Help...travelling with high cholesterol

[new]

I am leaving for my trip in a little over a month and I have already purchased my medical travel insurance (which states you r health must be stable and controlled for 90 days). Several days ago I got my blood work back and my cholesterol was up (it was completely normal a year ago). I have been talking back and forth with my travel insurance and I wanted to make sure I will be covered in case I have a stroke or heart attack (very unlikely I know). So now they tell me I will not be covered if anything should arise relating to the high cholesterol, Has anybody else had anything happen like this within 90 days of their travel? Thanks (I know this is the wrong forum...but I really want feedback). I live in Canada and would purchase extra insurance if they would cover me. Am I being too particular? Please help.

 

[Robo]

So now they tell me I will not be covered if anything should arise relating to the high cholesterol...

What remains to be seen is that if an actual health issue DOES come along,
it may or may not be directly related to (or solely caused by) the cholesterol level.
If that health issue is debilitating, it would likely trigger the insurance.

But, virtually nobody on this end of cyberspace can answer what WILL happen
regarding your health or what an insurance company will ultimately determine in a health finding.

 

[ebharris]

Our experience with health insurance is that IF they can’t find a reason not to cover, they will.

If you can find additional insurance that will cover you I would.

It’s sad to miss out on a vacation, but nothing is worth traveling without insurance. It’s likely that nothing will happen, but if it did you would be devastated - this happened to family friends, he had a heart attack in Europe and they ended up going bankrupt. Devastating.

I hope you can find extra insurance, good luck.

Edited to add: was it very high? If not, could you ask your dr to rerun it?

 

[tbre1982]

I am an internal medicine MD. There is no reason you cannot travel with high cholesterol. literally millions of people walk around all day every day with high cholesterol and are perfectly fine. Its one of the more minor risk factors for heart attack and stroke, much less than high blood pressure, smoking, etc. Enjoy your trip and don't fret.

 

[Gigi22]

I am leaving for my trip in a little over a month and I have already purchased my medical travel insurance (which states you r health must be stable and controlled for 90 days). Several days ago I got my blood work back and my cholesterol was up (it was completely normal a year ago). I have been talking back and forth with my travel insurance and I wanted to make sure I will be covered in case I have a stroke or heart attack (very unlikely I know). So now they tell me I will not be covered if anything should arise relating to the high cholesterol, Has anybody else had anything happen like this within 90 days of their travel? Thanks (I know this is the wrong forum...but I really want feedback). I live in Canada and would purchase extra insurance if they would cover me. Am I being too particular? Please help.

Had something similar a while back. You might want to check the terms of your cancellation insurance with your insurer and also the fine print on your reservations. Would rescheduling your trip until you pass the 90 day stable mark work for you? I purchased a second travel health insurance policy from another company, which cost me a lot of money precisely because of the medical stability issue. And, it expressly excluded any issues arising from my medical instability. But, it reassured me enough to go. Not logical, but there you are. Of course, YMMV.

 

[bfamily5]

Thankfully I have never had to 'test' this but I have had prescriptions written and left them unfilled until after a trip. I try to schedule blood work, etc for when I return from a trip so I have lot's of time to 'get stable'. I work at a hospital and have had patients return after a health incident in the states and the $$$$ they are on the hook for would blow your mind. Now that your insurance company has a head's up, I wouldn't chance it, personally.

 

[bankr63]

I have had prescriptions written and left them unfilled until after a trip.

I don't see how this will help. If there is a claim insurance WILL contact your Dr., and your Dr. WILL say that they wrote a scrip and you were being treated. The fact that you failed to fill the scrip doesn't impact in any way. If you need treatment, get treatment. Don't put it off because you think it improves your insurance situation; it won't.

 

[Sue M]

I would follow tbre 1982 advice and go. I’d also ask your insurance if you can add on a pre existing illness clause.
I know Blue Cross has it. Or get another policy (check with Blue Cross) who will cover you with an existing illness. It sucks to have to pay twice to get insurance but if it will give you peace of mind I’d do that.

 

[coastgirl]

I agree with the others who've said get pre-existing coverage. It will cost you more, but worth it for the peace of mind. My dh was in a US hospital for about 28 hours a few years ago and the bill was $14kUS. (It was covered, thank God.) I can't remember where we got the coverage. Now we have it through my benefits; it's always there rather than buying trip by trip, and it just covers us without the worry of pre-existing conditions.