health insurance direct pay and evacuation coverage

I bought a travel insurance package (trip cancellation with medical and evacuation coverage) through Squaremouth with John Hancock. It includes $100K of medical and $500K of evacuation coverage. The coverage is “primary”, which the chart explains like this:

Primary medical insurance will pay a claim first, even if you have other medical insurance. Secondary insurance will pay the amount left over after claiming all other primary insurance. If you do not have any primary insurance, secondary insurance can act as primary.

I chose this John Hancock policy in part because we had a trip to the UK last April, insured with this company. We had to cancel due to my husband’s sudden illness a few days before our departure. They reimbursed us without any hassle, I believe within 2 weeks of my filing the claim.

So we had a situation with a travel insurance company that normally has you pay and then they reimburse you. However, it quickly became apparent that this was going to be a substantial expense. We called the insurance company for the woman who had been injured with the hospital and were able to get them to set up a payment arrangement. Make sure you have the contact information for your European Management. We were talking we were in London and talking to somebody in the Netherlands, but they were at least on the time same time zone and all that which helped. The hospital we were dealing with was used to this. If the bill is small, they won’t do this, but if the bill is going to be substantial, they will work with you. I also know someone who is able to get this done in Mexico , I think she was with Allianze but I could be wrong

In Hungary I have Allianz and it pays direct to my Healthcare provider. But my provider chooses to do business with insurance companies. Not many do. Put this in your Budapest travel notes:

https://firstmed.hu/payment-and-insurance/payment-options/direct-billing-insurance/

And the contact information. https://firstmed.hu/contact-us/welcome-to-firstmed/

My GP, Urologist, Dermatologist and Opthomoligist are with this group and I have had a couple of outpatient procedures with them. Even with out insurance the costs are good.

But, if it is major or an emergency, you will end up in the public system, which is very competent but pretty much no frills. We had an RS person some time back who spent about a week in a public hospital with a collapsed lung. She slept in a ward, and her husband had to bring food and toilet paper. But the health care was good. As I recall, it was under $100. And, no, they don't take insurance and they don't ask about payment till checkout time.

The Gold Standard for evacuation insurance seems to be MedJet. I've had a policy for years. But thanks to the mercy of G-d, I have not had to use it.

I would not assume that Primary implies Up Front in a distant place. The two issues are separate.

Every single word in an insurance policy is important. It's not your current question, but I once called my insuror and was pleased to find that their mention of "pre-existing" conditions only referred to "Travelers" and did not apply to my non-traveling, elderly parents.

Thank you, Lola, Carol, Tim and Mr. E. for your quick and informative replies. @lola - Good to know about John Hancock and some of the particulars of this coverage. Happy for your quick reimbursement. Hope everything is OK with your husband.

@Mr. E - Thanks for the link. I spoke with Allianz on the phone today and the sales rep to whom I spoke said everything was done by claim and reimbursement. Maybe you have an extended stay plan (or the fact that your doc works directly with insurance companies) and that accounts for the difference. I will check out MedJet to see the terms of their offered plans. Good to know that the public health system is decent.
Thank you all, once again

Once you get your policy, if it's a subject you are concerned about, send it to FirstMed and ask them if they will work directly. If you look at the first of the FirstMed links I sent you, they say specifically that they work with travel insurance.

To be honest, here at least I would not worry too much. Can't imagine breaking the bank here.

Here and everywhere in the EU the emergency number is 112 for mobile and landlines (according to the EU at least).

EDIT: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/security-and-emergencies/emergency/index_en.htm#:~:text=112%3A%20single%20EU%20emergency%20number,-112%20is%20the&text=It%20will%20get%20you%20straight,services%20in%20all%20EU%20countries.

Harwood sorry for the diversion from your topic, but it does tie into the reason for the insurance.

Here and everywhere in the EU the emergency number is 112.
Oh the mobile network. It is not necessarily so with land lines.

GeoBlue pays direct, the last time I bought it anyway. I'm not sure if this is available in your state or not, but it is just for travel through BCBS. Metjet is my evacuation choice, although GeoBlue had this as well, but to the nearest hospital.

Yeah, I haven't looked at Geo Blue since before Covid. However, at that time, they would pay direct as compared to my regular BCBS plan, which will reimburse me for the medical. I researched it because I wanted to understand why I would go with GeoBlue when my BCBS Medicare supplement plan did have some coverage, and that was the clear answer I received in writing and over the phone. Plans do change though... I will say I don't see the untruth on the front page though as many Medicare plans do not cover people overseas, but again I haven't researched that in a while.

So Harwood, be sure to do your research each policy, each time.

Thank you everyone for your input. It is very much appreciated. 112 as the emergency number (at least for cell phones) is noted. @Tom_MN and Wray - I looked at GeoBlue and it is not offered in my zip code. Most of the policies at which I have looked are silent (I may have to call each company to find out for sure or use the link provided by Mr. E.) as to direct pay which leads me to believe that they operate on a reimbursement basis. Thank you again.

I found one article on line that said United Health Care .. NO. AETNA, yes, but with restrictions. Beyond that the impression was not many do. A travel plan is so cheap, dont know why not to do it. Unless the OP is young and indestructable like I was 50 years ago.