$1700 Medical Bill for 20 mins treatment on P&O Cruise

[joejoe 59]

Exactly correct, well stated.

I agree that's what I was trying to say.

[The_Big_M]

How many ships have Australian credited doctors on board. I still think it is safer to assume I am correct or else you wait until you go ashore to get treatment, not always an option.

 

There’s no need to assume – your statement was incorrect. The restriction is not from Medicare, but from the ship’s as has been stated numerous times.

[MicCanberra]

There’s no need to assume – your statement was incorrect. The restriction is not from Medicare, but from the ship’s as has been stated numerous times.

As I had posted.:D

[jland]

As you asked, we get our travel insurance from www.squaremouth.com

 

Through them we get travel insurance from itravelinsured.

 

Squaremouth is an excellent company to deal with and will ask you many questions to make sure the insurance is right for you.

 

You do not have to book your holiday with a USA TA, you can book in whatever country you wish. We play the currency game, sometimes book in USA, sometimes UK.

 

As I said in my earlier post, the insurance is expensive and so we do not always insure for the full amount of the trip. I will not bore you with the details, unless you are interested.

 

My husband has so many pre existing conditions, I would need the length of a toilet roll to list them! But his heart failure and stroke rule him out of any Australian travel insurance. Yes itravelinsured is expensive but, for us, it means we can travel.

[boeckli]

As you asked, we get our travel insurance from www.squaremouth.com

 

Through them we get travel insurance from itravelinsured.

 

Squaremouth is an excellent company to deal with and will ask you many questions to make sure the insurance is right for you.

 

You do not have to book your holiday with a USA TA, you can book in whatever country you wish. We play the currency game, sometimes book in USA, sometimes UK.

 

As I said in my earlier post, the insurance is expensive and so we do not always insure for the full amount of the trip. I will not bore you with the details, unless you are interested.

 

My husband has so many pre existing conditions, I would need the length of a toilet roll to list them! But his heart failure and stroke rule him out of any Australian travel insurance. Yes itravelinsured is expensive but, for us, it means we can travel.

 

Have you ever had a claim on their insurance?

[jland]

Yes, no problem, no difference to dealing with an Australian insurance company.

 

Squaremouth will also go into bat for you if you had a problem with a claim, see their web site. If you have VoIP call them, they are very helpful.

 

I repeat, the insurance is expensive.

[boeckli]

Yes, no problem, no difference to dealing with an Australian insurance company.

 

Squaremouth will also go into bat for you if you had a problem with a claim, see their web site. If you have VoIP call them, they are very helpful.

 

I repeat, the insurance is expensive.

 

Thks for your prompt response - will check it out further.

[The_Big_M]

As I had posted.:D

 

You wrote:

 

While you are on the ship, you are not in Australia (medically)

 

Which is incorrect (in the context of cruises in Australian waters).

[fishtaco]

Do you go through immigration and customs on an Australian to Australian only port cruise like Sydney to Melbourne?

[MicCanberra]

You wrote:

 

 

 

Which is incorrect (in the context of cruises in Australian waters).

As I wrote, While you are on the ship, you are not in Australia (medically).

This meant that the ship's medical does not use medicare even when the ship is in aussie waters.

It is pretty simple, I really don't know what the issue is?:confused:

Edited March 26, 2014 by MicCanberra

[MicCanberra]

Do you go through immigration and customs on an Australian to Australian only port cruise like Sydney to Melbourne?

We did but it was very minimal, have the card filled out, hand it over and walk on through. :D

[The_Big_M]

Do you go through immigration and customs on an Australian to Australian only port cruise like Sydney to Melbourne?

 

No, you don't on dedicated cruises (where it's only sold as that).

 

When these sectors are sold as part of longer ones that are international e.g. Asia, world, you do.

[The_Big_M]

As I wrote, While you are on the ship, you are not in Australia (medically).

This meant that the ship's medical does not use medicare even when the ship is in aussie waters.

It is pretty simple, I really don't know what the issue is?:confused:

 

The issue is that the statement is incorrect.

 

While you are on the ship, you can be in Australia (medically).

 

The only issue is if the doctor is Medicare registered - which in many cases, is not the case.

 

As with many things, multiple conditions need to be fulfilled. The fact that the ship's doctor is not registered to use Medicare does not mean that the issue is with the ship's location/itinerary.

 

Put another way, if the ship's doctor was Medicare registered on the coastal cruise, you WOULD be able to claim even though you still "are on the ship," to use your definition.

