Medical expense coverage can prove invaluable if you face health-related challenges during your trip to Vietnam. Specific reimbursements can help alleviate financial burdens until your health situation improves. For a thorough grasp of what falls under medical expense coverage, we encourage you to explore our blog on Medical Expenses Insurance.
Is Medical Expense Insurance recommended for Vietnam?
While it’s not obligatory, obtaining medical expense coverage for your trip to Vietnam is highly advisable. Here are some compelling reasons why it’s a wise choice:
- Rising Medical Costs & Private Hospitals – Healthcare expenses in Vietnam are escalating, particularly if you seek treatment at English-speaking private hospitals. Even minor procedures can pose a significant financial burden without insurance coverage. While Vietnam boasts a well-established network of private hospitals renowned for their excellent medical care, they typically charge higher fees than public hospitals. However, they often offer shorter wait times and more advanced equipment. When you’re away from your home country and on vacation, prioritizing quality healthcare is paramount.
- Peace of Mind – Medical expense coverage affords you peace of mind, knowing you won’t have to face a hefty bill when needing medical attention in Vietnam. Nothing can be more distressing than dealing with unexpected medical expenses during a holiday. Considering the relative cost of travel insurance, the coverage for medical expenses is invaluable for ensuring peace of mind.
Considerations to Keep in Mind
Duration of Your Trip to Vietnam
Opting for basic medical expense coverage may suffice if you’re taking a shorter trip and are generally in good health. However, longer trips inherently raise the likelihood of encountering a medical emergency, making comprehensive coverage a prudent investment.
Planned Activities in Vietnam
Engaging in risky activities, such as motorbike riding, underscores the importance of having medical expense coverage. Motorbikes are a prevalent mode of transportation in Vietnam, and many travelers opt to rent one. Given the common occurrence of motorbike accidents in Vietnam, ensure adequate medical coverage tailored to such activities.
How Much Medical Expenses Coverage Do You Need for Vietnam?
The extent of medical coverage required depends on the severity of the incident you encounter. It’s advisable to contemplate worst-case scenarios when selecting your coverage. Let’s delve into the typical medical costs at private hospitals in Vietnam:
- Treatment for injuries necessitating a plaster or cast: Approximately $20 – $200+ for Outpatient Department (OPD) treatment.
- Management of bacterial diarrhea: Around $20 – $100+ for OPD treatment, or $600 – $2,600+ for Inpatient Department (IPD) treatment.
- Treatment for Dengue fever: Approximately $20 – $100+ for OPD treatment, or between $1,000 – $3,000+ for IPD treatment.
- Minor stitches: Approximately $15 – $150+ for OPD treatment, with costs varying based on the severity of the injury.
- Major surgeries: Approximately $5,000 – $20,000 or more for IPD treatment, with expenses contingent upon the severity of the incident.
Considering these average costs, it’s wise to have a travel policy covering at least $100,000. For added reassurance, $200,000 – $300,000 coverage would be a more comfortable range.
When determining your medical expenses coverage, it’s essential to focus on the coverage amount and carefully review the policy wording. It ensures that specific incidents, such as motorbike accidents, are covered— especially crucial in Vietnam, where such accidents are prevalent. For instance, the LUMA Asia Pass plan does cover motorbike accidents, provided all traffic laws are adhered to. Therefore, review the policy’s terms and conditions to ascertain the coverage you need.
How to Navigate Medical Expenses Insurance for Vietnam
If you find yourself falling ill or sustaining an injury during your travels in Vietnam, follow these steps:
- Review Your Travel Policy Conditions:
Take the time to examine your travel insurance policy’s terms and conditions. Travel insurance typically covers emergency medical treatment costs but excludes pre-existing conditions. Therefore, ensure that your illness or injury is not a chronic condition to avoid complications with your coverage.
- Understand the Medical Expenses Covered by Your Travel Insurance:
Travel insurance typically covers medical expenses resulting from accidents and those due to illness, encompassing both Outpatient Department (OPD) and Inpatient Department (IPD) medical expenses.
Direct billing or reimbursement
If your illness necessitates hospitalization, you can pay upfront and later submit claims to your insurance company for reimbursement. Otherwise, you can let the insurance company handle direct payment with the hospital. Typically, travel insurance policies do not offer direct billing unless you contact the insurance company to coordinate with the hospital where you’re receiving treatment.
If your illness does not require a lengthy hospital stay and the medical expenses are manageable, it’s advisable to pay upfront and then seek reimbursement after your hospital discharge.
Notification Timeframe
It’s crucial to notify the insurance company within 30 days of the incident to get reimbursement. However, for the Inpatient Department (IPD) treatment, inform your insurance provider beforehand to obtain approval.
Documents Typically Required:
- Completed Claims Form
- Copy of travel itinerary, plane ticket, and boarding pass indicating travel date and time.
- Original receipt detailing medical expenses incurred.
- Original medical certificate specifying dates of treatment or hospitalization, causes, and symptoms.
- Copy of your passport
- Copy of your passbook for compensation transfer
- Any other documents as requested by the company (varying case by case)
Compensation Consideration Timeframe:
The timeframe for compensation consideration typically ranges from 15 to 30 days from the date the company receives all necessary documents. However, this duration may vary depending on the company’s policies and whether they need time to liaise with the hospital in Vietnam. Keep in mind that time zone differences can potentially cause delays.
In conclusion, obtaining medical expense coverage for your trip to Vietnam is highly advisable. It protects you against financial difficulties during an unforeseen medical emergency. Just remember to thoroughly review your policy before making a purchase.
Medical Expenses Insurance for Vietnam Real Examples
Question – Will this policy cover my trip to Vietnam for a gastroscopy? I’ve been experiencing stomach pains while in my home country.
Answer – Unfortunately, the insurance cannot cover this since this is a pre-existing condition. This policy is designed for leisure and business purposes, not for seeking medical treatment.
Question – Following my lengthy flight to Vietnam, I developed muscle strain and sought medical attention at a hospital. The doctor recommended ten sessions of chiropractic and physiotherapy. Can I claim this benefit?
Answer – Whether you can claim this benefit depends on the coverage provided by your insurance policy. If your policy includes coverage for physiotherapy, then yes, you may be able to claim it. However, under the LUMA Asia Pass policy, physiotherapy is not covered. Therefore, you cannot get a claim for this.
Question – I am going to take a motorbike ride in a couple days. Will I be covered in the event of a motorbike accident while riding in Vietnam?
Answer – It depends on each policy however under the LUMA Asia Pass, a motorbike accident would be covered if all traffic laws were adhered to, such as wearing a helmet and abstaining from substances that impair driving. However, many insurance policies typically exclude coverage for motorbike accidents. LUMA Asia Pass is among the few that provides coverage for motorbike accidents in Vietnam.
