619-571-0482
CRITICAL CARE MEDFLIGHT
Lawrenceville, GA
800-426-6557
GLOBAL CARE / MEDPASS
Alpharetta, GA
800-860-1111
INFLIGHT MEDICAL SERVICES INTERNATIONAL INC .
Naples, FL
800-432-4177 / 941-594-0800
INTERNATIONAL SOS ASSISTANCE
Philadelphia, PA
800-523-8930 / 215-244-1500
Also provides travel insurance services.
LifeFlight New Orleans
New Orleans, LA
800-942-0455/504-243-9800
e-mail: [email protected]
LIFE GUARD INTERNATIONAL, INC
Las Vegas, NV
866-SKY-LIFE (866-759-5433
e-mail: [email protected]
MedAire
Phoenix, AZ
602-452-4300
MED ESCORT INTERNATIONAL INC.
Allentown, PA
800-255-7182 / 610-791-3111
MEDEX ASSISTANCE CORPORATION
Timonium, MD
888-MEDEX-00 / 410-453-6300 (call collect)
(Also provides travel insurance services.)
MEDJET ASSISTANCE
Birmingham, AL
1-800-963-3538
MEDJET INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Birmingham, AL
800-356-2161 / 205-592-4460
MEDWAY AIR AMBULANCE
Lawrenceville, GA
800-233-0655
MERCY MEDICAL AIRLIFT
Manassas, VA
800-296-1217
(Service area: Caribbean and part of Canada only. If necessary, will meet commercial incoming patients at JFK, Miami and other airports.)
NATIONAL AIR AMBULANCE
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
800-327-3710 / 305-525-5538
SMARTRAVEL
Alexandria, VA
800-730-3170 / 703-379-8645
Provides a range of travel medicine services.
TRAVEL CARE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Eagle River, WI
800-524-7633 / 715-479-8881
TRAVELERS EMERGENCY NETWORK
Tierra Verde, FL
800-ASK-4-TEN
e-mail: [email protected]
Foreign-based Companies
AEA INTERNATIONAL
Singapore
U.S. Phone: 800-468-5232
Service worldwide, also provides travel insurance services
AUSTRIAN AIR AMBULANCE
Vienna, Austria
43-1-40-144
EURO-FLITE LTD.
Helsinki International Airport
Vantaa, Finland
358-9-870-2544
EUROPASSISTANCE
Johannesburg, South Africa
27-11-315-3999
GERMAN AIR RESCUE (DRF)
Filderstadt, Germany
49-0711-7007-0
e-mail: [email protected]
MEDIC'AIR
Paris, France
331-41-72-14-14
LUXEMBOURG AIR RESCUE
Luxembourg
352-420-440-1
e-mail: [email protected]
TYROL AIR AMBULANCE
Innsbruck, Austria
43-512-22422
TRAVEL INSURANCE COMPANIES
U.S-based Companies
ACCESS AMERICA, INC.
Richmond, VA
866-807-3982
AIGAssist
American International Group, Inc.
New York, NY
800-382-6986
ASA, INC.
International Health Insurance
Phoenix, AZ
888-ASA-8288
AXA ASSISTANCE
Bethesda, MD
301-214-8200
CLEMENTS INTERNATIONAL
Washington, DC
800-872-0067 / 202-872-0060
http://www.clements.com
e-mail: [email protected]
CSA TRAVEL PROTECTION
San Diego, CA
888-873-5485
http://www.csatravelprotection.com
GATEWAY
Seabury & Smith
Washington, DC
800-282-4495 / 202-457-7707
e-mail: [email protected]
HEALTH CARE GLOBAL
(also known as MEDHELP or WALLACH & COMPANY or HEALTHCARE ABROAD)
Middleburg, VA
800-237-6615 / 540-687-3166
HIGHWAY TO HEALTH
Fairfax, VA
703-322-1515
(Also provides destination-based travel health information for cities worldwide.)
INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL GROUP (IMG)
Indianapolis, IN
800-628-4664 / 317-655-4500
MULTINATIONAL UNDERWRITERS, INC.
Indianapolis, IN
800-605-2282
e-mail: [email protected]
MUTUAL OF OMAHA
Tele-Trip Company
Omaha, NE
800-228-9792
PETERSEN INTERNATIONAL UNDERWRITERS, INC.
Valencia, CA
800-345-8816
e-mail: [email protected]
TRAVELEX
Omaha, NE
800-228-9792
TRAVEL GUARD
Stevens Point, WI
800-826-4919
TRAVEL BCINSURED INTERNATIONAL
E. Hartford, CT
800-243-3174
TRAVEL INSURANCE SERVICES
InterMedical Division
Walnut Creek, CA
800-937-1387/925-932-1387
TRIPGUARD PLUS
Northridge, CA
800-423-3632
UNICARD TRAVEL ASSOCIATION
Overland Park, KS
800-501-0352
UNIVERSAL SERVICE AND ASSISTANCE
Alexandria, VA
800-770-9111 / 703-370-7800
WORLDWIDE ASSISTANCE
Washington, DC
800-777-8710 ext. 417
Foreign-Based Companies
INTEGRA GLOBAL
Hallein, Austria
43-6245-71303
e-mail: [email protected]
EXECUTIVE MEDICAL SERVICES
AMERICAN MEDICAL CENTERS
Moscow, Russia
Offices in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kiev, Prague, Warsaw, Istanbul
(7-095) 933-77-00 (Moscow)
HEALTH QUEST TRAVEL INC.
Wexford, PA
888-899-3633
e-mail: [email protected]
WORLD CLINIC
Burlington, MA
800-636-9186