Chase Sapphire Preferred - Hospitalization Documentation

[Daniel75252]

I missed a cruise because I had to be hospitalized and was not released until 2pm on cruise day (would have to fly DFW MIA) and coudln't make it to the cruise. I paid for a portion of the cruise with the CSP so I am covered. They require an "attending physician's statement" which has me stumped - I can't just wander into the ER and ask them to fill out paperwork.  How have others dealt with this requirement when dealing with a hospital instead of their own primary Dr?

[GeezerCouple]

1 minute ago, Daniel75252 said:

I missed a cruise because I had to be hospitalized and was not released until 2pm on cruise day (would have to fly DFW MIA) and coudln't make it to the cruise. I paid for a portion of the cruise with the CSP so I am covered. They require an "attending physician's statement" which has me stumped - I can't just wander into the ER and ask them to fill out paperwork.  How have others dealt with this requirement when dealing with a hospital instead of their own primary Dr?

 

For starters, send a copy of your hospital discharge records, which will also include the length of your stay, your diagnosis, etc.

Or get a fresh copy of your records.

 

Given that you knew you'd be missing the cruise and wanting to file a claim, it would have made sense to get a note as you were discharged.

The insurer will want documentation that confirms it was a necessary hospital stay and with something that precluded travel (e.g., not elective cosmetic surgery or such).

 

Depending upon the insurance terms, they may need to review your previous medical records IF they need to rule out whether the hospital stay was due to an excluded pre-existing condition.

 

Glad you are better!

 

GC

[CDNPolar]

What @GeezerCouple said, but why can't you walk back in and have the paperwork filled out?

 

In Canada I would do that, but I would expect to pay a fee for the service.

 

We had to cancel a trip this past December and the paperwork for the insurance cost us a total of about $200.00 after all was done, but we were refunded over $14K so it was worth it.

 

We had two doctors that were very compliant and willing and one that refused to fill and sign paperwork, but gave us instead his report / diagnosis which the insurance company accepted.

 

This whole process took a number of phone calls to doctor's offices and walking in with the hard copy to some and emailing to others.

 

In Canada, any report written by the doctor or attending physician is your personal property if you want it and cannot be kept from you, and I would assume that this is the same in the USA.

 

We also have in our area online portals where we can pull all our medical records and reports at any time.  If however they need the attending physician's signature that is different.

 

Glad you are better - or at least hope you are...

 

Good luck.

[GeezerCouple]

3 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

What @GeezerCouple said, but why can't you walk back in and have the paperwork filled out?

 

In Canada I would do that, but I would expect to pay a fee for the service.

 

We had to cancel a trip this past December and the paperwork for the insurance cost us a total of about $200.00 after all was done, but we were refunded over $14K so it was worth it.

 

We had two doctors that were very compliant and willing and one that refused to fill and sign paperwork, but gave us instead his report / diagnosis which the insurance company accepted.

 

This whole process took a number of phone calls to doctor's offices and walking in with the hard copy to some and emailing to others.

 

In Canada, any report written by the doctor or attending physician is your personal property if you want it and cannot be kept from you, and I would assume that this is the same in the USA.

 

We also have in our area online portals where we can pull all our medical records and reports at any time.  If however they need the attending physician's signature that is different.

 

Glad you are better - or at least hope you are...

 

Good luck.

 

It's quite similar south of the border 🙂 as described by @CDNPolar

Our medical records are typically "ours" (to view, unless there is some reason to consider harm to the patient from viewing in some circumstances).  And at least in the past, in our experience, we would have to pay for printed copies of medical records *unless* they were to be sent to another physician.

With travel insurance, I would have expected the insurer also to include the costs of the medical docs if they were covering the claim.

And we also have online portals; I hadn't thought of that! (Duh!)  When MIL was hospitalized days before our planned departure, we just had the doctors fill out the insurance forms, which were rather short.  (She was nearing 100, and was admitted for heart trouble.  No one was questioning anything!  And she made it until about a month before her 100th!!)

Even when DH had a last minute medical emergency, all that was required was that same one page form.

 

Now, our coverage does NOT exclude pre-existing conditions, so that probably makes many of the claims easier.

 

Now, the overseas/foreign hospital for me was different.  We requested copies of my medical records, and I was handed a thick stack of papers, in a foreign language.  We copied those and sent the batch to the insurer!  So no "insurance forms" were ever filled out.

 

We've never felt the claims process to be burdensome.  The insurers have a right to try to prevent/detect fraud.

 

GC

Edited March 20 by GeezerCouple