View Full Version : Health care while on trail
Hi there everyone!
First, I'm not looking to start some kind of debate on healthcare reform here. PLEASE don't get on your high horse on any side of the issue.
OK...
So I've arranged to have a leave of absence from my job so that I can hike the PCT next year. The catch is 'leave of absence' means either suspending my healthcare plan that I get through my employer and getting COBRA, paying for my own plan independently, or just going without.
COBRA isn't very attractive. It's very expensive and will bring the price of the trip up by nearly $1000 (probably more). That's a lot of Snickers bars and beer. I wonder how hard it is to get a plan while planning a long distance hike.
So I guess my question is: What did you do, or what do you plan to do? If you've done a long hike, how crucial do you think it is to have health insurance, and how often did you use it while on the trail?
Thanks!
Plodderman
08-10-2009, 11:52
In todays economy many are going without health care but I would enjoy th trip more if I did. I would make sure to have health care.
Sounds like you are ready for a great hike.
The Solemates
08-10-2009, 12:02
get emergency care. thats what we did...and its much better than nothing. it basically only works for major medical, like if you break your leg and have to go to the ER, or your head falls off or something. we had a $5000 deductible, but it was only $1200 for both of us as a couple for 6 mos. coverage.
In todays economy many are going without health care but I would enjoy th trip more if I did. I would make sure to have health care.
Sounds like you are ready for a great hike.
I kind of think that I'm too ready, too early. I have waaay too much time to go over detail over and over and over. Is there a such thing as too much planning?
Snowleopard
08-10-2009, 12:25
If COBRA is only $1000 for the time to hike the AT, that's a great deal. It really doesn't take much of a medical problem to cost thousands of dollars. One ER visit could cost thousands.
TheSolemates $5000 deductible policy also sounds reasonable if you can afford $5000 up front. Without some kind of coverage there's a temptation to skip medical care for something that doesn't seem too serious. For example, Lyme disease often starts out seeming like a flu or cold, but if left untreated it becomes really serious.
For what it's worth, the only time I've needed medical care while traveling was in Canada. I went into a Doctor's office, waited 30 minutes, saw an MD and got a prescription filled. It all cost me less than my co-pay would have cost at home.
The Weasel
08-10-2009, 14:45
In addition to having peace of mind by having coverage, if you DO get injured or sick, and don't have coverage, you may not get good coverage when you return under the 'pre-existing condition' exclusion.
TW
Plodderman
08-10-2009, 16:08
I kind of think that I'm too ready, too early. I have waaay too much time to go over detail over and over and over. Is there a such thing as too much planning?
Probably, but that is a nice problem to have but eventually you will put it down for awhile then pick it back up and even with all the planning I am sure you will forget something.
Part of the fun of it.
Probably, but that is a nice problem to have but eventually you will put it down for awhile then pick it back up and even with all the planning I am sure you will forget something.
Part of the fun of it.
You're probably right about me forgetting something. It seems like I always forget something no matter the length of the trip.
Last week it was the stakes for my tarp.
It makes for a pain in the butt, but I suppose that it's also good training on how to improvise and be adaptable. :)
I think I'm going to put off anymore planning and just concentrate on getting out and hiking with a pack for now while I've got nice weather. I'll have all the time I need in the winter (I'm in MN) to plan stuff inside.
hopefulhiker
08-10-2009, 16:25
There is more risk of getting sick or hurt while thruhiking generally than there is in most normal day to day activities..
Stress fractures, strained tendons, lyme disease, rabies, infections, pink eye, and so forth. I personally visited three doctors and a few nurses during my thru.. Of course I was older and feebler..
But having health insurance is part of "Being Prepared" for the hike..
In NY I had to visit the emergency room for a prescription for antibiotics. The visit was 600 dollars plus another 100 to fill the prescription.. This is what I would have had to pay with no insurance. With insurance the visit cost me about sixty bucks..
I would consider the Cobra if you had good insurance to begin with.. but I would get something for sure....
of the 3 times i've been out on the trail, I didn't have health insurance at all. Now, i'm not advocating that you go without it, I was very lucky to not have anything happen really.
As some have said, if you can't afford the COBRA coverage, going with what the Solemates mentioned is a good way to go. Ive had to go to an ER twice in my life, (not on my thru's) and both times I didnt have insurance and the ER bills were well over 4,000 dollars. One visit was less than hour and it was over that.
I would get something for sure, as it can help to cut the costs if something does happen.
fiddlehead
08-10-2009, 18:55
6 thru-hikes: Never had insurance.
Went to the hospital twice: Each time was around $500
Enjoy the snickers!
Jim Adams
08-10-2009, 23:14
Been a paramedic for 33 years...didn';t have health insurance for 25 of those. I took people to the hospital everyday but couldn't afford to go myself! Did 2 AT thrus, 1000 miles of PCT, worked as a whitewater guide for 30 years and have spent probably over 2 years time in the Canadian North canoeing over the past 25 years...most of that time w/o health care coverage.
Take an indepth first aid course and take care of yourself. Be as careful as you can and have fun. You may get injured or injure yourself in the outdoors but USUALLY you only get sick from other people! I am usually at my healthiest while on wilderness trips.
geek
Yes, dirt actually makes you healthier.
get emergency care. thats what we did...and its much better than nothing. it basically only works for major medical, like if you break your leg and have to go to the ER, or your head falls off or something. we had a $5000 deductible, but it was only $1200 for both of us as a couple for 6 mos. coverage.
Ditto. I got emergency care through BCBS and I believe it was around 400 bucks for 3 months. Was damn glad I had it. I got awfully sick in the Sierra and hiked to Mammoth Lakes and took a week off. I was hospitalized and had fluids pumped back into me and was tested for giardia (which I still believe I had). You can get wildly dehydrated after walking through the Sierras with diarahea for several days!
