subject: The Importance Of Having Oneself Secured By A Travel Insurance Policy [print this page] In all of my travels, I encountered the most frightening medical emergency in Afghanistan where a young Frenchwoman suddenly suffered from an appendicitis attack. She experienced excruciating pains in the middle of a deserted desert while on a stranded bus. More Americans love going to places where there is a huge possibility for them to experience life threatening illnesses or accidents and worse, adequate medical care is limited or none at all.
The bus filled with Afghans broke down in the middle of nowhere after a few hours out of Kandahar. I could tell that the woman's friend who approached me, a westerner, was worried and confused. Her friend was in the back seat stretched out and was in terrible pain. The best thing that they could do at that moment is to apply a wet handkerchief to her friend's forehead in response for the day's scorching heat.
After a few hours of waiting, passengers immediately hitched when they saw a truck passed even if it wasn't headed towards near Kabul. The Frenchwoman sobbed as the pain persisted, and then along came a sturdy European sedan, which I flagged down. In the car, two good Swiss souls agreed to take the women to Kabul. A long while later, another bus finally came rumbling along and I and the remaining Afghan passengers caught it. The Frenchwoman's companion went for a visit in my hotel just to show her gratitude. The first thing that the she and the Swiss did when they got in Kabul was to call the French Embassy which helped in bringing the Frenchwoman with appendicitis in a hospital for an immediate appendectomy. Chastened by the close call, the friend turned out to be okay afterwards.
Travelers are well taken care of by the Maryland based association for safe international road travel for this organization present in 60 foreign countries provides travelers with measures to observe whenever faced with risky road circumstances. The reports may vary depending on the country may it be the dangers of driving at night, the likelihood of livestock on the road, bizarre driving practices of other drivers and roads that are accident prone. With this, rentals of cars and buses will be risky due to the lack of safety standards.
In Turkey, a 25 year old Bethesda medical student was killed in a bus accident which is the reason why the association was founded. The countries with the most dangerous roads based on accident statistics are Egypt, Kenya, South Korea, Turkey and Morocco where the non-profit organization cites. India might be part of the list but still, it doesn't provide statistics. The US State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs has begun adding road hazard information to the consular information sheets it prepares for each country, under the association's prompting. Carrying an adequate health insurance and buying a medical evacuation policy should be taken seriously. You will answer your own expenses if you become sick or are injured because the US Embassy is only capable of helping you find a proper medical care. Transferring you through a helicopter from a remote place to an emergency hospital can cost you a fortune. Before going abroad, you should first carry a claim form and an insurance policy identity card as well as know what kind of medical services your health insurance covers according to the State Department.
Treatment for senior citizens done outside the United States is not covered by the Social Security Medicare program but it can be acquired through the American Association of Retired Persons via a Medicare Supplement plan. A per trip or annual basis are two ways wherein medical evacuation insurance can be bought from a number of firms. You can either buy insurance from the company or from the travel agents.
If ever the worst is encountered, better call the nearest US Embassy. The least that the embassy could do is to give a list of local doctors or other medical facilities. Americans should get the best medical care according to the embassy personnel. Particularly in remote areas that American visitors go to, this is true. Officials may visit victims who are admitted in a foreign hospital to ensure that proper care is given to them by providing adequate treatment, transferring them in a better facility, and make sure that they get in touch with their friends and families.
by: stonesharon
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