Does travel insurance cover prescription drugs? What is the copay?
Travel insurance covers prescription drugs just like other medical expenses. In fixed plans, like any other eligible expense, there are limits on prescription drugs. In comprehensive coverage, there are no restrictions on prescription drugs.
There is no concept of co-payments for short-term insurance. Please refer to your insurance booklet or insurance contract for coverage and your responsibilities.
Does travel insurance cover over-the-counter drugs, blood pressure monitors, birth control pills?
Not covered.
Is there a separate deductible?
No, you pay a one-time cumulative deductible for all covered expenses. If you’ve already paid the deductible, for example, as long as you’ve paid the deductible, you don’t need to pay the deductible separately on prescription drugs.
Which pharmacy can I choose?
You can choose any pharmacy you like. There is no PPO network in any travel insurance.
How does the Prescription Drug Discount Card work?
Some travel medical insurance plans offer prescription drug discount cards. When you go to a partner pharmacy, they give you a discount on covered drugs. You need to pay the remaining amount and submit a claim for reimbursement. The insurance company pays according to the terms of the specific insurance.
For example, if you buy IMG’s Patriot America. If your total cost of prescription drugs is $100, they give you a $30 discount, you pay $70 and file a $70 claim. As long as it’s a covered expense, IMG will refund you 80% of the $70, assuming you’ve met the deductible.
Just because a plan doesn’t offer a prescription drug discount card, doesn’t mean the prescription drug isn’t covered. It’s just that you won’t get an extra discount.
When I go to prescriptions, they don’t accept insurance. How does this work? I need to pay first, how do I get reimbursed?
There is no PPO network in any travel insurance pharmacy. Pharmacies do not bill directly with insurance companies. You will need to pay first and submit a claim for reimbursement.
For all insurance, show the pharmacy doctor’s prescription. To get a prescription drug at a US pharmacy, make sure you have a prescription from a US licensed physician, as they do not accept prescriptions outside the US.
If you meet IMG or WorldTrips insurance requirements and present a prescription drug discount card, they will give you an instant discount. Pay the pharmacy as if there is no insurance. You can file a claim for eligible expenses.
Follow the claims submission process to submit a claim. In addition to the documents mentioned above, you must also send the prescription for each drug and the documents from the pharmacy.
Pharmacies do not accept insurance cards. what should I do?
The card you receive after purchasing insurance is for medical treatment and not for prescription drugs. Pay the pharmacy as if you had no insurance and claim reimbursement as described above.
The regular prescription drugs that I brought from my home country are gone, can I refill them in the US?
To get a prescription drug in a U.S. pharmacy, you need to get a prescription from a licensed U.S. physician. Therefore, you must seek medical attention, obtain the appropriate prescription and refill at the pharmacy of your choice.
However, any of the above costs are not covered in any travel insurance as they do not cover pre-existing conditions. All your problems are pre-existing because of the medicines you bought in your home country. Because they are daily expenses and are not the acute onset of a pre-existing condition, even any plan that covers the acute onset of a pre-existing condition does not cover such expenses.