Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad

Editor's note: The information below was posted on the State Department's website (www.state.gov) as of March 2004 by Bureau of Consular Affairs and has been condensed by the editors for publication in book format. Readers should consult www.state.gov for additional information, updates, or revisions.

AIR AMBULANCE / MED-EVAC
TRAVEL INSURANCE COMPANIES
EXECUTIVE MEDICAL SERVICES

If an American citizen becomes seriously ill or injured abroad, a U.S. consular officer can assist in locating appropriate medical services and informing family or friends. If necessary, a consular officer can also assist in the transfer of funds from the United States. However, payment of hospital and other expenses is the responsibility of the traveler.

Before going abroad, learn what medical services your health insurance will cover overseas. If your health insurance policy provides coverage outside the United States, REMEMBER to carry both your insurance policy identity card as proof of such insurance and a claim form. Although many health insurance companies will pay "customary and reasonable" hospital costs abroad, very few will pay for your medical evacuation back to the United States. Medical evacuation can easily cost $10,000 and up, depending on your location and medical condition.

THE SOCIAL SECURITY MEDICARE PROGRAM DOES NOT PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR HOSPITAL OR MEDICAL COSTS OUTSIDE THE U.S.A.

Senior citizens may wish to contact the American Association of Retired Persons for information about foreign medical care coverage with Medicare supplement plans.

To facilitate identification in case of an accident, complete the information page on the inside of your passport providing the name, address and telephone number of someone to be contacted in an emergency.

A traveler going abroad with any preexisting medical problems should carry a letter from the attending physician, describing the medical condition and any prescription medications, including the generic name of prescribed drugs. Any medications being carried overseas should be left in their original containers and be clearly labeled. Travelers should check with the foreign embassy of the country they are visiting to make sure any required medications are not considered to be illegal narcotics.

A listing of addresses and telephone numbers of U.S. embassies and consulates abroad is contained in Key Officers of Foreign Service Posts . This publication may be obtained through the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.

Also available from the Government Printing Office is Health Information for International Travel by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This contains a global rundown of disease and immunization advice and other health guidance, including risks in particular countries. The CDC maintains the international travelers hotline at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747), an automated faxback service at 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299) and a home page on the Internet at http://www.cdc.gov.

For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization's (WHO) website at http://www.who.int/en. The WHO also provides travel health information at http://www.who.int/iht.

For detailed information on physicians abroad, the authoritative reference isThe Official ABMS Directory of Board Certified Medical Specialists published for the American Board of Medical Specialists and its certifying member boards. This publication should be available in your local library. U.S. embassies and consulates abroad maintain lists of hospitals and physicians. Major credit card companies also can provide the names of local doctors and hospitals abroad.

Some countries require foreign visitors to have inoculations or medical tests before entering. Before traveling, check the latest entry requirements with the foreign embassy of the country to be visited.

Several private organizations will provide medical information and insurance for overseas travelers. Most charge a fee for this service. The following is providedFOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY and in no way constitutes an endorsement, expressed or implied, by the Department of State.

AIR AMBULANCE/MED-EVAC

U.S.-based Companies

ABLE JET

Fort Pierce, FL
800-225-3538

ACADIAN AMBULANCE & AIR MED SERVICE, INC.

Lafayette, LA
800-259-3333

ADVANCED AIR AMBULANCE

Miami, FL
800-633-3590 / 305-232-7700

AAA - AIR AMBULANCE AMERICA

Austin, TX
800-222-3564 / 512-479-8000

AIR AMBULANCE CARE FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Clearwater, FL
800-282-6878 / 1-727-530-7972 (international)

AIR AMBULANCE NETWORK

Sarasota, FL
800-327-1966

AIR AMBULANCE PROFESSIONALS

Fort Lauderdale, FL
800-752-4195 / 954-491-0555

AirEvac

Phoenix, AZ
800-421-6111

AIR MEDIC - AIR AMBULANCE OF AMERICA

Washington, PA
800-245-9987

AIRescue INTERNATIONAL

Van Nuys, CA
800-922-4911 / 818-994-0911

AIR RESPONSE

Orlando, FL
800-631-6565 / 303-858-9967

AIR STAR INTERNATIONAL

Thermal, CA
877-570-0911 / 800-991-2869
e-mail: AirStar1@aol.com

AMERICAN CARE, INC.

San Diego, CA
800-941-2582 / 619-486-8844

AMERICAN JET AIR MEDICAL

Houston, TX
888-I-FLY-AJI / 713-641-9700

CRITICAL AIR MEDICINE

San Diego, CA
800-247-8326 / 619-571-0482

CRITICAL CARE MEDFLIGHT

Lawrenceville, GA
800-426-6557

GLOBAL CARE / MEDPASS

Alpharetta, GA
800-860-1111

INFLIGHT MEDICAL SERVICES INTERNATIONAL INC .

Naples, FL
800-432-4177 / 941-594-0800

INTERNATIONAL SOS ASSISTANCE

Philadelphia, PA
800-523-8930 / 215-244-1500
Also provides travel insurance services.

