The following Eileen Ogintz column from 6/23/02. This will especially interest the Eastern cruisers because it specifically mentions the abominable health care facilities on St. Maartin. Even those of you who have checked with your insurance carriers to see if foreign medical care is "covered" should be asking some tough questions of them after reading this article. For example, will your insurance carrier fly you and your child immediately to Miami or another acceptable medical center if you are not satisfied or happy with the local health facilities? I would want that specifically mentioned in writing before I would assume that they would.
Coping with ailments while on the road
by Eileen Ogintz
June 24
After two blissful days at sea, the Olsons were in high spirits when they left their cruise ship to explore the Caribbean island of St. Maarten.
Then, two-year-old Haley was hit by a truck.
"I was right there," said Doug Olson of Racine, WI, still incredulous a year later. "One second was all it took."
One second and the entire extended familythere were 14 family members on vacation togetherwere plunged into every family's worst vacation nightmare, made worse by being in a foreign country. Haley was conscious, her leg badly injured. Someone called an ambulance, and the family raced to a small nearby hospital
"They didn't even want to look at her at the hospital without cash up front," said Kim Olson. "We had trouble even getting an outside line to call off the island. I was a complete basket case."
Even the most minor mishap or illnessa sprained ankle in Colorado, the stomach flu in California, an ear infection at the beachcan wreak havoc with a family vacation. That's why it's important to play the "what if" game before you go.
What if somebody gets sick?
"Treat a minor illness the way you would at home," said Dr. Tim Vega, an Illinois family practitioner and spokesman for the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Make sure you've got a thermometer and fever-reducing medication, as well as first-aid supplies like antibiotic cream, Band-Aids, and gauze.
Don't stubbornly adhere to a vacation itinerary if an ailing family member isn't up to it.
"Don't push a child to keep going if they really feel sick," said Vermont child psychiatrist David Fassler. "It's important to make sure a child doesn't feel like they've done anything wrong or ruined the family's trip. Everyone gets sick sometimes."
If the ailment is worse than a minor injury or illness but still not an emergency situation, first call your pediatrician or family physician at home for advice, suggests Dr. Richard Wayne, medical director of the Christus Santa Rosa Children's Hospital in San Antonio, TX.
Physicians say that if someone in your family has a chronic condition like asthma or diabetes, it's wise to get a just-in-case referral before you leave home, and to carry a list of medications that family member uses. In the U.S. and other countries with sophisticated health care systems, families can find medical help at a children's hospital or university-affiliated medical center. And American consulates abroad can sometimes refer American tourists to English-speaking and Western-trained physicians.
The Olsons weren't that lucky. The doctors on St. Maarten couldn't even assess the true extent of Haley's injuries.
"The medical equipment they had just couldn't compare to the United States," Doug Olson said.
Even the ship's doctor who came to the hospital couldn't help. That's when the Olsons became the poster family for
travel insurance when traveling outside the country. Haley's grandmother remembered that the family had purchased a policy from Travel Guard International, a leading travel insurance carrier.
"We never considered the possibility of a medical emergency," said Doug Olson "We just wanted to cover costs in case our luggage got lost."
Within 36 hours of Haley's accident, she and her parents were flown to Miami, where orthopedists quickly discovered she had multiple leg and pelvic fractures and put her in a body cast. The insurance covered the medical evacuation, the flight home from Miami, and Haley's follow-up orthopedic treatment for a yearmore than $30,000 worth of coverage. Plus, the cost for the rest of the cruise was refunded.
"This could have wiped out all our savings," Kim Olson said. "I won't go anywhere now without travel insurance."
That's true of many travelers, many of whom are willing to pay hefty charges (typically five percent to seven percent of the cost of their trip) for travel insurance.
Travel Guard's business has jumped 70 percent since last fall, in the wake of September 11, said company spokesman Dan McGinnity. To that end, Travel Guard and other insurers have added new lower-cost policies to cover travelers in case they get stranded as a result of a terrorist incident or face a medical emergency.
"There's a new focus on safety," McGinnity said.
Travel insurance policies can cover families if a child (or parent) gets sick and the family can't go on the vacation they had planned, or if the family is forced to return home in the event of an emergency. If you're traveling solo with children, some policies will provide a chaperone for the kids in case you are incapacitated.
The website
www.insuremytrip.com highlights different travel insurance plans from different companies and lets consumers shop for the best deal. Travel Guard is offering new "Sense of Security" plans. (Call 800-826-1300.) Access America is offering "Travel with Ease." (Call 866-807-3982.) Travelex Insurance Services offers free coverage to children under 16 if their parents have coverage. (Call 800-228-9792.)
Jeanne Salvatore, vice president of consumer affairs for the nonprofit Insurance Information Institute, warns travelers to make sure they need the extra protection before signing on the dotted line. She says these policies are an especially good idea for those who have paid in advance for expensive trips, or for those taking active vacations where they may face a higher risk of injury.
As for the Olsons, young Haley has completely recovered from her injuries, her mom said.
"People always say it won't happen to them, but it can and does happen to you," Kim Olson said. "You've got to be prepared."
