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International healthcare tips
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March 2, 1998: 4:11 p.m. ET
For overseas travelers, seeking care doesn't have to be a painful experience
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NEW YORK (BizTravel.com) - Nobody plans to fall ill or suffer an accident while traveling internationally, but that doesn't mean it can't or won't happen.
However, there are precautions that business travelers can take before leaving home and resources that are available in the event of an overseas mishap.
Before you go, find out what medical services your health insurance will cover overseas. If your policy does provide coverage outside your home country, carry your policy identification card and a claim form with you.
Carry a letter from your regular physician describing any pre-existing medical condition and any prescription medicines you might be taking. Always carry prescription medicines in original, clearly labeled containers, along with copies of the prescriptions themselves.
Consider subscribing to a travel assistance service, purchasing medical evacuation insurance or joining a membership organization designed to help travelers.
Find out if there are any U.S. embassies or consulates in your destination cities, and, if so, where they are located.
U.S. embassies and consulates can provide assistance to U.S. citizens who fall ill or are injured while traveling abroad. Although embassy staff cannot make specific medical recommendations, they can help travelers locate appropriate medical services. Embassy staff also can help contact family or friends, and transfer funds from the United States.
Business travelers can obtain information sheets on U.S. embassies and consulates through a fax-back system at (202) 647-3000 or by accessing the Bureau of Consular Affairs Web site.
Travelers aid societies
Among non-profit organizations that provide help to overseas travelers is the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT). Based in Lewiston, N.Y., and funded by member donations, IAMAT provides members with a directory of overseas English-speaking doctors who have been trained in the United States, Great Britain or Canada. Listed doctors also offer preset fees to association members.
IAMAT also provides members with pre-trip information on immunizations and disease, climate, and food and water conditions. Members also receive a clinical record that, when filled out by their doctor, can help attending physicians.
The 40-year-old Medic Alert Foundation in Turlock, Calif., gives its 2.3 million U.S. members access to a 24-hour emergency medical information service that can transmit vital medical data to care providers around the world.
Members pay an initial $35 to join and a $15 annual renewal fee, and receive Medic Alert bracelets or pendants that feature a member identification number and the wearer's essential medical facts, including information on pre-existing health conditions. The bracelet and pendant also contain a telephone number that links respondents to the medical information service.
Credit card health perks
Many credit card companies provide a number of medical resources for business travelers.
For example, Visa Gold cardholders receive travel accident insurance and medical referral and assistance. Travelers using an American Express Corporate Card receive comprehensive travel accident insurance.
American Express Corporate Card travelers are also enrolled in Global Assist, whose 24-hour hot line refers ill or injured travelers to health care providers and facilities. For an additional fee, Global Assist members can also sign up for Global Assist Plus, which provides for U.S. doctors to monitor a patient's case and will even pay for full evacuation expenses if necessary.
Providing assistance for a fee
Various for-profit travel assistance companies promise a range of services. Unlike health insurance, which simply covers the costs of medical care, firms such as International SOS Assistance in Philadelphia and Worldwide Assistance Services in Washington, D.C., provide a more specific array of on-the-road services.
Worldwide Assistance's standard service plan includes medical referrals to certified English-speaking providers, monitoring and consultation by a doctor in the United States, and medical evacuation to the most appropriate medical facility.
Most travelers would agree that the premium cost of these services is well justified in light of the fact that a medical emergency abroad could end up costing tens of thousands of dollars.
However, travelers should do their homework before signing on with any travel assistance service, and be certain to ask whether the service provides for evacuation to the United States. 
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