Medical Insurance

[Reverse]

I know this has been covered before but I cannot find it. What do you all do for medical insurance while hiking? Mine will not cover me in other states.

[Rex Clifton]

Most plans allow coverage in the event of an emergency, you should check with yours. I think it would be a waste of money to buy additional insurance. Think about it, if you get really sick, you'll probably abandon the hike (at least until you recover) and head on home.

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[Starchild]

I believe all have to cover emergency room coverage anywhere in the US, though you might have a large deductible, $500 is not uncommon.

What I did was not to require medical assistance. I'm not sure I had any medical insurance back then.

If you are a scuba diver you could checkout the DAN insurance, which though meant for diving does cover medical emergencies while away from home, including rescue and evac costs.

[Reverse]

Most plans allow coverage in the event of an emergency, you should check with yours. I think it would be a waste of money to buy additional insurance. Think about it, if you get really sick, you'll probably abandon the hike (at least until you recover) and head on home.

Sent from my SM-G955U1 using Tapatalk

I do not have any insurance at the moment. I go to a flat rate doctor. So leaving the area I will have none at all.

[mrachelson]

Since it appears you are from New Zealand I suggest you look into getting some travel insurance before you leave. That ought to cover local emergency care and cost to return home.

[peakbagger]

I searched for health insurance for vistors to the US and multiple hits popped up https://www.travelinsure.com/product...sa-healthcare/ is one of many.

My guess is the price shouldn't be outrageous as it probably doesn't cover preexisting conditions and is short term so they can put you on a plane back home if its long term issue.

Unless you have zero assets don't go without it. There is a "safety net" that a hospital cant refuse to treat you for an emergency as soon as possible they are going to dump you back on the street and no such thing as follow up care and make you sign away any assets you may own to cover the bill.

[BowGal]

I just tried a quote online from CAA.
For six months, $1000 deductible, and for my age (53)....$836

[BowGal]

Scratch the above...found a cheaper coverage from Tugo??
$458, $300 deductible, $2 million coverage

[Gambit McCrae]

My brain track is thinking of insurance during a long hike is this: I get my insurance thru work. If I am not employed, I do not have insurance. Independent insurance has astronomical premiums. If you just go without insurance and file a tax return, you can be penalized $900 for not having it for the entire 12 months. I guess one of the only ways I could thru hike is either to get hitched or pay out the nose.

[Reverse]

I just tried a quote online from CAA.
For six months, $1000 deductible, and for my age (53)....$836

Thanks for researching.

[AllDownhillFromHere]

My brain track is thinking of insurance during a long hike is this: I get my insurance thru work. If I am not employed, I do not have insurance. Independent insurance has astronomical premiums. If you just go without insurance and file a tax return, you can be penalized $900 for not having it for the entire 12 months. I guess one of the only ways I could thru hike is either to get hitched or pay out the nose.

Yep. Reality bites. How would being married help?

[MuddyWaters]

My brain track is thinking of insurance during a long hike is this: I get my insurance thru work. If I am not employed, I do not have insurance. Independent insurance has astronomical premiums. If you just go without insurance and file a tax return, you can be penalized $900 for not having it for the entire 12 months. I guess one of the only ways I could thru hike is either to get hitched or pay out the nose.

Insurance isn't free.
I paid 3000 plus dollars a year in premiums
And have to meet a $1,500 per person deductible
Before I receive the first penny of benefits.
And I have excellent insurance.

For my family that's usually 5000 plus dollars a year before I receive a penny of benefits.
And my employer-paid portion
Is more like $1,200 per month
So the total is more like $20-21,000 a year.

;
And at that point I still pay 10% coinsurance.
That's what insurance costs.

We could not use best available technology and just let people die instead. Why not? Everyone going to die anyway.....



With a flexible spending account I do get a tax break on my deductible cost of a few hundred dollars.

Under Cobra you can continue your current insurance when you leave a job you just have to pay all of it. Just like you do when you retire. Which is why few can retire now until they qualify for Medicare.

[1azarus]

another alternative (at least for some) is medicare!!!!!!!!!!! yay!!!!!!!!!!!! one of the big two reasons retirement works for hiking (see current thread on "thruhike when i retire!") so, just try to get old as fast as you can to be eligible.

[One Half]

My brain track is thinking of insurance during a long hike is this: I get my insurance thru work. If I am not employed, I do not have insurance. Independent insurance has astronomical premiums. If you just go without insurance and file a tax return, you can be penalized $900 for not having it for the entire 12 months. I guess one of the only ways I could thru hike is either to get hitched or pay out the nose.

if you are unemployed insurance is "unaffordable" and you don't have to pay the penalty. Plus, didn't Trump and team do away with the penalty?

[colorado_rob]

if you are unemployed insurance is "unaffordable" and you don't have to pay the penalty. Plus, didn't Trump and team do away with the penalty?

Yeah, I thought the penalty went away via congressional legislation, how laws are made, our "president" merely signs them, or not.

Anyway, seems like the OP, visiting from NZ, is talking about non US citizens getting some sort of coverage in the USA ("other states") while hiking. Seems like there are some good options posted.

I wonder if this is true, having just returned from NZ: I was told that if you get hurt in NZ, you get treated in NZ for basically free, in other words, since NZ has universal, state paid health care, even non NZ citizens are covered. Mighty nice of those fine folks down there!

(BTW: I'm not trying to start a health care argument, there are of course pros and cons to the different ways it's done around the world).

[Coffee]

Plus, didn't Trump and team do away with the penalty?

Only starting in 2019.

[Coffee]

It isn't relevant to hikers from out of the country, but the ACA is almost tailor made for American thru hikers to get cheap coverage. Putting aside politics, if you earn more than 133% of the poverty level (below which you would get stuck in Medicaid), you can qualify for very large ACA subsidies, especially if you stay under about 200% of the poverty level. I met a couple on the PCT that was super aware of the intricacies of the ACA and made a point each year in the hiking off season to earn enough to get above 133% of the poverty level and qualify for essentially free health care.

Again, leaving politics aside, the ACA is a godsend for thru hikers working something like half the year at a decent job and hiking the rest of the year.

[gracebowen]

I'm a veteran (us) and plan on buying veterans advantage. Also although I haven't tested it I think the VA will cover any ER visit if it's an emergency.

[BillyGr]

The travel medical insurances are popular on other types of trips (cruising seems to be one, since you could more easily be far from help at times and need quick transport, which is going to be costly). While they are generally thinking of things for US citizens out of the US (which most cruises would be at some point), there are likely similar options for those who live out of the US and travel to the US.

There are some plans that are sold annually (or so people have posted) that cover any type of travel, as long as one is a certain distance from home (not certain but something like 200 miles pops to mind). Those types of policies could be useful for hikers who are from other parts of the US away from the east coast hiking the AT (to be the required distance away), or for easterners going to one of the more western US trails.

[Starchild]

Yeah, I thought the penalty went away via congressional legislation, how laws are made, our "president" merely signs them, or not. ....

IIRC this was a presidential order not to enforce the law, not a act of congress to repeal or change the current law. Either way I believe the penalty no longer applies.