Weekend excursions and treks to incredible destinations can be stressful. What’s more, they can potentially put you at risk of falling ill or becoming a victim of injury. Whether it’s a matter of eating bad seafood or taking an unfortunate tumble down a flight of stairs, you’ll likely want to prepare yourself with health insurance options that won’t be limited when you need care the most. It’s terribly important that you’re completely competent when it comes to knowing if your insurance company will help you to access service, or if you’ll have gaps in coverage. There are a number of tips you should consider whether you’re traveling domestically or nationally:

Figure Out Your Coverage Beforehand…

Chat with someone from your insurance company ahead of leaving your area to learn about the extent of your medical coverage when you’re in another state or another nation.

Educate yourself on how much medical care will cost, as well as out-of-network costs. Download your health insurance company’s app, and look to folks like ZocDoc, which facilitates access to digital appointment books.

Budget For Out-Of-Pocket For Medical Care Expenses

If you’re traveling, you should put aside a little extra money in case you’ll need to  visit with an out-of-network doctor.

If you budget for a higher bill, you’ll feel like you’ll be able to manage payment. It’s important that domestic and international travels assess health care costs.

When Refilling Prescriptions…

Traveling isn’t foolproof. In fact, something that often happens when moving from one area to another is forgetfulness, or  a failure to retrieve or refill your medicine.

If this happens, make sure to call you doctor or pharmacy promptly and explain your situation. Your doctor then will be able to arrange for your prescriptions to be retrieved from a nearby pharmacy. You can also visit a doctor at an urgent care facility or ER if you are unable to reach your physician.

Supplemental Health Insurance?

For some travelers, the idea of supplemental healthcare is attractive. This is certainly true for those who are spending months in different nations.

Several weeks ahead of a departure, look into separate plans and figure out if temporary insurance that will cover you during the length of your trip is a good idea for you.

Emergency Care or Urgent Care?

The Affordable Care Act ensures that health insurance plans cover emergency care as an essential health benefit, which is awesome!

However, it’s important to recognize that hospitals and ER clinics tend to charge a premium for identical service you could receive from from a physician’s office or urgent care clinic. In fact, treatment and services at ERs or clinics are five times more expensive than urgent care facilities.

Call the number on the back of your insurance card and chat with experts about your condition and where you should go.

Telemedicine for Non-Emergency Injuries…

For travelers who are busy or simply unable to visit a doctor’s office, telemedicine is an incredible option. Users can pay a flat fee for each visit, and they can use their webcams or camera-enabled devices to receive a diagnosis. They can help diagnoses and offer treatment for sinus issues, the flu, sore throats, or respiratory infections.

The online consultation is the least expensive out-of-network option, granting access to physicians who are able to prescribe medications.

Prevention…

What’s just as important as access to healthcare is access to information that teaches the importance of prevention. Gauge the risk of potential injuries, consider your mental health, exercise, and eat healthy meals, so that you’re in your best shape when you’re traveling or on vacation.