LifeFlight New Orleans

New Orleans, LA
800-942-0455/504-243-9800
e-mail: Info@NewOrleansJets.com

LIFE GUARD INTERNATIONAL, INC

Las Vegas, NV
866-SKY-LIFE (866-759-5433
e-mail: lifeguardinternational@msn.com

MedAire

Phoenix, AZ
602-452-4300

MED ESCORT INTERNATIONAL INC.

Allentown, PA
800-255-7182 / 610-791-3111

MEDEX ASSISTANCE CORPORATION

Timonium, MD
888-MEDEX-00 / 410-453-6300 (call collect)
(Also provides travel insurance services.)

MEDJET ASSISTANCE

Birmingham, AL
1-800-963-3538

MEDJET INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Birmingham, AL
800-356-2161 / 205-592-4460

MEDWAY AIR AMBULANCE

Lawrenceville, GA
800-233-0655

MERCY MEDICAL AIRLIFT

Manassas, VA
800-296-1217
(Service area: Caribbean and part of Canada only. If necessary, will meet commercial incoming patients at JFK, Miami and other airports.)

NATIONAL AIR AMBULANCE

Ft. Lauderdale, FL
800-327-3710 / 305-525-5538

SMARTRAVEL

Alexandria, VA
800-730-3170 / 703-379-8645
Provides a range of travel medicine services.

TRAVEL CARE INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Eagle River, WI
800-524-7633 / 715-479-8881

TRAVELERS EMERGENCY NETWORK

Tierra Verde, FL
800-ASK-4-TEN
e-mail: ten@intrex.net

Foreign-based Companies

AEA INTERNATIONAL

Singapore
U.S. Phone: 800-468-5232
Service worldwide, also provides travel insurance services

AUSTRIAN AIR AMBULANCE

Vienna, Austria
43-1-40-144

EURO-FLITE LTD.

Helsinki International Airport
Vantaa, Finland
358-9-870-2544

EUROPASSISTANCE

Johannesburg, South Africa
27-11-315-3999

GERMAN AIR RESCUE (DRF)

Filderstadt, Germany
49-0711-7007-0
e-mail: alarmzentrale@drf.de

MEDIC'AIR

Paris, France
331-41-72-14-14

LUXEMBOURG AIR RESCUE

Luxembourg
352-420-440-1
e-mail: office@air-rescue.lu

TYROL AIR AMBULANCE

Innsbruck, Austria
43-512-22422

TRAVEL INSURANCE COMPANIES

U.S-based Companies

ACCESS AMERICA, INC.

Richmond, VA
866-807-3982

AIGAssist

American International Group, Inc.
New York, NY
800-382-6986

ASA, INC.

International Health Insurance
Phoenix, AZ
888-ASA-8288

AXA ASSISTANCE

Bethesda, MD
301-214-8200

CLEMENTS INTERNATIONAL

Washington, DC
800-872-0067 / 202-872-0060
http://www.clements.com
e-mail: info@clements.com

CSA TRAVEL PROTECTION

San Diego, CA
888-873-5485
http://www.csatravelprotection.com

GATEWAY

Seabury & Smith
Washington, DC
800-282-4495 / 202-457-7707
e-mail: gateway.dc@seabury.com

HEALTH CARE GLOBAL

(also known as MEDHELP or WALLACH & COMPANY or HEALTHCARE ABROAD)

Middleburg, VA
800-237-6615 / 540-687-3166

HIGHWAY TO HEALTH

Fairfax, VA
703-322-1515
(Also provides destination-based travel health information for cities worldwide.)

INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL GROUP (IMG)

Indianapolis, IN
800-628-4664 / 317-655-4500

MULTINATIONAL UNDERWRITERS, INC.

Indianapolis, IN
800-605-2282
e-mail: insurance@mnui.com

MUTUAL OF OMAHA

Tele-Trip Company
Omaha, NE
800-228-9792

PETERSEN INTERNATIONAL UNDERWRITERS, INC.

Valencia, CA
800-345-8816
e-mail: piu@piu.org

TRAVELEX

Omaha, NE
800-228-9792

TRAVEL GUARD

Stevens Point, WI
800-826-4919

TRAVEL BCINSURED INTERNATIONAL

E. Hartford, CT
800-243-3174

TRAVEL INSURANCE SERVICES

InterMedical Division
Walnut Creek, CA
800-937-1387/925-932-1387

TRIPGUARD PLUS

Northridge, CA
800-423-3632

UNICARD TRAVEL ASSOCIATION

Overland Park, KS
800-501-0352

UNIVERSAL SERVICE AND ASSISTANCE

Alexandria, VA
800-770-9111 / 703-370-7800

WORLDWIDE ASSISTANCE

Washington, DC
800-777-8710 ext. 417

Foreign-Based Companies

INTEGRA GLOBAL

Hallein, Austria
43-6245-71303
e-mail: info@integraglobal.com

EXECUTIVE MEDICAL SERVICES

AMERICAN MEDICAL CENTERS

Moscow, Russia
Offices in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kiev, Prague, Warsaw, Istanbul
(7-095) 933-77-00 (Moscow)

HEALTH QUEST TRAVEL INC.

Wexford, PA
888-899-3633
e-mail: HQT@HealthQuestTravel.com

WORLD CLINIC

Burlington, MA
800-636-9186