Cost of Illness

When you plan a trip, you try to prepare yourself for everything - bad weather, lost traveller’s checks, lost luggage, and so on. But what you can never predict is falling ill. This is a scary feeling when you are at home and even scarier when you are away from home.

Health care is expensive. The introduction of new technologies has increased the costs of medical attention. In order to provide top quality facilities and professionals, hospitals and clinics charge prices that may not be affordable to many people. Canada is one of the safest countries to visit but that in itself does not ensure a traveller’s immunity to unpredictable illness or injury. If you plan a trip, it is advisable to purchase travel health insurance.

Let’s take a look at what you would need to disburse should an unexpected health problem arise during a visit to Canada (please note that the following are approximate costs).

Cost of Illness:
(Fees in Canadian dollars)

Surgery:

• Hip surgery: $9000
• Appendectomy: $3000
• ACL: between $2000 and $3000
• Heart bypass: between $8000 and $10,000

Special Services:

• Hospital Stay: between $1200 and $3000 per day
• Ambulance: $185 to $200
• Registered Nurse: between $65 and $70 per day (or more)

Medication: depends on the type of medication prescribed and the amount needed

• Drugs
• Insulin
• Vitamins
• Ointments

Emergency Return Home:
Should you have to cut your trip short due to a complicated health issue, the purchase of an airfare ticket for the first flight out may cost you double the original price.

Now that you are aware of medical costs related to illness, let’s look at what a good travel health insurance plan would cover for such medical attention.

With the CoverMe travel insurance* plan:

• Charges for room accommodation at a public hospital are covered, as well as outpatient services provided by an Active Treatment Hospital.
• Emergency ground ambulance service is covered.
• Coverage up to $3000 is allowed should you require a qualified nurse (does not apply if you are being taken care of by a relative).
• Medications and/or prescriptions are covered (the original receipt from the pharmacist which must include the name of the physician, prescription number, date and quantity is required).
• The services of a surgeon, anesthetist, or physician are covered.
• Additional airfare costs for a qualified medical attendant are covered if the physician stipulates such a need.

(*CoverMe travel insurance used with permission by Manulife Financial.)