TMC PULSE

t m c » p u l s e | j u ly 2 0 1 9 31 overseas. Usually they are not reg- ulated by a government. They are locals who have created a business, so there is no way to make sure you will be as safe as you are in the U.S." High's injuries were severe. After the accident, he was taken to one of the largest hospitals on the island. "The hospital wanted $1,000 before they would let me see a doctor," High said. "A surgeon who traveled between the islands was at [the hospital] that day. Immediately, he could see my knee was about six inches offset from the other one and he said, 'We have to get this reset right now because your leg or any of your joints can only be out for two hours before the blood vessels die and the bone ends up dying.'" After resetting High's leg, the surgeon delivered a stern warning. "The doctor that set my leg told me that I needed to do everything TRAVELERS I could to get out of this hospital to have the surgery," High said. "He told me that if I had the surgery there, I would die." But the price to get home was a staggering $47,000. Fortunately, when High's company booked the trip, they also bought travel insurance. "To be evacuated back to the U.S. is extremely expensive," DuPont said. "If you have one of these $40, $50, $100 travel insurance plans, all of that will be covered. It feels like insurance should be a requirement for all U.S. travelers." About 30 hours after the crash, High and his wife were picked up by an air ambulance and flown back to the U. S., where High had surgery. "The trip insurance reimbursed us for everything," High said. "I think at one time, I estimated the total cost was $315,000 for the B y B r i t n i R . M c A s h a n surgery—flight and everything. Your trip insurance pays for everything out of the country and then once I was back here, my insurance took over for the rest. For the flight and everything in Antigua, it was about $70,000." Travel insurance is the No. 1 rec- ommendation DuPont and Bicette make for travelers. "It is usually pennies on the dollar for whatever you are paying for the trip and it can save you a ton of money and headache in the long run," Bicette said. "When you are in the states, and you live in Texas but are traveling to New York and you get hurt and you have to seek med- ical care, your insurance will cover the cost even if you're not in your home state of residence. If you're abroad, that is usually not so much of a guarantee and people don't oftentimes know that." Travelers can purchase travel insurance when booking flights, or separately, through a provider. "The cost varies depending on the trip you take, but that cost includes all medical costs and evac- uation insurance to get you back to the U.S. once you're stabilized," DuPont said. "It sounds expensive to a traveler, but to a traveler who uses it, it's an amazing cost savings." • • Get informed, get vaccinated • • Travel experts warn that for certain destinations, accessing care can be challenging. DuPont recom- mends joining the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (www.iamat.org), a Canadian nonprofit that provides travel health information and access to a network of English-speaking doctors around the world. ➟

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