Make Sure This Christmas Trip Doesn't Cost You Everything, UK

Main Category: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 23 Dec 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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Specialists at Leicester's hospitals are warning Christmas travellers to ensure they take insurance against ill health.

Specialist registrar Dr Vimal Desai, from the Leicester Royal Infirmary's Emergency Department, works with an organisation specialising in repatriating patients who have suffered ill health whilst overseas.

This work has taken him all over the world to collect holiday makers who have suffered heart attacks, strokes or other serious illnesses - and too many, he says, face crippling medical bills because they failed to take insurance or the EHIC card which replaces the E111 form.

This card is free and ensures free medical treatment in any European Union member state. Travel insurance is vital when travelling outside of these states but is still also recommended within the EU as the EHIC card may not cover all expenses.

"Usually the first thing any of us want to do when we are ill is to come home and be near family" he said. "An airline won't normally allow you to fly alone for four-to-six weeks, which is where the organisation liaises with the medical authorities abroad and arranges a safe repatriation.

"I have collected over a hundred patients in the last five years, all falling seriously ill while on holiday. Without insurance or the EHIC card, you can find yourself in hospital for many weeks, unable to get home and facing thousands of pounds worth of medical bills.

"I recently collected a patient from Spain following a motorcycle accident. His mother had to remortgage her home to pay the £44,000 in medical bills."

Source
Carol Burns
Communications
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
www.uhl-tr.nhs.uk