I believe the hospital bill was several thousand bucks (which was covered by my insurance).
I think this makes the most sense. My theory was that if I needed a doctors office I would pay out of pocket. Regular visits are generally 50-100 bucks.
Good luck!
Many go insured and get lucky, but why chance that a fluke illness/sickness not only ends your hike but bankrupts you and/or your family?
If you can't afford the grand you probably shouldn't go. Insurance is exactly what it is. INSURANCE you may need it hopefully you don't. A-Train is 100% correct! "Many go insured and get lucky, but why chance that a fluke illness/sickness not only ends your hike but bankrupts you and/or your family?" If you don't have nothing to protect - take a chance. You've got access to a decent policy that'll protect you, take advantage of it!
Been a paramedic for 33 years...didn';t have health insurance for 25 of those. I took people to the hospital everyday but couldn't afford to go myself! Did 2 AT thrus, 1000 miles of PCT, worked as a whitewater guide for 30 years and have spent probably over 2 years time in the Canadian North canoeing over the past 25 years...most of that time w/o health care coverage.
Take an indepth first aid course and take care of yourself. Be as careful as you can and have fun. You may get injured or injure yourself in the outdoors but USUALLY you only get sick from other people! I am usually at my healthiest while on wilderness trips.
geek
Love it!! and so true, typically you only get sick from other sick people and only when you're body is unhealthy anyways...if you are hiking and take care of yourself, you most likely will be fine
IIRC, you can purchase some medical coverage with some trip insurance policies.
here are some results from a 3 second Google search
http://www.travelguard.com/whybuy/quickcompare
All depends on what you are insuring.
Your heath only?
Or a lifetime of equity in a home and a pile of loot?
How much does a heart attack and the years of follow up stuff cost anyway? Would that be covered by some of these short term policies? Or would you be screwed once they payed the first few bills? I don't have a clue, but I am thinking you would be screwed.
When it comes to this kind of thing there is no one size fits all.
But lets look on the bright side. In this economy you might get fired between now and next spring and have the extended Cobra benefits picked up by those remaining in the workforce.
Health care. A friend of mine blew out his ACL in his kneee with no health insurance and he was fit and young. A grand is a drop in the bucket on an injury. Any insurance is better than none.
There are several companies that offer affordable short term medical insurance policies. An example is goldenrule.com . Just do a search for short term medical and you will find several options. Buy a policy that will last until your coverage at work begins again. You do not want any gaps.
You can compare that to cobra.
Either way will work. It is irresponsible not to have some coverage.
The way I see it, even adding $1000 to the cost of a thru-hike doesn't change that it's still way cheaper than pretty much any vacation either per diem or in toto. That said, for the one I've done so far I was fortunate to make it under the wire as a dependent on my parents' coverage, so I haven't been faced with this decision yet. (I would be inclined to go for emergency-coverage insurance only in the future, for what it's worth -- you'll probably be fine, and if some relatively small cost shows up you just pay it, safe knowing anything really bad is covered. Works well enough for car insurance, I say...)
Just google knowledge on my part, but one issue with short-term policies is that that if you file a claim under these policies, the insurance company will most likely not renew your coverage. Or if they do, wont cover the 'preexisting condition".
Not a big deal if your claim was for a acute condition like a broke leg, but get something serious and chronic and you could kiss the deed to your home good bye.
It gets complicated.
If you maintain continuous insurance, there are portability laws in place that allow you to move to a new insurer's group policy (like one offered by a new employer) and still be covered for your preexisting conditions, but keep in mind that the insurance companies will screw you if they can.
Many (most?) of the short-term policies don't qualify as continuous coverage. Probably other fine print, too. So if you get something serious (cancer, heart disease to name a few) when covered by some of those policies, you could still be SOL even after you are back with a traditional policy offered by an employer.
Plus, all this varies by state. Here in MA we have some good additional protections. No size fits all.
For what it's worth, the only time I've needed medical care while traveling was in Canada. I went into a Doctor's office, waited 30 minutes, saw an MD and got a prescription filled. It all cost me less than my co-pay would have cost at home.[/quote]
Those pesky Canadians, always taking the fun out of life.
Alligator
08-12-2009, 10:18
Just google knowledge on my part, but one issue with short-term policies is that that if you file a claim under these policies, the insurance company will most likely not renew your coverage. Or if they do, wont cover the 'preexisting condition".
Not a big deal if your claim was for a acute condition like a broke leg, but get something serious and chronic and you could kiss the deed to your home good bye.
It gets complicated.
If you maintain continuous insurance, there are portability laws in place that allow you to move to a new insurer's group policy (like one offered by a new employer) and still be covered for your preexisting conditions, but keep in mind that the insurance companies will screw you if they can.
Many (most?) of the short-term policies don't qualify as continuous coverage. Probably other fine print, too. So if you get something serious (cancer, heart disease to name a few) when covered by some of those policies, you could still be SOL even after you are back with a traditional policy offered by an employer.
Plus, all this varies by state. Here in MA we have some good additional protections. No size fits all.I will second these thoughts and would urge anyone considering the insurance aspects to pay close attention to how the policy they select handles coverage in respect to pre-existing conditions. You might think you are invulnerable and in great health until the doctor says you ain't.
Personally I don't know a lot about COBRA, traveler, or simple catastrophic policies but this is an interesting point brought up by Rick.
I think if you are very likely to go back to your job, take the Cobra, find the money. Doesn't sound like a lot of $. Comparison shop with disaster policies, but as noted, shop very carefully, to know what the policy exactly is.
If you have no wealth, you could go naked, but if you are injured, that could be trouble, and IMO is irresponsible.