[MicCanberra]

The issue is that the statement is incorrect.

 

While you are on the ship, you can be in Australia (medically).

 

The only issue is if the doctor is Medicare registered - which in many cases, is not the case.

 

As with many things, multiple conditions need to be fulfilled. The fact that the ship's doctor is not registered to use Medicare does not mean that the issue is with the ship's location/itinerary.

 

Put another way, if the ship's doctor was Medicare registered on the coastal cruise, you WOULD be able to claim even though you still "are on the ship," to use your definition.

Which is unlikely, so get insurance if you want to be covered.:D

[The_Big_M]

Which is unlikely, so get insurance if you want to be covered.:D

 

Yes, that's been the suggestion from way back. :D

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Surely , as soon as you step on a ship you are in the country of its registration , and its rules and regulations apply , regardless of what country it is visiting.

eg ; Dawn Princess is registered in Bermuda.....I would presume all her doctors , medical staff and equipment would be registered there and comply with what they require both over there and here. .

 

 

.

[The_Big_M]

Surely , as soon as you step on a ship you are in the country of its registration , and its rules and regulations apply , regardless of what country it is visiting.

eg ; Dawn Princess is registered in Bermuda.....I would presume all her doctors , medical staff and equipment would be registered there and comply with what they require both over there and here. .

 

 

.

 

Yes and no.

 

Cruise lines register under these flags of convenience as it benefits them. So yes, you are subject to their laws, but they are very lax, hence why it's convenient for the lines.

 

However, the cruise lines add their own rules on top, to be consistent with passenger expectations e.g. drinking age, and also co-operation with local authorities,

 

Further, to be permitted to operate in certain jurisdictions the lines need to be compliant with some other countries laws e.g. the CDC inspections.

 

So there's no reason they can't have Medicare registration requirements. However, it's not something they've generally bothered with either.

[fishtaco]

Its all too confusing. If you dont go through immigration then the trip is domestic cruise ship or not:confused:

[MicCanberra]

Its all too confusing. If you dont go through immigration then the trip is domestic cruise ship or not:confused:

 

Customs can sometimes be like other enforcement agencies and not always bother about checking certain destinations.:D

Edited March 27, 2014 by MicCanberra

[The_Big_M]

Its all too confusing. If you dont go through immigration then the trip is domestic cruise ship or not:confused:

 

Yep, spot on. There's no Customs for domestic cruises.

 

It's exactly the same with flights though. There are some international flights that go via domestic cities e.g. Melbourne, Perth enroute. On those you'll also go through Customs even though you're only flying domestically. Same here if you catch an international cruise on a short sector.

 

But when it's domestic only, no Customs.

[megsie]

As an aside to the medical heading but of interest in the domestic cruise discussion, we were recently on QM2, Adelaide to Sydney, short leg of the World cruise. When embarking in Adelaide we were given small blue cards with Coastal Cruise Only printed on them instead of having to fill in immigration forms and going through customs. In Sydney we just showed these cards and were waved along by customs. Worked well.

[MicCanberra]

As an aside to the medical heading but of interest in the domestic cruise discussion, we were recently on QM2, Adelaide to Sydney, short leg of the World cruise. When embarking in Adelaide we were given small blue cards with Coastal Cruise Only printed on them instead of having to fill in immigration forms and going through customs. In Sydney we just showed these cards and were waved along by customs. Worked well.

 

I am glad they are on top of this issue on some cruises at least, saves people queing for nothing in any case.:D

Edited March 28, 2014 by MicCanberra

[Yillup]

So they should also have a rule that doctors practising within Australia on Australian Citizens/Residents including cruise ships should be Medicare registered and thus unable to charge such high prices!

 

 

They'd still be charging the exact same prices, it's just the government would be footing the bill...

 

Makes you realise just how darned lucky we have it in Australia. And people are complaining about a proposal to charge $5 to visit a doctor...

 

 

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[The_Big_M]

I am glad they are on top of this issue on some cruises at least, saves people queing for nothing in any case.:D

 

It's been done many times, so almost always runs very smoothly. :D

[Docker123]

They'd still be charging the exact same prices, it's just the government would be footing the bill

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

They may charge the same, but the government would not pick up that sort of bill.

 

There are set rebates that the government pays for different types of treatment. They do not pay $1700 for whatever it was this person had

 

There are various things that attract no rebate, some doctors that will not include Medicare, and the private hospital system that can charge whatever their business model and private insurance will support.